Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian Prime Minister has accepted responsibility for his ruling coalition's poor election results, and plans to resign and hand over power to his deputy at the end of the year.
The national news agency says Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will discuss a power transition with his deputy and defence minister, Najib Razak.
The pro-government New Straits Times reported that Abdullah "acknowledged that he was one of the causes of the setbacks suffered by Umno and Barisan Nasional in the 12th general election" in March.
International Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said late Friday that "matters such as when the transition will take place and so on will be discussed" between Abdullah and Najib.
Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Samad says the discussion will begin after the ruling party's annual congress in December.
There had been calls the past few days from certain Umno quarters for him to resign from the government and the party over the ruling coalition's poor showing in the general election, reported the New Straits Times.
For the first time since the formation of Malaysia, the ruling party lost control over five states and wound up with less than a two-thirds majority in parliament.
"I admit I was one of the causes for these losses," Abdullah said at a political meeting on Saturday. (BangkokPost.com from Agency reports)
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