SYDNEY - Australia welcomed today the landslide election victory of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the successor to Mahathir Mohamad with whom Canberra had a difficult relationship.

"The results are a resounding endorsement of Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's leadership and of his reform agenda, which includes tackling corruption, transparent government, and continuing strong economic development," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.

Downer said he had enjoyed a constructive and long-standing relationship with Abdullah when he had been foreign minister.

Pointed snub from Howard

Abdullah's Barisan Nasional coalition was returned to government at Sunday's polls with 90 percent of parliamentary seats, rolling back gains made by the opposition Islamic party PAS in 1999 when Mahathir's popularity was at an all-time low.

Mahathir, who retired last October after 22 years in power, was often at loggerheads with Australian Prime Minister John Howard in a feud that predated Howard's election to government in 1996.

Mahathir last year called Australia "some sort of transplant from another region" and had blocked its entry to regional trade forums.

In what was seen as a pointed snub, Howard sent no message of farewell to Mahathir on his retirement in October.