PM likely to announce his future tomorrow - Malaysiakini

Malaysiakini's report:

Barisan Nasional component leaders will be briefed at a supreme council meeting tomorrow by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the leadership transition plan.


The council meeting will take place tomorrow at 3.30pm at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur, confirmed BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor today.

Last week, Abdullah told reporters that he would be briefing BN component leaders on the new transition plan after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.




Abdullah was then responding to comments in media reports that some BN leaders were unhappy for not having been consulted on a change in the transition plan.

Under the original plan, Abdullah, the Umno president, was to have handed over power to Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president Najib Abdul Razak in June 2010.

However, it was decided later that the transition of power take place earlier than that date, and the Umno general assembly scheduled for December this year has been postponed to March next year to facilitate this.

Meanwhile component party leader Dr Maximus Ongkili, a deputy president of Parti Bersatu Sabah, said that no agenda has been mentioned for the meeting.

"I think it (the meeting) will be a briefing session by Umno leaders," said the science, technology and innovation minister.

‘No announcement today'

Abdullah has also said that he would announce before Oct 9 if he would defend his party post.

When asked today if he had made his decision, Abdullah merely told reporters: "No announcement today."

He walked off without talking to reporters after attending a function this morning.

Yesterday the prime minister had said he would announce today or tomorrow whether or not he will defend the Umno presidency.

Many speculate that Abdullah will not be defending his post at the party elections in March next year.

The transition plan undertaken by Umno comes at an important period when the BN-led federal government faces a fierce challenge from the Anwar Ibrahim-led opposition.

Anwar: Najib is no better

For his part Anwar has been proudly proclaiming that he has the necessary number of defectors from BN to form the federal government although he had missed the self-imposed Sept 16 deadline.

Nevertheless the opposition leader is expected to mount a motion of no confidence against Abdullah when Parliament reconvenes on Monday.

Umno is hoping that it can halt Anwar's ascendency by expediting its leadership change to allow Najib to take over.

However today, Anwar once again dismissed that notion by stating that even Najib would not be able to produce the goods.

"I don't believe under Najib the government will be able to garner more support or credibility or manage the economy, rid the country of corruption," he told reporters today during a break in his sodomy trial.

"Leaders must be credible and we are talking about the system tainted with corruption, condoning criminality...

"Therefore it is important that we continue to call for reforms and change," he added.

He said that the opposition camp was also waiting for the decision to be made by Abdullah tomorrow. - Malaysiakini.com

Any predictions anyone?