Najib can be PM without parliamentary vote

By Lee Wei Lian (The Malaysian Insider)

KUALA LUMPUR; March 28 — Datuk Seri Ahmad Abdullah Badawi has dismissed the need for a vote of confidence in Parliament to affirm Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the nation's new prime minister.

"I don't understand why there is a need for Parliament to table such a motion," the Prime Minister said today.

He stressed the convention that the person who commands majority support gets to be prime minister.

Abdullah, who did not seek re-election as Umno president as part of a transition plan made last year, has announced he will submit his resignation to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Thursday.

If his resignation is accepted, there will be a hand over of power to his deputy, Najib, the next day.

In recent months, the opposition has told Abdullah to continue as prime minister, leading some to speculate that the opposition would try to table a motion of confidence in the country's fifth prime minister.

But Abdullah has ignored such calls.

The former Umno party president also defended the election of his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin as Umno Youth chief and brushed off the hostile reaction from some unhappy delegates.

"There were other leaders in the past who have also been booed," he said.

"It's not just Khairy. The real assessment will be on how he performs as Youth chief."

Abdullah also had some advice for his successor, asking him to restore the economy and rebuild the party.

"The party must undergo reorganisation and some amendments to the constitution," he said.

"The party must command the respect of the component parties of Barisan Nasional. They are important to us. It is by being together that we have a chance to govern Malaysia. No party alone can win sufficient support to form even a minority government."

Abdullah, who appeared happy despite his premature departure as party president and soon prime minister, also responded positively to working with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should his fierce critic decide to return to the party.

"I am not opposed to that idea," he replied, referring to Najib's call that he and Dr Mahathir meet to discuss the future of the party.

Abdullah's departure is thought to be partly due to tremendous pressure being exerted on him by the caustic former prime minister and his allies within the party.

Among leaders who demanded for Abdullah to step down after the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition lost its traditional two-thirds parliamentary majority in Election 2008 was Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is now the party No. 2.

The new party deputy president tried to make peace with Abdullah in his winding-up speech earlier in the day.

"I want to thank Abdullah for being willing to sacrifice and put the party and country above his self interest," said Muhyiddin.

Abdullah responded by saying that he forgave Muhyiddin for speaking out. "I want to say that I have never been angry with him (Muhyiddin)," said Abdullah in his own winding-up speech a few minutes later.

"Whatever bad things he has done, I have forgiven him."