Malaysia PM basks in vote triumph - BBC News

By Jonathan Kent
BBC, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia's general election had not been expected to produce shocks, but in the end it did.

The country's Prime Minister of five months, Abdullah Badawi, had asked the people to give him a strong mandate and they responded, beyond the ruling coalition's expectations.

The Malaysian media dubbed it the blue wave. The Prime Minister's ruling Barisan Nasional, or National Front, coalition with its dark blue flag washed across Malaysia and its opponents were swept away.

The main opposition party, Pas, which wants to introduce hard-line Islamic laws into Muslim dominated areas, suffered worst.

It boasted 26 MPs in the old 193-strong parliament. Now it has just seven in the enlarged 219-seat assembly.

Worse still it lost control of the state government in rural Terengganu and came within a few hundred votes of surrendering the neighbouring state of Kelantan - its supposedly impregnable stronghold.

[More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3560519.stm]

Abdullah sworn in as Malaysian PM - BBC News

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has been sworn in as the country's leader after winning a landslide general election victory.

The ruling National Front coalition also won 12 out of 13 states, recapturing the state of Terengganu from the Islamic Party (Pas).

Pas managed to hold onto its other state, Kelantan, by a slim majority.

The overall result is a major victory for Mr Abdullah, who assumed power in October when Mahathir Mohamad retired.

The 64-year-old career politician and former Islamic student had campaigned hard in the northern states - a heartland for ethnic Malay Muslims - and has called for "modern and progressive" Islamic rule.

"This big win means a lot to us all. It represents the acceptance, the support of the people for the coalition," Mr Abdullah said after declaring victory.

[More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3556761.stm]

Malaysia's PM forces elections - The Guardian

By John Aglionby

Malaysia's prime minister, Abdullah Badawi, yesterday announced the dissolution of parliament in an attempt to secure his own mandate and the legitimacy he has lacked since replacing Mahathir Mohamad last October.
Polling day, which the electoral commission will set when the state legislatures have also been dissolved, is expected to be before the end of the month.

The ruling National Front (BN) coalition of 12 parties from Malay, Chinese and Indian backgrounds is almost certain to be returned with a handsome majority.

But unless Mr Badawi can reverse the slide at the last election in 1999, where BN's support slumped to 56.5% of the popular vote, analysts say his own position is at risk within his United Malays National Organisation.

Many factors are in Mr Badawi's favour: he has shown a determination to tackle corruption; the economy is picking up; and the opposition is far from united. But many of Malaysia's 10 million voters have only ever known one leader and might opt for change.

[From http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/mar/04/malaysia]

Malaysia's Anwar refused bail - BBC News

Malaysia's court of appeal has refused to grant bail to jailed former Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar reacted in court by shouting that the judges were "spineless".

He had asked to be freed from prison pending an appeal against a conviction for sodomy so he could travel abroad for medical treatment.

His appeal was being watched for signs of a new approach to the case, now the country's new Prime Minister, Abdullah Badawi, has taken office.

"We are unanimous in our conclusion that the first applicant (Anwar) had failed to demonstrate reasonably to our satisfaction that his case is within the category of 'special or exceptional circumstances' which warrants his release on bail pending appeal," the panel of appeal court judges said in a written judgement after the hearing.

The court also ruled that it does not have the power to review its decision last year to reject his appeal against Anwar's conviction for sodomy.

[More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3415715.stm]

Najib pledges loyalty and full dedication - Daily Express

NAJIB on Wednesday pledged to help Abdullah in administering the country with loyalty and dedication.

He said as required of a Deputy Prime Minister, he was willing to work with full dedication and muster the skills and abilities to implement the work that needed to be done.

Najib was speaking at his maiden press conference as the new Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister at the Defence Ministry in Kuala Lumpur.

He said he was aware of the heavy responsibilities entrusted to him but was confident of discharging them to the best of his abilities with the prayers and co-operation of all Malaysians.

He also thanked the Prime Minister for placing his confidence in him to serve as his deputy.

“I am determined to be a deputy who is able to help the Prime Minister to the best of my abilities in implementing the Government policies and agenda laid down by him,” said Najib, who is also the Defence Minister.

