GIVE NAJIB UNFLINCHING SUPPORT, SAYS M'SIAN PM ABDULLAH

KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 (Bernama) -- Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Thursday urged the
people to give incoming United Malays National Organisation (Umno) president
Najib Razak the unflinching support to enable him to take Malaysia to greater
heights.

Pledging his undivided support to the incoming Umno president and the
incoming prime minister, Abdullah said he believed he was passing the reins to a
younger captain, who had the maturity and experience, to navigate the nations
through turbulence.

Delivering a keynote address themed "The Future and Survival of the Party"
at the Umno General Assembly 2008 at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here, he
said the burdens of the job and the responsibilities as Umno president and prime
minister were immense.

"The are times when a decision creates controversy, there are times when a
decision will not receive the support of all.

"It is the duty and responsibility of a leader to decide what is best for
the people and the country even though it may cause unease.

"Nevertheless, despite any reservations we may have, our leader should be
given the trust and stability of mind to allow him to continue to remain
rational and objective.

"If we do not give him our support and trust, and if we choose to attack him
and assassinate his character, we would be responsible for weakening our party
and toppling our leader who sits in the Prime Minister's chair.

"We would be responsible for eroding the system that we have built, the
system that has enabled us to govern all these years.

"Heavy is the trust placed in the Prime Minister, who must fulfill his
obligations as leader of the party, of our people, and of our nation.

"On his shoulders our hopes rest, for he is accountable to secure our
future," he said.
-- BERNAMA