Umno leaders respect PMs wish, deny there was pressure

comments     YS Tong     Published     Updated

Umno leaders today said they respected Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's decision to step down and denied that he was pressured to do so.

Vice-president Najib Abdul Razak ( right ) said he respected the 76-year-old premier's wish and stressed that Mahathir did not make the decision under pressure from anyone.

"We also support (Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) Pak Lah to help Dr Mahathir make his wish come true," said Najib at a press conference at the Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur after an hour-long party supreme council meeting.

The council was briefed about what transpired at the meeting between the party's management committee and Mahathir over the weekend after the premier announced on Saturday that he would step down.

The premier, who has been in office for 21 years, left for a planned 10-day holiday in Italy the next day.

Earlier, Umno secretary-general Khalil Yaakob announced at the press conference that Mahathir proposed to quit after the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) next October.

The period from now until Mahathir's actual resignation is to facilitate a smooth transition of power and duties to his deputy Abdullah.

It was also announced that Mahathir will go on leave for two months and Abdullah will stand in for him in all the premier's portfolios Umno president, Barisan Nasional chairperson, and finance minister.

The proposal was endorsed by the supreme council.

Country will prosper

Vice-president Muhammad Muhd Taib told reporters that "though it would take another 1,000 years to get a great leader like Mahathir, a man of high credibility like him had carefully considered his decision".

"Malaysia will continue to prosper under Pak Lah," said Muhammad.

He added that the challenges for Umno now is to heed the call by the prime minister to teach science and mathematics in English and to implement meritocracy gradually in order to promote competitiveness among the bumiputra.

Another vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin said Umno's strength would not be jeorpadised with Mahathir's departure because the transitional period can offset any drastic consequences.

"We acknowledge his contribution but would have to let him go because he wants to," he said.

Meanwhile, Wanita chief Rafidah Aziz ( left ) refuted widespread speculation that Mahathir's resignation may result in internal fights among Umno leaders at the party election expected to be held next year.

She said she has great confidence that the succession within Umno will be a smooth one because of the time-frame of 15 months, or more, set for this purpose.

"There is no room for speculation that Mahathir's resignation should cause any disorder within the party," she said.

Earlier, some 150 journalists from foreign and local press waited outside the boardroom at the Umno headquarters while the supreme council was having its meeting.

Barisan Nasional leaders were briefed on the matter at a closed-door meeting later.



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