Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who chaired his first Barisan Nasional supreme council meeting today, said the coalition supported his stand on eradicating corruption.

He also expressed appreciation to all component parties for their support on the matter, which he described as a "serious disease that needs to be eliminated".

Abdullah then called on the BN leadership to prove its integrity and gain the people's support for them in order to continue leading the government.

The premier, who took office last Friday, was earlier endorsed as BN chairperson at the meeting held at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Abdullah said education was another issue which component members agreed was of primary importance.

He added that education was the means by which our young can become united and become sources of the nation's "intellectual capital".

"By focusing on education, we hope to build a generation that is knowledgeable and can thereby develop the country to greater levels of excellence," he said.

PBDS hitch

On the issue of elections, Abdullah said the coalition was prepared for a snap election although the date has yet to be announced.

"It can happen anytime. We are ready. We just want to make ourselves even more ready," he stressed.

According to him, the only hitch in the distribution of electoral seats among BN parties was the uncertain standing of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS).

Otherwise, he added, the fact that 'seats distribution' was not even raised at the meeting demonstrates the coalition's unity.

PBDS, which is being rocked by an internal crisis, was the only BN component party not represented at the meeting.

One faction is led by former information chief and state minister James Masing, who has with him a group of nine elected representatives.

The other faction supports Daniel Tajem - who succeeded former president Leo Moggie - and it comprises five elected representatives including deputy president Joseph Salang Gandum and secretary-general Stanley Ajang.

Following the Masing faction's recent application to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to register as a new party, there is the possibility that PBDS could be de-registered.

After the meeting, Gerakan President Dr Lim Keng Yaik told reporters that Youth and Sports Minister Hishamuddin Hussein and International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz had in the meeting presented their reports on behalf of BN's Youth and Women's wings.

He said their reports have indicated their readiness for the general election.