Mahathir names new deputy in major reshuffle

Mahathir names new deputy in major reshuffle

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
on Friday named a new deputy in a cabinet reshuffle aimed at
consolidating his position four months after sacking former
number-two Anwar Ibrahim.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, 59, a staunch Mahathir
loyalist, was named deputy prime minister and home minister.

Mahathir, 73, relinquished the home ministry, which oversees
police, amid mounting criticism of the beating under police
custody of Anwar, who was fired and arrested in September after a
falling-out with the premier.

Mahathir's top economic adviser Daim Zainuddin, 60, was named
finance minister -- a post also held by Anwar before he was
sacked.

Defense Minister Syed Hamid Albar, another Mahathir loyalist,
was named foreign minister. A minister in the prime minister's
office, Abang Abu Bakar Mustapha, took over the defense
portfolio.

Mahathir announced the reshuffle after chairing a meeting of
the supreme council of the ruling United Malays National
Organization (UMNO).

In another key move, Mahathir announced that triennial party
elections due in June are to be postponed "to allow us to focus
on preparations for the general elections which must be held not
later than March 2000."

"I am touched by this appointment," said Abdullah, 59, a
prominent figure in international diplomacy.

Abdullah said he was grateful to Mahathir for giving him a
"heavy job and responsibility," and pledged to "carry out my
duties with full dedication.

"I also hope for guidance from the prime minister, who is very
experienced in administrative matters," he added.

A stalwart opposition MP, Lim Kit Siang of the Democratic
Action Party, guardedly welcomed Abdullah's appointment.

"I hope he will be able to bring about changes in his new
ministries so that Malaysia will have a home ministry with a
human face," said Lim, who has called for an independent inquiry
into Anwar's beating.

Abdullah is currently one of three vice presidents of UMNO. He
became foreign minister in 1991.

Observers noted that like Anwar, Abdullah is from the key
state of Penang, putting him in a position to neutralize
remaining Anwar supporters in the state.

The cabinet revamp capped a dizzying series of events in
Malaysia, starting with the implication of the police in the
beating of Anwar after an official inquiry which failed to name
the culprits.

Inspector General of Police Rahim Noor resigned on Friday to
take responsibility for the Anwar beating, but there were
mounting calls for Mahathir to give up the home ministry.

Anwar, 51, was sacked Sept. 2 amid policy differences with
Mahathir, and arrested 18 days later under internal security laws
after leading massive protests against his former mentor.

He was later charged with 10 counts of corruption and sexual
misconduct, which he dismisses as the result of a high-level
conspiracy.

Asked about opposition calls for him to step down after 18
years in power, Mahathir told journalists, "the mounting pressure
comes from the foreign press. We normally don't respond to the
foreign press."

Earlier Friday, Anwar sued Mahathir for damages over his
beating.

In his suit against Mahathir, Anwar said that after his arrest
following a massive anti-Mahathir rally which he led on Sept. 20,
he was blindfolded and handcuffed at police headquarters.

He said he lost consciousness after he was punched and slapped
until blood ran from his nose and mouth, and was denied medical
treatment for five days.

Nine days after his arrest, Anwar appeared in court with a
black eye, alerting the world to his beating and sparking
international protests.

Opposition MP Karpal Singh, a member of Anwar's defense panel,
repeated calls for Mahathir to step down, saying police chief
Rahim should not be made a "fall guy."

"The prime minister should be mature enough to accept the
ultimate responsibility," he said. "It's wise of him to step down
before things get worse."