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Ruling coalition backs Abdullah

SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Thursday won a pledge of support from the ruling coalition, following the threat by one of its members, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), to move a no-trust motion against him in the House of Representatives next week.

The ruling National Front said, after its session in Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Abdullah secured “unanimous support” from all the coalition parties, except SAPP, which was not invited to the meeting.

SAPP holds only two seats in the 222-member House, and the coalition’s tally, following the recent snap general election is 140. Yet, the opposition, led by the former Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, welcomed SAPP’s move as the first open sign of cracks in the ruling front. With the opposition People’s Pact commanding 82 seats, Mr. Anwar, not a member of the House, has been saying for some time now that he would be able to mobilise sufficient support to unseat Mr. Abdullah.

SAPP president Yong Teck Lee announced on Wednesday that the party decided to move against the Prime Minister for “not [being] sensitive” towards the needs of Sabah, despite his latest efforts to shore up support in the province.

Mr. Abdullah, whose coalition lost its 90 per cent majority in the snap poll, faces growing pressure from critics within his own United Malays National Organisation to step down “soon” in favour of Deputy Prime Minister Najib.

Without dismissing such calls for a power transfer within the coalition, Mr. Abdullah has, however, not indicated a timeline for any such succession plan.

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