Pak Lah Stays till June 2010

Pak Lah: I will step down in 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will step down as Prime Minister in June 2010 and hand over power to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Abdullah who is Umno president, however said he would still seek nomination to contest the party's top post during the December party election and that Najib who is his deputy would still go for the number two party post.
He said he would not be leading Barisan Nasional into the next general election because by that time the country would have Najib as the new Prime Minister.

tunku : because he knows that if he leads bn will be history.

"I plan to hand over the leadership to Najib in mid 2010. I appreciate his friendship and co-operation and we work well together in the party and government.
"Najib as the deputy has carried out all the duties I have entrusted him to so I most certainly am happy to hand over the post to him when the time comes.
"I chose Najib to be my successor because I am confident that he will be able to lead the party well," he told a packed press conference Thursday evening.

tunku : 2 years won't be enough for najib to do the necessary action to bring back the glorious days of BN. we are not sure yet whether pak lah will keep najib as his deputy till 2010.he may be replaced by others.

Abdullah made the announcement after chairing an Umno supreme council meeting and another briefing with division chiefs and leaders from the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings.
He believed the Umno divisions accepted his transition plan well because "they gave me a standing ovation."
Abdullah admitted that he felt a little sad over his decision to quit as Prime Minister.
"I feel a bit of sadness of course but nothing more than that because I feel more a sense of achievement. I feel I have taken an action which has been well accepted and that is what we want."

tunku : we are more sad that you are staying till June 2010.YOU SHOULD GO NOW.there's no single achievement by you to this nation.its all rebranding.

He said he felt that the transition of leadership should be carried in a process, which was well accepted by Umno so that the successor "can be the leader of the whole party and not to half a party or to geng dia saja (only his gang of supporters)."

tunku : you want the leader to be accepted by the whole party , then step down before december and let the president post open for contest, then only the leader will be accepted by whole party.

He believed that if there was a contest for the top post, it usually resulted up in some confusion among members and a feeling of unease on the losing side.
Abdullah said his transition plan was an approach, which was best for all because that way there would be no upheavals in the party and there would no need to take time to repair it.
"From that point of view, I see it as a blessing and I feel thankful that I have made a good decision for the party," he said.

tunku : very bad decision, good decision will be resigning before december 2008.

Abdullah denied he was bowing out due to pressure.
He said there were many differing view with some asking him to continue to lead Barisan into the next general election.
"What is important is what I feel in this matter. One day, I have to handover my post to my successor and this is the way I choose. It is a process and this process takes some time and it is comfortable for all."

tunku : we are not small children that will buy out your story.the whole world knows majority of malaysian hates you as our pm.

Explaining why he chose the two-year time frame, Abdullah said, this would give him enough time to carry out the various projects and programmes, which he had planned together with Najib, and also time to strengthen and restore the party.

tunku : enough time for you to plan for your retirement, make more money.

"It will also give Najib ample time to prepare and be ready for the general elections which must be held by 2013," he added.
He added that in the process Najib would have the opportunity to attend a number of forums and meetings that he (Abdullah) as Prime Minister normally attend.

tunku : if you step down now, najib can also be the acting president and pm till the contest in December 2008.he has more experience than you.

To a question about whether his plans to handover power to Najib would be affected in view of the deputy Prime Minister's alleged links to the Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, Abdullah brushed it aside, saying that was a completely separate issue.

tunku : who is the person behind this allegations???

"This is the decision at the party level. And I make the decision in the belief that Najib will be a good successor and will be able to lead the party," he said.
On whether his pledge to reform the judiciary and the anti-corruption agency would be in place by the time he leaves office in 2010, Abdullah said: "Yes, insya Allah. There are a lot of things that need to be done. I have promised a lot of things that I should do. There are many things that I need to do."
To a question whether he would take a complete break from any role in government after leaving office, he said: "you wait for that. When it happens you will know."
To a question whether his successor would continue all projects started by Abdullah, he said, he believed that those that produced good results would go on.
"But I will not insist. Once someone else takes over and runs the government, he (the new Prime Minister) will be running it in the way that he thinks best."
"But I believe what is good is good and will be continued. That doesn't mean it can't be value-added and that other programme don't need to be created anymore. It's up to the wisdom of the new leader."
Asked whether he would change his mind about quitting, Abdullah said: "No. I have made my decision."
Abdullah said the supreme council meeting did not making any ruling that there should be no contest for the presidency and deputy presidency posts, adding that divisions were still free to nominate whoever they wanted.
He also denied his decision to step down was a victory for the opposition.

tunku : its a victory to the whole nation.

"They can do whatever they want. I will get up and face them. What they want to do is get rid of me as soon as possible and to get rid of the Barisan government itself."
"The practice of democracy with Parliament and an election like that is not enough for them. They are still greedy," he added.
Kedah liasion chief Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid who chaired a state liaison meeting in KL last night was the first state to endorse the transition plan

tunku : what you expect from pak lah's gang.mahadzir khalid will even lick pak lah's shoes.