Badawi refuses to step down, and wants to decide on transition

By SHAHANAAZ HABIB, IZATUN SHARI and ROYCE CHEAH

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stood firm, saying he would decide when to hand over power to his deputy, but a number of supreme council members said the understanding was for the transition to be sooner than later.

The Umno president said he was aware of the sentiments of the grassroots and was keeping his ears close to the ground.

“I am paying heed to what is happening and the current situation. And whatever decision I make, I will discuss it with Datuk Seri Najib (Tun Razak) and then bring it up to the Umno supreme council,” he said Thursday at a press conference after chairing a council meeting.

Abdullah reiterated that he would contest for the Umno presidency in the December party elections.

He stressed that he had already made that clear at a press conference the previous day, noting that Umno divisions have not started their meetings yet and as the (country’s) leader he would continue to implement what was needed. [more]