PM Mahathir retains top party post<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on
\nSunday clinched enough support to easily win re-election as
\npresident of Malaysia's dominant party as his sole challenger's
\nbid failed.<\/p>\n
A total of 133 of 165 divisions of the United Malays National
\nOrganization (UMNO) nominated Mahathir to stand for president,
\nassuring him victory in the May 11 party leadership election, the
\nofficial Bernama news agency said.<\/p>\n
His only challenger, former finance minister Razaleigh Hamzah,
\nwon the support of only one division earlier this month.
\nUnder UMNO rules, a candidate must be nominated by at least 50
\ndivisions to run for the party presidency.<\/p>\n
With only 31 divisions yet to nominate candidates by April 2,
\nRazaleigh fell short of winning enough nominations to be on the
\nballot.<\/p>\n
The vote is crucial because UMNO's president traditionally
\nserves as prime minister and the deputy president as deputy prime
\nminister.<\/p>\n
Razaleigh still had a mathematical chance of winning enough
\nnominations to run against Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad
\nBadawi for the deputy presidency, but he would have to win
\nsupport from all of the remaining divisions.<\/p>\n
Foreign investors have been watching to see if Razaleigh, who
\nnarrowly lost to Mahathir in the 1987 UMNO leadership polls,
\ncould defy party elders and threaten Mahathir, who has been party
\nleader and prime minister for 19 years.<\/p>\n
Mahathir and Abdullah have the backing of UMNO's powerful
\nSupreme Council, which in January recommended that the two
\nleaders be nominated without opposition.<\/p>\n
Razaleigh's challenge against Mahathir was rooted in simmering
\ndiscontent over the prime minister and his sacking of his former
\ndeputy Anwar Ibrahim.<\/p>\n
Razaleigh said on Saturday that UMNO could go the way of other
\nformerly dominant parties in the region if it did not take heed.<\/p>\n
He cited Taiwan's Nationalist Party, which suffered a
\nhumiliating defeat in presidential elections this month,
\nIndonesia's Golkar, Japan's Liberal Democratic Party and India's
\nCongress Party -- all of which have lost former pre-eminence.<\/p>\n
Anwar was sacked following bitter disagreements with Mahathir
\nover economic policy in the aftermath of Asia's financial crisis
\nin 1997-98.<\/p>\n
UMNO has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957, and all
\nthe country's leaders have also been UMNO presidents.<\/p>\n
In another development, city police indefinitely banned
\noutdoor public rallies in the Malaysian capital after activists
\nprotested earlier this month against curbs on an opposition
\nnewspaper, a news report said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"In view of recent events, we have decided to put on hold all
\napplications seeking permission for public rallies,\" Deputy
\nPolice Commissioner Kamaruddin Ali was quoted as saying in The
\nStar newspaper. The ban took effect immediately.<\/p>\n
Public gatherings of more than four people in the Southeast
\nAsian nation require a police permit. Laws also exist that bar
\nstudent activity in politics. Students caught at street protests
\nor at political meetings could face expulsion.<\/p>\n
\"We will not hesitate to take stern action against those who
\ndefy orders, as we have given ample warning,\" Kamaruddin said.<\/p>\n
Indoor speeches, which also require police permission, would
\nbe considered on a case-by-case basis, he said.<\/p>\n
Kamaruddin linked the ban to a rally held at the capital's
\nNational Mosque on March 14, where about 200 people staged a
\nbrief, peaceful protest against government restrictions on the
\ncountry's most popular opposition tabloid, Harakah.<\/p>",
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