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Abdullah spurns calls to step down in Malaysia PDF Print
Tuesday, 20 May 2008 13:24

(Reuters) KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi rejected calls to step down after his predecessor quit the Malaysian governing party on Monday, a move that could undermine its hold on power.

 

Mahathir bin Mohamad, who chose Abdullah to take his place in 2003, said that he would not return to the United Malays National Organization until the prime minister left, adding to political uncertainty that could roil financial markets.

"Why should I?" Abdullah said in response to a reporter's question on Mahathir's call for him to resign. "I have work to do, I will continue to work," he said, adding that he was shocked at Mahathir's resignation.

It was not immediately clear whether Mahathir, 82, who led the United Malays National Organization for 22 years, would form a splinter party to challenge the party, but analysts said the move was aimed at jolting the party to act against Abdullah and to preserve Mahathir's legacy.

Mahathir stepped up pressure for Abdullah to resign after UMNO and the coalition that it leads made a dismal showing in the general election in March. His departure from the party came three days after Abdullah ordered the attorney general to investigate Mahathir and several others on possible offences over the appointment of judges while Mahathir was in power.

If United Malays lawmakers quit the party en masse and declare themselves independents, it could mean that no party commands a clear majority in Parliament.

"I will not be an UMNO member as long as Abdullah remains as an UMNO president," Mahathir said in his home state of Kedah, using the party's initials. He said that he had lost confidence in its ability to safeguard the interest of the ethnic Malay majority.

Mahathir urged other party members to quit but not to join the opposition, which is seeking to seize power from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition by wooing defectors.

Former Agriculture Minister Sanusi Junid said he had also quit the party. But former Trade Minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said he would stay to challenge Abdullah in internal party polls expected in December.

Comments (24)Add Comment
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written by songkram, May 20, 2008 13:38:41
Abb U should!!Because Malay Legend after A then N.But the (N) won't be long after Merdeka day we have new Gov.
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written by Dominic, May 20, 2008 13:42:16
Hai ya, why dont the whole lot just let go and let PR take over . Got guts,just quit and never come back ! No need to follow protocol. Rakyat is sick with your brand of politics.
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written by cheemengwong, May 20, 2008 13:42:41
Everybody has work to do, Pak Lah. But the work you have to do is not cut out for you. You are better off doing something else.

You never rein your Ministers when they shout obscenities and wave keris in from the the TV camera. You went for holidays when whole of Johore was innudated with water. You went to open ceremony for a nasi kandar shop belonging to your relatives. Which is more important, Pak Lah?

Your son in law don't have gainful employment yet amass huge wealth. Have you wondered how this came about. Did you ask the ACA to investigate him?

You are a terrible PM. Nothing have changed for the Raayat. When you and Dr. M quarrel it is about party UMNO. What party? Don't you have enough of partying at Putrajaya? You invited the best singers to sing privately for you. Why don't you just sing alone in the loo and enjoy yourself without having to spend the Raayat's money.

You also lie about the dissolution of the Parliment, one day before you actually dissolve it. Why don't you have some sense of dignity and shame? You actually lied to the Raayat. Don't you know it is a shame for the world to see?

Most of the time when asked about issues, you say don't know. Don't you know that it is your job to know?

You sleep in public functions and yet you say you got a job to do and will not quit. If a student sleeps in the classroom, do you know what will happen to them?

You fly in our private jet and say the Agong also uses it. When did the Agong used it? If you continue to talk like that, our beloved Agong may one day decide to fly budget air and economy class.. it is a joke if you can understand.

Paklah, come onlah. There are still schools without adequate chairs, computers, teachers and here you are spending like a king!!!

Can you think for the Raayat instead of yourself. Don't talk party, party, party... ok. There is no party without the Raayat. If you become a president of a new party and you alone, do you think it is fun?

Paklah, PleaseLah.

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written by chanatak, May 20, 2008 13:44:00
"I will not be an UMNO member as long as Abdullah remains as an UMNO president," Mahathir said


He should also be saying "As long as Abdullah is alive on this planet, I don't want to be here. I will rejoin this planet after he leaves"

Now, that would be a real serious statement
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written by ellyna, May 20, 2008 13:45:15
Why should I?" Abdullah said in response to a reporter's question on Mahathir's call for him to resign. "I have work to do, I will continue to work," he said, adding that he was shocked at Mahathir's resignation.

