Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is widely expected to announce a cabinet reshuffle soon, a move observers say could advance his anti-corruption agenda and draw a line under the era of veteran leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Media speculation is on the boil that Abdullah, who has retained many ministers closely identified with Mahathir since taking over in 2003, will stamp his own image on the administration with sweeping changes.

Figures as high-profile as veteran International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz, the 'Iron Lady' of Malaysian politics and one of the government's most senior members, are thought to be among those on the chopping block.

The resignation Sunday of Federal Territories Minister Isa Samad over graft charges has ramped up expectations for a reshuffle, which some speculate could come as Abdullah starts his third year in office on Nov 1.

"It should happen fairly soon," said Shahrir Samad, a prominent Umno politician.

"There may be those who go out and those who move around laterally," he told AFP .

Own team

Abdullah has revealed little about his intentions, perplexing the media with enigmatic responses when he is grilled on the issue, but observers are on the lookout for major changes.

The revamp would be the first since March 2004, when the premier also increased the number of ministers from 29 to 33, creating what analysts say is an unwieldy cabinet.

"What is needed really is his own team, so it's just a matter of the timing and the people he puts in," said Shahrir, adding that Abdullah would make the changes at his own pace.

"Abdullah obviously has his own ideas about the kind of government and the kind of country he wants, and he has to bring in people who share his vision and principles and political philosophy," he said.

The prime minister has made fighting corruption a rallying cry for his administration, and oppposition leader Lim Kit Siang said the premier needed to appoint ministers who support his anti-graft drive.

"For two years he has been the single voice in the wilderness about integrity and corruption," said Lim. "No minister has been coming forward to give support in terms of leading the campaign in the respective ministries."

The reshuffle speculation has also been triggered by the completion of internal polls for parties in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, which saw some ministers lose party posts.

Traditionally, cabinet appointments are won by those with key party positions.

Pundits have speculated that Rafidah, whose future is in question after a damaging tussle with Mahathir over the nation's car imports scheme, could be shifted to the education ministry or the prime minister's department.

Other senior ministers thought to be heading for the door are Home Minister Azmi Khalid, Higher Education Minister Shafie Salleh and Information Minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, who fared badly in Umno internal polls.

Lose support

But political scientist at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, predicted Abdullah's trademark cautious and consensus-based leadership style would see few dramatic changes.

"Any critical decision-making has to be along the lines of least resistance," he said of Abdullah's leadership style.

The prime minister also needs to balance the demands of the ruling coalition's parties, among whom cabinet posts are divided, making it difficult to introduce sweeping or unjustified changes.

If he did, Abdullah would "lose a lot of support, and I don't think he is in the kind of position to do so," said Shamsul.