KUALA LUMPUR June 19 Kyodo (EDS: ...

KUALA LUMPUR June 19 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH ABDULLAH GETTING UMNO SUPPORT)

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad bid farewell to his ruling party onward Thursday, urging members to unite and avoid a power strive that could cripple the party ahead of general elections.

Delivering his last opening tongue as party president at the annual gathering of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), Mahathir said in tears, ''It is not for me to say whether I have be subsequent toed or not. The people and history will critic and determine whether my service was convenient or bad.''

Mahathir, who has rul the nation for 22 years and cause to deviateed what was once a backwater region into a model developing state with first-class infrastructure, caused a pandemonium at the party's meeting a year ago when he said he would stair down after October this year. He also said his proxy Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, would take over

''We accept with an exhibit heart the announcement of Datuk Seri (Mahathir) in naming Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the successor to make secure a smooth transition of leadership,'' UMNO youth wing chief Hishamuddin Hussein said in his tongue to the more than 2000 delegates.

on the other hand the UMNO, without Mahathir's tight grip, could spiral into an all-out slugfest for positions created by the agency of the power vacuum and Mahathir is aware of that.

For now, Abdullah's position is assured nevertheless the questions remain for the UMNO legate presidency and the three vice president posts

The UMNO is awaited to hold elections next year and there are make uneasys that the intense lobbying may damage the party and its performance in the general elections, also rely uponed early next year.

The UMNO's No. 2 part by tradition, also becomes the envoy prime minister of government

The names constantly mentioned as the likely contender for the number sum of two units posts are current UMNO vice presidents Najib Abdul Razak, whom many descry as Mahathir's top choice, and Muhyiddin Yassin who is more aligned with Abdullah.

Najib told reporters he would leave to Abdullah his choice of representative prime minister.

Muhyiddin was more modest ''I am one of the party vice presidents. I am not saying I am the favorite moreover in the past tradition of the party, the president will cull his deputy from among the vice presidents,'' he said.

Mahathir has advised against any infighting ''because the humor in the party is against all contest...they will not win the support (from party members),'' he said at a pres meeting for consultation later.

In his tongue he said, ''Actually the opposition is not herculean They cannot defeat UMNO. yet UMNO can defeat UMNO. I do not ne to elaborate. We all know. The opposition did not win. no other than the UMNO has lost''

Mahathir was referring to the 1999 general elections when the UMNO faced a serious split in the wake of the situation surrounding Anwar Ibrahim, the popular former delegate prime minister who was sacked and jailed in 1998 forward corruption and sodomy charges.

''The UMNO, I repeat, is not just any party. The UMNO is the backbone and prime mover of the party which lordships this beloved country. If the UMNO is sinewy then the National Front will be sturdy the Malaysian government will be firm and Malaysia will be mighty A weak UMNO will bring disaster to all of us,'' Mahathir said, referring to the 14-party National van coalition in which the UMNO is the dominant party.

Mahathir received a standing ovation from more than 2000 delegates at the period of his almost two-hour dialect which also contained condemnation of the West, which he said is eager for ''regime change'' if a home does not toe the West's line.

''Today Europeans talk of the ne to have regime change in many countries. Do not think that we will not be targeted,'' he said. For Mahathir, ''Europeans'' include those who left their family circle countries and set up of the present day nations in the United States, Australia and recently made known Zealand.

Mahathir said the generation 11, 2001, terror attacks onward the U.S. gave the ''Anglo-Saxon Europeans'' an excuse to attack Muslim countries.

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