Hmm....his answer always the same...I have work to do...what work? more zzzzZZZZZ?
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written by chin, May 20, 2008 13:52:29
Looks like TDM is playing god, he who give life, will also take it away.

He now wants to take the life away from UMNO, by accusing AAB of doing too little of what the non-Malays accused AAB of doing too much of. Surely this is a personal war with AAB.

But, its all good. I believe UMNO are traitors to the nation anyway. Its about time the devil started collecting.
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written by joeawk, May 20, 2008 14:06:34
There is no need to resign. You were elected as UMNO President in your own right. We also know that you were form change but UMNO objected, thus March 8 fiasco which is not your fault but UMNO's fault.

Mahatir blamed you but he is a bigger reason why BN lost than you.

Pak Lah, GOD wants you to stay put and make the necesarry changes. Judiciary, ACA, police, University act, sedition act, OSA, printing pressact, change or throw them out but keep the SA after amendment to make sure that the govt of the day shall not abuse the ISA. Very important, stop the discrtimination and manipulation at the administrative level. Send a few of your KSUs to jail.
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written by joemss, May 20, 2008 14:46:04
AAB still thinks that he is able to bring back UMNO into the limelight and that is the reason he is still clinging to power. Although many may have the same believe, others may differ like the saying " Genius think alike fools seldom differ" so let us watch and see who are the fools and this will only be a matter of time but I sincerely hope that the rakyat are not the ones who will be the losers.
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written by ibabonma, May 20, 2008 14:48:07
Dollah, dulu u cium tangan dia bagai nak rak.

Stay on Dollah, you'll rot in your seat!
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written by Malaysiaputra, May 20, 2008 15:23:37
AAB, I admire the Tai Chi you practice, you are able to absorb all the punches TDM throw at you.
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written by power2u, May 20, 2008 15:33:42
Pak Lah ,if you are smart, just detain this Mamak under ISA ..get rid of him once for all....the rakyat including UMNO will hail you as a hero,no longer spineless n weak...Show lah some action ,n use your power when you still hav it.
Can charge him for Sedition as he is inciting people against present gov.
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written by Rainbowseahorse, May 20, 2008 16:25:39
Me think we should get Pak Lah & Tun M to plant padi. At least they will be more productive for the nation...But then again, one might sleep all day without doing any work, with the other one standing out in the field preaching to the buffalos on the proper way to pull the plough..hmmm..Better to retire both of them lah!
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written by freedom lover, May 20, 2008 17:46:04
Abdullah will not resign by calls from less powerful people. He will only be overthrown by the Pakatan Rakyat!
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written by johanssm, May 20, 2008 18:01:01
Actually more than half of Malaysian rather not be Malaysian as long as bn is in power . mahamamak should renounce his citizenship as long as bodohwi is still here and not just his umnoship .Afterall his entire family can afford to buy an island.
Nice to see their ship have bigger holes now.
meanwhile , PR must take up more steps from today onwards not to simply grant membership to anyone.those from umno joining in now are of low quality .
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written by Shyetan, May 20, 2008 18:17:34
Dollah stay on for awhile- keep the ship ready for PR
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written by Dominic, May 20, 2008 18:24:52
Oh Pak Lah, with so many of your own kind asking you to stepdown,challenging you left and right,you acted cool this time. Nothing seems to bother you nor shake you. Jolly good ! But,what happen to those 5 Hindraf whom you sent to jail under ISA. Voicing out and peaceful street rally in the name of getting a fair deal looks chicken feed and yet you tremble and panic. Best you concur with the 4th floor brains on use of ISA now before TDM supporters whack havouc!
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written by Fernz, May 20, 2008 18:42:21
Mahathir is trying to force a new General Election to
prevent the Opposition Alliance coming to power. He
thinks the BN under Najib and his son can make a big
comeback in a fresh General Election.

Mahathir will use money to pull away at least 30 MPs
from BN to cause a collapse of the Badawi Government
before the Opposition Alliance has a chance to take
over the Federal Government.

If Badawi is smart, he will form a coalition
government with PR.

http://fernzjoefernandez.********.com
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written by Catharsis, May 20, 2008 19:09:44
MR PM GOD HAS ANSWERED YOUR PRAYERS..................TDM, THE SHIT STIRER HAS QUIT UMNO
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written by cancan, May 20, 2008 19:23:31
Pak Lah.resurrect BN while you can before history beckons.

