Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today reiterated he is comitted to retiring in 2010 and during the next two years will focus his attention to eradicating poverty in the country.

wanita umno pak lah meet rafidah shahrizat event 040808 07 “When the time comes for me to retire, I will retire. I will also make sure I will let people know I am determined to eradicate poverty. If I can do that, I will be grateful to God and I'll be very happy indeed,” Abdullah told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

The 68-year-old premier stressed that even if he could not fully achieve his task, he would still step down as promised.

“It has nothing to do with politics, rather the economic situation today. However, we will continue to fight (poverty) and I will do my best,” he said, admitting that it might be an uphill task considering the current sluggish economy and record-high global fuel prices.

Zero poverty by 2010

Poverty has been a long-standing thorn in the Abdullah administration.

Although the number of hardcore poor fell from 5.7 percent in 2004 to 3.6 percent in 2007, the prime minister has pledged to push five major tasks before passing the baton to his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak. His top priority is to have zero poverty by 2010.

Earlier in his speech at the launching of the National Crime Prevention Month 2008 in KLCC, Abdullah also revealed his determination to fight poverty and "we will work hard to get it done in the shortest period of time.”

Abdullah, who recently announced a pact to retire in favour of Najib in 2010, said that two years was the time he needed to complete the implementation of programmes and promises made during the last general election.