(Straitstimes Asia interactive)
SEPT 23, 2004
Abdullah pledges moderate Islamic government
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi promised on Thursday to implement a moderate
Islamic administration, undercutting the
fundamentalist opposition, and took a swipe at his
one-time rival, former deputy leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Datuk Seri Abdullah asserted his control over the
ruling United Malays National Organisation (Umno) in a
keynote speech to his first party congress since
taking office a year ago from long-time leader
Mahathir Mohamad and adopting a less confrontational
style.
The five-day congress comes six months after Datuk
Seri Abdullah won his own mandate in general elections
where he promised to implement a moderate form of
Islamic administration for the ethnic Malay Muslim
majority, including mandatory Arabic studies for
school children.
The delegates endorsed Datuk Seri Abdullah as party
president and Datuk Seri Najib Razak as deputy
president. Both were unopposed. The delegates will
also choose three vice presidents and a new supreme
council.
Datuk Seri Abdullah briefly addressed the Anwar issue
in his speech - intercut with images of riot police in
the streets six years ago as Anwar led huge
anti-Mahathir protests - and vowed to 'bring the full
force of the law against anyone or any group' using
'violence or rioting'.
He said his programme for Islamic administration,
first floated in the election campaign, would
emphasise economic development and quality of life -
essentially, the party's long-standing programme for
the betterment of Malays wrapped in Islamic packaging.
The programme urges Muslims to acquire knowledge and
be competitive in the global economy -- a far cry from
the harsh brand of Islamic law backed by the
fundamentalist opposition, which advocates cutting the
hands off thieves and stoning adulterers to death.
Umno boasts 3 million members. It has produced every
Malaysian prime minister since independence from
Britain in 1957. -- AP
Read Datuk Seri Abdullah's full speech from The Star
Online.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights
reserved.
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