Abdullah put to the test ahead of Malaysian by-elections

Abdullah put to the test ahead of Malaysian by-elections

Julia Yeow, Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia's premier-in-waiting Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will have an
opportunity to silence his critics as he leads the ruling party
in two upcoming by-elections, analysts said on Friday.

Abdullah, who will take over as prime minister when Mahathir
Mohamad retires late next year, was elected committee head for
the by-elections for parliamentary and state assembly seats in
northern Kedah state.

The seats fell vacant with the death of Parti Islam SeMalaysia
(PAS) leader Fadzil Noor last Sunday. No date has yet been set
for the elections, but they are expected within two months.

Abdullah, 62, whose ability to fill the shoes of his mentor
has been questioned, will face a "crucial test to prove that he
can really lead the country," said political analyst P.Ramasamy.

Ramasamy said the outcome of the by-elections would also be a
strong indication of Abdullah's ability to head the ruling United
Malays National Organization (UMNO) in a fight for Malay support
against the hardline Islamic PAS.

"If UMNO wins, that would certainly boost Abdullah in
convincing the world that he may be more than meets the eye," he
said.

However, other analysts said the true test would come in the
country's general elections which have to be called before
November 2004.

Michael Yeoh, chief executive from the Asian Strategic and
Leadership Institute, said support for Abdullah would not be
affected by the outcome of the by-elections, adding that the
veteran politician had already been spearheading by-elections
over the last two years.

"This is not going to be a real test, because he's been doing
it for a long time.

"But of course, if UMNO wins, it'll be an extra for him
politically," he said.

Ramasamy told AFP that the world was eager to evaluate
Abdullah's leadership skills, adding that the current deputy
prime minister's appointment had come with high expectations.

"Right now he cannot make any decisions or comments, but there
are expectations that he will resolve the Anwar issue when he has
come to power," said Ramasamy.

Anwar Ibrahim was sacked by Mahathir as deputy premier on
Sept. 2, 1998 on grounds of immorality and is now serving 15
years in jail after being convicted for abuse of power and
sodomy. He says he was framed, and is considered a political
prisoner by the United States.

Abdullah had yet to show his true colors, Ramasamy said, as he
had always acted under the leadership of Mahathir.

"He might be a nice guy, free from controversy, and not seen
as leading factions, but the real test is after he takes over.
"Now he has to tread very, very carefully because he is a man who
has no power.

"Once he obtains his power, he can make his mark and we will
see what kind of leader he really is," he said.

Elections -- Page 9