Malaysian PM Abdullah Badawi took the oath of office for a second five-year term, defying calls to quit in the wake of the ruling coalition's worst ever electoral performance.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi took the oath of office for a second five-year term on Monday, defying calls to quit in the wake of the ruling coalition's worst ever electoral performance in five decades.
Wearing a black traditional Malay attire, Abdullah, 68, was sworn in at a ceremony at the royal a palace which was attended by King Mizan Zainal Abidin, the Queen and scores of dignitaries.
"I pledge to carry out my duties honestly and with all my abilities," said Abdullah, whose Barisan Nasional won only 140 seats in the 222-member Parliament, failing to get a two-thirds majority, and was defeated in five of the 13 states.
"I pledge to protect and uphold the Constitution," Abdullah, who arrived at the palace with his wife Jeanne, said, reading the oath.
The opposition alliance of three parties, including the Islamist PAS, won 82 seats, a massive jump from its 19 seats in the outgoing house. PAS scored shock victories in Kedah and Perak and easily retained power in Kelantan state.
The stunning result was the worst electoral performance of the ruling coalition in its 51-year-rule following Malaysia's independence from Britain in 1957 and has been attributed to the growing discontent among minority Indians and Chinese.
The prime minister's predecessor and mentor Mahathir Mohammed yesterday joined the chorus pressing for his ouster saying Abdullah had "destroyed" his party and that he regretted choosing him as his successor.
Mahathir, who was the premier for 22 years and has constantly attacked Abdullah during the last two years, said Abdullah should take full responsibility for the stinging defeat of the party.
"He should accept responsibility for this.... I think he should consider stepping down," Mahathir said, adding he would have done the same thing if he was in Abdullah's shoes.
The Star daily said the election results could herald a two-party system in the country.
"A two-party system seems likely to evolve from the outcome of this general election," the daily's said in its editorial.
"The first page of the new Malaysian political era opens today. Certainly, the elections may have ended but the drama has only just started. Stay tuned," it said.
Describing the verdict as a "political tsunami", the daily had said "Malaysia is in shock. The Barisan Nasional is reeling from its worst ever election performance."
Senior party lawmaker Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah described the defeat as a "historic crisis" and said the leadership should wake up "from its slumber, face the truth and accept full responsibility for this debacle."
Abdullah's deputy Najib Razak, however, came out in support of the prime minister.
"As deputy president (of the party), I will assist the party president to face the challenges," he said.
Deputy Information Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party wanted Abdullah to continue to lead the coalition and country.
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