Mahathir�s statement in London means that he will be leading Barisan Nasional into the next general election and he is not fully confident that Abdullah Badawi could be his successor

(Petaling Jaya, Tuesday): The statement by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in London on Sunday when replying to a Malaysian student after his speech at Malaysia Hall means that he will be leading Barisan Nasional into the next general election and he is not fully confident that Abdullah Badawi could be his successor.

Mahathir said that although he had thought about stepping down sometime last year, he would stay on until the right successor is found  "no matter what  people are saying".

 Berrname reported the Prime Minister as saying:

"I have a responsibility now to ensure that Malaysia gets the right kind of  leadership. I will not allow any snide remarks to deflect me from my duty.

"I have been the prime minister far longer than many  people. I was looking foward to resigning last year. I am tired of this thing.

"But I have a responsiblity to ensure that the country is not led by someone who tells lies and who pretends to be pious while he is not."

Mahathir added:

"So even if I am cursed or even if I am told I should go away, I will still stay  because I have a duty to the country.

"What people call me is irrelevant. I have got everything that I want. If I am  given the choice, I would rather resign and spend my time �buat ibadat�  (fulfilling religious obligations) and write.

"But now, I will not resign. I will stay here unless somebody shoots me or  tries to assassinate me like some people are thinking. It doesn't matter.

"My responsibility is to ensure that Malaysia gets the right kind of  leadership."

A Malaysian student had asked the Prime Minister to resign because he had mishandled the case involving the former Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Mahathir�s answer was sharp and strong, showing his annoyance,  causing him to accuse certain students for "biting the hand that feeds them".

The  Financial Times in the United Kingdom yesterday reported that the student  won applause for suggesting that Mahathir should apologise to Anwar and his family and resign.

The British newspaper reported:

"Though he subsequently denied he had intended to intimidate his questioner, Dr Mahathir pointedly told him he had laid himself open to a defamation suit by the way his question was framed.

"However, the prime minister showed little restraint in his denunciation of Mr Anwar at the meeting, which was relayed to hundreds of students on closed circuit television throughout the offices of the Malaysian Students Department.

"Claiming he could speak freely because it was a private meeting despite the large audience, Dr Mahathir alluded to medical evidence relating to sodomy charges in the current trial."

Mahathir�s outburst in London is significant for four reasons:
 

• The open questioning and suggestion by a Malaysian student that he should resign highlights the gravity of the political crisis and inter-generational conflict faced by UMNO and Barisan Nasional.
• The government�s inability to convince Malaysians that Anwar is not a victim of gross injustices in the manner he had been expelled from Cabinet and UMNO and his subsequent ordeals, whether the "black eye" while under police custody, the refusal to allow him bail or the prosecution conduct of the trial.
• Mahathir�s lack of confidence that Abdullah Badawi could be his successor.
• His determination to lead UMNO and Barisan Nasional in the next general election.

(9/2/99)