Najib said he would focus on the Prime Minister’s agenda to come up with a more efficient government and delivery system and combat corruption.

[More at http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=24014]

Malaysia PM names deputy - BBC News

Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has ended months of speculation by appointing a deputy.

Najib Tun Razak is expected to be sworn in later on Wednesday, in a move that is being seen as a sign that Mr Abdullah is preparing to call a general election.

Malaysians have been waiting to find out who he would make his second in command ever since it was announced 18 months ago that he would become prime minister.

The deputy's post is seen as a stepping-stone to the top job and many will now expect Mr Najib, Malaysia's defence minister, to succeed his boss when he eventually stands down.

Mr Abdullah is said to have delayed naming a deputy until his key policies were established.

With his political platform and his number two in place, Malaysians can expect to go to the polls within months.

[More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3374819.stm]

Malaysia's PM pledges openness - BBC News

By Jonathan Kent
BBC, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia's new prime minister has signalled his support for a more open and tolerant style of government.

In his first speech to parliament as the country's new leader, Abdullah Badawi committed himself to strengthening Malaysia's democratic culture and its checks and balances on power which critics say his predecessor undermined.

What had been expected from Abdullah Badawi was a bland tribute to the former prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Though Mr Abdullah called his predecessor a hero, he appeared to distance himself from Dr Mahathir's style of government.

Mr Abdullah affirmed his commitment to democracy, declaring that he wishes to see it thrive in Malaysia.

While he said the government would not tolerate terrorism or those seeking to incite race or religious hatred, he said it should be open to critical and contrary ideas.

He went further, speaking of the importance of checks and balances and promised to respect the separation of powers between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

[More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3236275.stm]

Mahathir bows out as Malaysia's PM - CNN

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (CNN) -- An era has ended in Malaysia with the formal departure from office of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad after 22 years in power.

Mahathir's deputy and carefully groomed successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was formally sworn in at a somber ceremony Friday afternoon at the royal palace in Kuala Lumpur.

Ending his last day in power Mahathir, known to millions simply as Dr M, clocked out of office for the last time from the new Putrajaya administrative capital -- one of many so-called mega projects that he personally oversaw.

Abdullah, who becomes Malaysia's fifth prime minister since independence in 1957, signed the instruments of office in the presence of Malaysia's King Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin.

Wearing traditional Malay dress Abdullah pledged to "fulfill the obligations of this position honestly and with all my energy."

[More at http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/31/mahathir.retire/index.html]

Mahathir sets date to step down - CNN

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Asia's longest-serving democratically-elected leader, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, will stand down on October 31.

Mahathir's weekend comments to reporters in Monaco marked the first time he had put a specific date on his resignation after 22 years in power.

Mahathir, 77, announced his retirement last year but agreed to a transition period that would have him hand over power to his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, after Malaysia hosts a summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference next month.

"I may be healthy, but I have been prime minister too long," Mahathir told Malaysian students Saturday during a visit to Monaco. "It's time to move on and pass the job to someone else," The Associated Press quoted him as saying.

Asked by reporters whether he has set a definite retirement date, Mahathir said: "It will be on the last day of October."

Mahathir added he would not change his mind. "If I do, my credibility will be gone," he was quoted as saying by the New Sunday Times newspaper.

[More at http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/09/29/malaysia.mahathir/index.html]

Malaysia brings English back into classroom - The Daily Telegraph

By Jonathan Kent in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia put the language of its old colonial master back into the heart of its education system yesterday, almost 30 years after expelling it.

For decades, schools for the country's different communities have taught in Malay, Chinese or Tamil, but now all maths and science classes will be in English.

Mahathir Mohamad, the Malaysian prime minister, who frequently rails against Western "imperialism", was behind the U-turn. As education minister he pushed through the switch to Malay in the 1970s, but now says: "We have to accept English whether we like it or not."

The new education policy is a response to economic realities and the fact that the quality of English, which dominates business, has deteriorated over the decades.

"Malay Muslims don't have the same fluency in the English language and are therefore shut out of jobs in the private sector," said Karim Raslam, a commentator.

[From http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/malaysia/1418169/Malaysia-brings-English-back-into-classroom.html]