Link: http://www.kingsmary.********.com/
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written by omarkhayyam, May 20, 2008 20:11:22
"sandiwara" dalang-dalang politik

cheers
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written by InEffective, May 20, 2008 20:15:44
No doubt trying to correct or satisfy a political party that has its bedrock foundation on a platform of racism and self-interest is incredibly tough.

Imagine being populated by peoples whose very existence is their belief and values that entitlement to a nation's assets and resources is their birthright and that every organism in malaysia owes their rights to exist to these elite members. Ie all rules, laws, policies, wealth, assets - belong to them.

How on earth can any PM satisfy this set of peoples ?
(oops i forgot - we did have the PM extraordinaire, who not only could deliver superior status for the elite members, he could also convince all others to accept being a slave and their rights repressed)
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written by Fernz, May 20, 2008 22:40:12
Let's not get into this mamak and kaka thing. It's
petty.

Mahathir is a Muslim and in Malaysia all Muslims are
considered Malays if they habitually speak the Malay
language and practice Malay culture and customs.

True, that Mahathir wrote Indian Muslim as his race
when entering the University of Singapore to do
medicine. This was revealed by Lee Kuan Yew himself.

But this should not detract from the constitutional
definition of a Malay. Hence, Mahathir is a
constitutional Malay.

Also, it must be remembered that the great majority of
the Malays in Peninsular Malaysia are in fact not
Malays but Bugis, Minang, Javanese, Achenese etc etc
It was the British who called them Malays. In fact,
USM has done a study on this.

Malay nationalism was something invented in Singapore
by the Kakas and the Jawi Peranakan (children of Kaka
fathers and Malay mothers) and not the other groups
from Nusantara who now call themselves Malays. That's
why Malay politics is dominated by kakas, followed by
mamaks and Arabs and not the other groups from
Nusantara who call themselves Malays.

http://fernzjoefernandez.********.com

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written by tryme, May 21, 2008 02:28:56
To Pak LAh,
Please shame on urself 1st before rakyat shame on you. How could you cheat the rakyat so frequent and openly?
As a good leader, you should step down as PM to show that you are a responsible leader. Since, half of the rakyat are not supporting you, as what you had told us to express our feeling in the vote not in the street. So, im follow your order and vote opposition in the GE12.
To economy, you should step down. This country had so many bad issues, corruption, uncertainty in politic, flip and flop decision, inflation and etc had slowing down the economy and caused the rakyat suffered. Please do not simply cancel a project and then implementing it again in higher value from original contract. We are not a stupid rakyat, we know what is happening.
To politic, you should step down. Many leader will responsible to their defeat on the election. But, you still have sufficient power to form a government but this government is not stable. This will create an uncertainty environment and you may not able to concentrate on the development of country.
To Rakyat, as a leader of rakyat malaysia, you should implement all the decision which is beneficial to rakyat not your colony only. Dont be threaten the rakyat from voice out their opinion. Dont simply use sedition act to keep away all separate voices. Dont punish a newspaper for reporting on certain issue. We need freedom, please allow us to voice out so you can improve yourself.
To Jean, you should step out for her. She need you more than rakyat need you. I think she also dont expect you become older and older, white hair all come out. enough is enough, try spend your resting life with her in australia (if can) if not may be spend your rest of the life in j..ls
To khairy, you should step out. you have to allow him to be independent not always pending to his bapa mertua to gain his politic position. Let him independent and challenge in the position in UMNO. we likely to see how far can he go after your resignation.
We got many reason to ask you to step out from the PM post, but dont testing our patience here. we dont expected any further mismanagement in the government again. NO MORE CORRUPTION!!
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written by ralverd, May 21, 2008 08:02:08
If any other members of UMNO were to follow suit, you can damn well expect an interesting chain reaction. UMNO will eventually lose power and become irrelevant. Of course, that would also be the time when I pop some champagne. Maybe some strippers too. So dear PM, now is INDEED the right time to step down. Don't bring UMNO down with you any further. That is not necessary. Don't make yourself look even more stupid.

Read more at http://www.ralverd.com (WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE)
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