Abdullah told how to avoid 'Habibie syndrome'

Abdullah told how to avoid 'Habibie syndrome'

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The deputy to Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has complained of a smear campaign likening the pair to Indonesia's former presidents Soeharto and B.J. Habibie in the run-up to party elections.

"It is sheer nonsense to Habibie-ism simply because of my close association with Mahathir," Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was quoted by Wednesday's Sun newspaper as saying.

But a senior opposition figure said Abdullah must disassociate himself from Mahathir's "phobias and manias" to avoid such comparisons before the May leadership elections in the ruling United Malays National Organization.

Lim Kit Siang, chairman of the Democratic Action Party, said Abdullah -- Mahathir's preferred successor -- should above all be prepared to face an election for the party's number two post.

Almost all newspapers splashed Abdullah's comments, made in response to allegations that some UMNO members were campaigning against him on the grounds of a "Habibie syndrome."

The deputy premier insisted his support for Mahathir was not based on "blind loyalty" but on respect for his leadership.

After Soeharto stepped down under pressure in May 1998, his hand-picked replacement B.J. Habibie took over. But his popularity slumped due to his ties with the previous regime. Abdurrahman Wahid was last year elected president in his place.

"If Abdullah does not want to become a Habibie, he must disassociate himself from Mahathir's phobias and manias and quickly develop his own vision and mind on justice, freedom, democracy and good governance," said Lim in a statement.

In particular, he said, Abdullah should disregard the "no contest" advice issued by UMNO's Supreme Council for the party presidency and deputy presidency.

UMNO has dominated politics since independence in 1957 and its president and deputy president are automatically prime minister and deputy premier.

The Supreme Council chaired by Mahathir in January "advised" members that the premier and Abdullah be nominated unopposed for the posts.

Mahathir, in office for 18 years, says this will be his last term. Abdullah is already deputy premier but needs the party deputy presidency -- vacant since the sacking of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim -- to confirm his status.

The "no contest" move has sparked growing opposition within UMNO.

In another development, Malaysia's government has severely curbed sales of the only major opposition newspaper by authorizing its publication just twice a month instead of twice a week at present, its editor said Wednesday.

Zulkifli Sulong, editor of Harakah, said an official in the Home Affairs Ministry had told him that the publication license -- required under Malaysian law -- would be renewed only for two issues a month.

The newspaper of the Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) now publishes bi-weekly and current sales are around 277,000 for each issue. Its annual permit expired on Feb. 28.