PM FORCED TO RETIRE AGAINST HIS WILL, SAYS PENANG CHIEF MINSITER

PENANG (Malaysia), Oct 9 (Bernama) -- Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was forced to retire against his will at a time not of his choosing.

He said the abrupt and undignified nature of Abdullah's departure was
a sad reflection of his weakened political position that lost him the respect of
his party.

"Unlike his predecessor Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Abdullah was forced to
retire against his will at a time not of his choosing," he said in his statement
released here by his office.

Ironically, he said, the public respected Abdullah more than his party,
Umno, because he was seen as a "well-intentioned man who is probably one of the
few clean leaders left in UMNO".

Umno or United Malays National Organisation is Malaysia's largest political
party and a founding member of the ruling National Front (Barisan Nasional - BN)
coalition.


"Abdullah should leave a legacy of fighting corruption by having open
tender and taking action against the leaders in Barisan Nasional (BN) and UMNO
who abused power," he added.


Lim was commenting on the prime minister's decision not to defend his Umno
presidency in the coming party elections.

After chairing the BN supreme council meeting at the Putra World Trade
Centre Wednesday, Abdullah announced that he would not defend his post as Umno
president and would step down as prime minister in March next year.

Meanwhile, in KOTA BAHARU, PAS' spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik
Mat described Abdullah's quit decision as too late, unwise and not transparent
as it would worsen the country's political situation.


"If he quits next March, it is as though he has not done wrong but if he
really feels responsible for the state of his party and country, he should step
down now," he said.

Asked on the transfer of leadership to Najib, Nik Aziz declined to comment.


In ALOR STAR, the PAS-led Kedah government expressed hope that Abdullah's
successor would continue with the cordial relations with the state
government.


Menteri Besar and PAS state commissioner Seri Azizan Abdul
Razak said the state government was prepared to deal with anyone appointed as
prime minister.

"I do not wish to mind other people's business and this is an Umno matter,"
he said when asked to comment on Abdullah's decision not to defend his Umno
presidency in the party elections in March.

Azizan said the Kedah government had good, cordial relations with the
federal government and regarded Abdullah as an exemplary leader with regard to
Umno-PAS relations.

"However, when the time comes for Abdullah to step down, he should do it as
it is only normal for leaders to come and go," he said.

DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang said it would be more difficult for Abdullah
to deliver his reform pledges once he announced his exit plan today than
when he won the landslide electoral mandate in the 2004 general election.

"But this could still be done if Abdullah is prepared to do the impossible
and use his last five months as prime minister to honour all the pledges and
promises of the past five years," he said in a statement.

He said this action must be evident from Wednesday's cabinet meeting as
well as the first day of the reconvened Parliament on Monday (Oct 13), and this
will
be an honourable exit for the country's fifth prime Minister.

The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party or the Islamic Party of Malaysia (Malay:
Parti Islam Se-Malaysia), commonly known as PAS or Pas, is an Islamist political
party in Malaysia.

PAS, together with People's Justice Party (Parti KeADILan Rakyat-known as
PKR), and Democratic Action Party (known as DAP) formed part of a coalition
called Pakatan Rakyat following the 2008 election.

--BERNAMA