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Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's leader lashed out yesterday at a top cabinet minister who challenged him to speed up his retirement, breeding fresh dissent in the ruling coalition as it battles an opposition attempt to seize power.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has fended off calls for his resignation after the government endured its worst electoral result ever in March national polls. The demands largely subsided when he announced in July he would hand power to his deputy, Najeeb Razak, in mid-2010.
However, International Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin surprised the ruling coalition when he reportedly said at a business conference in Singapore on Wednesday that the protracted leadership change would take too long.
Response
Abdullah hit back at Muhyiddin yesterday, saying he was "surprised that a member of my cabinet should come up with that kind of statement."
"It is against what has been agreed to," Abdullah told a news conference. "I'm not staying on just for the pleasure. I tell you this is not work that I can regard as pleasure."
Abdullah refused to discuss his next move, including whether he would demand an explanation from Muhyiddin, who is among the most senior officials in the United Malays National Organisation ruling party.
The dispute poses further questions about Abdullah's future at a time when opposition leader Anwar Ebrahim is threatening to unseat the government by next week by tempting dozens of ruling coalition lawmakers to defect to the three-party opposition alliance. Abdullah's 14-party National Front governing coalition, spearheaded by the Malay party, claims Anwar won't succeed in eroding its 30-seat majority in the 222-member Parliament.
The slender majority is the result of the government's massive setback in March general elections.
Control: Army stays apolitical
Malaysia's military chief said yesterday that the army would not meddle in politics, as a deadline the country's opposition alliance has set itself to seize power nears.
Unlike in other Asian countries, the military plays no political role in Malaysia and there has never been a coup attempt in the country, which has seen 50 years of unbroken civilian rule. General Abdul Aziz Zainal, speaking ahead of his forces' 75th anniversary on September 16, said the military would only act if co-opted by the police to maintain internal security.
Aziz, who earlier this week broke military protocol by asking the government to act against anyone who incited racial hatred, said the military would remain apolitical. "We will keep to our primary role, that is to defend the nation against any form of external threats," he said.
- Reuters
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