Malaysia's ruling party may postpone internal polls: officials - AFP

Malaysia's ruling party may delay internal elections, officials said Tuesday, in an apparent bid to shield Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi from pressure to quit after poor poll results.

In the wake of the disastrous showing in March 8 general elections by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), officials said party leaders had urged Abdullah to postpone the meeting, which had been tipped for August.

"They have recommended that party elections be held next year," UMNO information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

"They said that if it is held this year it will spark havoc and disaster. So they said it will be good if it can be postponed to 2009," he said, adding that it could be held in June next year.

Muhammad said UMNO's supreme council will make a decision when it meets on Thursday. The party was scheduled to hold elections last year, but they were delayed due to the March 8 polls.

One party official told AFP there was a feeling that an open challenge to the premier could threaten the stability of UMNO, which has ruled Malaysia for half a century.

[More at http://news.my.msn.com/regional/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1306897]