Abdullah looks like handing over to Najib sooner than later.

Malaysian PM Abdullah said to discuss power transition with Najib
12 April 2008

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will reportedly discuss a power transition plan with his deputy Najib Razak.

This is according to the state Bernama news agency, which quoted Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin as saying this after Abdullah met leaders of the Johor UMNO in a closed-door meeting on Friday.

"The period of transition and so on were not mentioned in detail ... matters such as when the transition will take place and so on will be discussed between him (Abdullah) and Najib," said Muhyiddin, who was among those at the meeting.

Abdullah, who is also the UMNO president, said last week that Najib, the Deputy Prime Minister and UMNO deputy president, would take over when he eventually steps down.

Abdullah has been under intense pressure to resign following dismal results in the March 8 general election.

The opposition denied the ruling Barisan Nasional a two-thirds parliamentary majority and seized control of five states in the polls, dealing the coalition its worst-ever electoral setback and spelling trouble for Abdullah's future leadership.

Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad had called for Abdullah's resignation to allow the ruling coalition to rebuild itself after the electoral setback.

Abdullah had said Mahathir's volley of accusations risked destroying his party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which leads the ruling coalition.

Abdullah is also facing a possible party revolt, with party dissident Razaleigh Hamzah offering to challenge him for the party presidency at the next party polls in December. - CNA/ir