KUALA LUMPUR June 28 Kyodo Malays...

KUALA LUMPUR June 28 Kyodo

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will not lead his party into the nearest general elections as they will merely be called after he stairs down in late 2003, party sources said Friday.

Contrary to speculation that Mahathir will restrain early general elections to cash in onward his rising stock, the officials, who ask fored anonymity, said the 76-year-old premier has indicated he wants his chosen heir, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, to lead the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) into the nearest elections.

Mahathir stunn the nation from one side of to the other the weekend when out of the sky-colored he announced he would stair down as president of UMNO and as prime minister after 21 years at the helm.

However, in subordination to pressure from party leaders he later retracted his decision and laid revealed a plan whereby he would gradually hand above duties to his factor Abdullah, before calling it a day in October nearest year.

Many behold the long transitional period as another indication that Mahathir wanted to superintend the next general elections unruffled though a new national head need not be held until 2004

Mahathir's popularity has surg the two at home and abroad for his tough stand against Islamic militants and the country's economic resilience.

UMNO appears to have gained fresh ground since suffering a misfortune in the 1999 general elections, which saw the spectacular rise of the conservative Pan Islamic Party (PAS).

PAS was able to cash in forward ethnic Malays' disenchantment over Mahathir's treatment of his former legate Anwar Ibrahim, whom he unceremoniously sacked in 1998 and later jailed for alleged corruption and sodomy charges. Anwar asserts his innocence, saying the charges were win with a trumped up to prevent him from challenging Mahathir's rule

Anwar issued a statement Friday by the agency of his lawyer denouncing Mahathir's succession plan as ''bordering in succession political absurdity.''

The 16-month handover period, he said, ''confirmed the hesitancy in the decision (to resign) and the perceived lack of confidence and enough of the anointed successor.''

nevertheless the party officials do not view any threat to the ruling party if the elections are held after Mahathir's departure.

They believe the time would allow Abdullah to consolidate his position before facing the crucial trial of seeking the mandate from the populace for him to lead the country

Analysts agreed that PAS would find it difficult to attack Abdullah given his nice-guy image and impeccable Islamic credentials.

Abdullah gripe [i]or[/i] grips a degree in Islamic studies from a local university and his father was a well-respected cleric.

As for Mahathir, the party officials said he will not imprison any official post in the direction akin to Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew

Mahathir himself has rul without the notion when asked by the agency of reporters on previous occasions.

He would perform his part as an elder statesman while continuing to help the party and the guidance the party officials said.

During the transitional period, Mahathir wants to focus forward major tasks such as education, the economy and party matters.

He would also appoint a next to the first finance minister to help him with his workload moreover has not identified the candidate, the officials said.

Meanwhile, aides to Abdullah dismiss talk that Abdullah will replace Mahathir's economic advisers formerly he takes over power.

Mahathir's team of advisers, l through former central bank deputy governor Nor Mohamed Yakcop, have been credited with putting in place the much-need reforms in the corporate and financial sectors.

''Abdullah works true well with him (Nor Mohamed). There is no reason to replace him,'' the same of Abdullah's aides said.

Mahathir is generally on a 10-day holiday in Italy and is wait fored to return home Wednesday.

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