Mahathir steps down as prime minister

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, October 31, 2003

Mahathir steps down as prime minister

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad stepped down as Prime Minister Friday and passed on the baton to his deputy Abdullah Ahamd Badawi.

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Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad stepped down as Prime Minister Friday and passed on the baton to his deputy Abdullah Ahamd Badawi.

Mahathir, who had been in power for 22 years, is the longest-serving elected leader in the Southeast Asian region.

The veteran leader, 77, announced his decision of retirement in June last year. However, he later agreed to postpone his retirement till October this year to ensure smooth transition of power and, at the same time, appointed Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as his successor.

The past weeks have witnessed high-level tributes for him from politicians, businessmen, students and other sectors of the society.

For many of Malaysia's 24 million people, it is a period of sadness as they farewell a prime minister viewed as a strong defender of national interest. A generation has known no other leader, and others old enough to remember his predecessor have had their lives dramatically changed by Mahathir's rule.

They see Mahathir as a national hero for pulling a rubber and tin-producing Malaysia out of the mist of British colonial rule and charting a course to become one of Southeast Asia's most modern and wealthiest countries, a political observer here said.

The people across the nation have lauded him for his transformation of Malaysia into one of the most advanced nations in Southeast Asia, he added.

Malaysia's per capita national income rose to some 4,000 US dollars last year from 300 US dollars at the independence in 1957.

The country's economy also expanded at an annual average of eight percent in the past two decades except the period of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Asmadi Amir, a young employee, said emotionally: " dear Prime Minister, you have transformed Malaysia into the best place in the world to live, made our nation known internationally and your spirit will forever inspire us to go forward."

As the nation is entering the post-Mahathir era, Malaysia is likely to pursue the constant policies implemented before.

Malaysia would not change its current policies, Mahathir said recently, adding "We are a group of government with joint responsibilities and believe in the policies of the ruling National Front (BN)."

The National Front, Malaysia's ruling coalition consisting of 14 political parties, was founded in 1974. Its predecessor, the Alliance Party, was set up 50 years ago.

Mahathir said, "that's why when Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi takes over, he openly pledges to continue with the BN struggle."

As for his retirement, he said, "I will relinquish the post happily because there is a successor. There is no power struggle among us."

"Thus, I urge all BN members and supporters to give full support to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi," he added.

When Mahathir quitted the political arena, he left rich legacy behind him. His vision for a modern, advanced and multi-racial Malaysia will be gradually transformed into reality by his successors in the years to come. His political and economic policies will be entrenched and well intact, a news analyst observed.

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