Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today reiterated he would handover power to his deputy Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the end of October and praised his successor's performance during his absence.

Mahathir, who resumed work o­n Monday after a two-month holiday during which Abdullah was appointed acting premier, said his deputy made all decisions o­n his own during the period.

"I think he has done very well. I think he came through with flying colours. I can reassure you that while o­n holiday, he did not ring me to find out what the issues are. He is able to carry o­n, o­n his own," Mahathir told reporters.

Dress rehearsal

"I wish my leave was longer," the 77-year-old veteran Southeast Asian leader joked.

Mahathir, who marks 22 years in power in July, reiterated that he would stick to his plans to step down at the end of October after hosting the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit from October 11-14.

"I don't know about the legal (issues and the) protocol. The fact is ... at the end of October, (Abdullah) will be the PM. I'll be resigning at the end of October," he said.

"I had hoped to resign (immediately) after the OIC meeting but I have been requested to stay o­n by some foreign countries because I have to attend some important meetings."

The two-month stint at the helm for the 63-year-old Abdullah was seen as a rehearsal for his replacement of Mahathir, who is credited with dragging Malaysia from the commodity-based economic backwaters into the manufacturing mainstream of Asian exporters.