Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has pledged to cut the cost of cancer treatment and continue his wife's awareness campaigns after her death last week from the disease.

"The cost of cancer treatment is very high and I know the medicines are really expensive. It is my intention to make cancer treatment affordable to all," he was quoted as telling parliament by the Star daily.

The much-loved first lady, Endon Mahmood, died last Thursday at the age of 64 after a long battle with breast cancer that saw her undergo numerous rounds of chemotherapy treatment.

"Her illness really weakened her. But the lesson, I believe, is that there is already a stronger feeling among everyone on the need to overcome cancer," Abdullah said.

"This can be through education and prevention, or having more treatments and types of medicine, which, we hope, can be cheaper and more reasonably priced."

Cancer awareness

Endon successfully used her own illness to elevate cancer awareness among ordinary Malaysians, helping break down the taboo on the discussion of issues like self-examination to detect breast cancer.

Abdullah said that before her death, Endon told him to make sure he completed several cancer-related projects that she had begun.

"God willing, I, together with our children, will help to ensure the success of the projects," he said.

Despite the loss of his wife, with whom he enjoyed a famously harmonious and loving 40-year-marriage, Abdullah vowed not to take any time off and returned to work on Monday.

He has said he will attend all the international meetings scheduled for next month including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in South Korea and the Commonwealth Head of Governments Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta.