ID :
53763
Sat, 04/04/2009 - 08:41
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/53763
The shortlink copeid
ABDULLAH HANDS OVER DUTIES TO NEW PM NAJIB
PUTRAJAYA, April 3 (Bernama) -- Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Friday afternoon officially handed over the duties of prime minister to Najib Razak at the Prime Minister's Office at the Perdana Putra building here.
The handing-over ceremony took place at the fifth floor of the Prime
Minister's Office at 4.50pm.
Najib had taken the oath of office as the country's sixth prime minister
before the King, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, at the National Palace in Kuala
Lumpur Friday morning.
The nation recorded history with the elevation of Najib to the post of prime
minister when, for the first time, the post was filled by the son of a former
prime minister. Najib's father, Abdul Razak Hussein, was the country's
second prime minister.
At the handing-over ceremony, Abdullah, 70, attired in an orange Baju Melayu
(Malay traditional costume), handed to Najib the prime minister's blue desk file
to signify the official handing over of duties and responsibilities. Najib, 55,
was attired in a pink Baju Melayu at the ceremony, which was witnessed by Chief
Secretary to the Government Mohd Sidek Hassan.
The ceremony marked the conclusion of the transition of power from Abdullah
to Najib, a process which was carried out in an organised and smooth manner in
keeping with the tradition of power transitions in the country.
On Oct 8 last year, Abdullah announced that he would not defend the post of
Umno president and would relinquish the post of prime minister in March this
year, thus hastening the transition of power to Najib earlier than the
originally scheduled date of June 2010.
Last Saturday, Najib was officially declared United Malays National
Organization (Umno) president, a post he had won
unopposed, at the Umno General Assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC)
in Kuala Lumpur.
On Thursday, Abdullah, who had helmed the country for more than five years,
had an audience with the King at the National Palace to hand over the
letter relinquishing the post of prime minister and sought His Majesty's
consent to appoint Najib as his successor.
Abdullah was appointed the fifth prime minister of the country on Oct 31
2003, and the handing-over of duties from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to Abdullah
had taken place at the same Prime Minister's Office, also on a Friday.
After the handing-over ceremony, Abdullah and his wife, Jeanne Abdullah,
shook hands with the ministers, deputy ministers and senior government officers
who were waiting at the lobby of the Prime Minister's Office.
They also shook hands with the staff of the Prime Minister's Office who had
lined up from the main entrance of the Prime Minister's Office to Abdullah's
car.
Abdullah and Jeanne were accompanied by Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor.
Earlier, the Grand Imam of the Putra Mosque, Datuk Manaf Mat, read the "doa
selamat" (ceremonial prayer to seek protection) seeking God's grace for the
continued good health of Abdullah, Jeanne and his family.
Some of those present were overcome with emotion and were sad and
teary-eyed.
Najib and Rosmah then accompanied Abdullah and Jeanne to Abdullah's car and
Abdullah waved goodbye to everyone present before leaving the premises of the
Prime Minister's Office at 5.25pm.
Abdullah was appointed deputy prime minister on Jan 8 1999, and eventually
became prime minister when he succeeded Dr Mahathir who had resigned from the
post.
Abdullah, who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Islamic Studies from the
University of Malaya, is a former civil servant and had held various posts
including deputy secretary-general of the then culture, youth and sports
ministry.
Since venturing into politics in 1964, Abdullah had held various portfolios
in the government including education minister, defence minister, minister in
the prime minister's department, foreign minister, home minister and finance
minister.
Najib, who was born in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, became the youngest member of
parliament at the age of 22 when he won the Pekan seat unopposed in 1976. The
seat had fallen vacant following the death of his father, Tun Razak.
Najib, who holds a bachelor's degree (honours) in industrial economics from
the University of Nottingham, England, started out as public relations manager
of Petronas where he served from 1974 to 1976. Then he took over as chairman of
the Livestock Development Board, which he held until 1978.
He created history as the youngest deputy minister when he was appointed
deputy minister of energy, telecommunications and post on July 27 1978 at the
age of 25.
In 1982, Najib again created history when he was appointed the menteri besar
of Pahang at the age of 29. He held the post until 1986.
Subsequently, he moved to the federal level where he was appointed culture,
youth and sports minister (from May 1987 to October 1990), defence minister
(October 1990 to April 1995), education minister (May 1995 to November 1999) and
again as defence minister (December 1999 to September 2008).
When Najib was appointed deputy prime minister on Jan 7 2004, he was the
defence minister, a post he held until September 2008 when he was given the
finance portfolio.
In politics, Najib had helmed Umno Youth from 1987 to 1993 and won one of
the three posts of Umno vice-president in 1993 and retained the post up to 2004
when he was elected deputy president.
Najib, who has five children -- three boys and two girls, was elected
unopposed as Umno president last Saturday at the party's general assembly.
-- BERNAMA
The handing-over ceremony took place at the fifth floor of the Prime
Minister's Office at 4.50pm.
Najib had taken the oath of office as the country's sixth prime minister
before the King, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, at the National Palace in Kuala
Lumpur Friday morning.
The nation recorded history with the elevation of Najib to the post of prime
minister when, for the first time, the post was filled by the son of a former
prime minister. Najib's father, Abdul Razak Hussein, was the country's
second prime minister.
At the handing-over ceremony, Abdullah, 70, attired in an orange Baju Melayu
(Malay traditional costume), handed to Najib the prime minister's blue desk file
to signify the official handing over of duties and responsibilities. Najib, 55,
was attired in a pink Baju Melayu at the ceremony, which was witnessed by Chief
Secretary to the Government Mohd Sidek Hassan.
The ceremony marked the conclusion of the transition of power from Abdullah
to Najib, a process which was carried out in an organised and smooth manner in
keeping with the tradition of power transitions in the country.
On Oct 8 last year, Abdullah announced that he would not defend the post of
Umno president and would relinquish the post of prime minister in March this
year, thus hastening the transition of power to Najib earlier than the
originally scheduled date of June 2010.
Last Saturday, Najib was officially declared United Malays National
Organization (Umno) president, a post he had won
unopposed, at the Umno General Assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC)
in Kuala Lumpur.
On Thursday, Abdullah, who had helmed the country for more than five years,
had an audience with the King at the National Palace to hand over the
letter relinquishing the post of prime minister and sought His Majesty's
consent to appoint Najib as his successor.
Abdullah was appointed the fifth prime minister of the country on Oct 31
2003, and the handing-over of duties from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to Abdullah
had taken place at the same Prime Minister's Office, also on a Friday.
After the handing-over ceremony, Abdullah and his wife, Jeanne Abdullah,
shook hands with the ministers, deputy ministers and senior government officers
who were waiting at the lobby of the Prime Minister's Office.
They also shook hands with the staff of the Prime Minister's Office who had
lined up from the main entrance of the Prime Minister's Office to Abdullah's
car.
Abdullah and Jeanne were accompanied by Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor.
Earlier, the Grand Imam of the Putra Mosque, Datuk Manaf Mat, read the "doa
selamat" (ceremonial prayer to seek protection) seeking God's grace for the
continued good health of Abdullah, Jeanne and his family.
Some of those present were overcome with emotion and were sad and
teary-eyed.
Najib and Rosmah then accompanied Abdullah and Jeanne to Abdullah's car and
Abdullah waved goodbye to everyone present before leaving the premises of the
Prime Minister's Office at 5.25pm.
Abdullah was appointed deputy prime minister on Jan 8 1999, and eventually
became prime minister when he succeeded Dr Mahathir who had resigned from the
post.
Abdullah, who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Islamic Studies from the
University of Malaya, is a former civil servant and had held various posts
including deputy secretary-general of the then culture, youth and sports
ministry.
Since venturing into politics in 1964, Abdullah had held various portfolios
in the government including education minister, defence minister, minister in
the prime minister's department, foreign minister, home minister and finance
minister.
Najib, who was born in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, became the youngest member of
parliament at the age of 22 when he won the Pekan seat unopposed in 1976. The
seat had fallen vacant following the death of his father, Tun Razak.
Najib, who holds a bachelor's degree (honours) in industrial economics from
the University of Nottingham, England, started out as public relations manager
of Petronas where he served from 1974 to 1976. Then he took over as chairman of
the Livestock Development Board, which he held until 1978.
He created history as the youngest deputy minister when he was appointed
deputy minister of energy, telecommunications and post on July 27 1978 at the
age of 25.
In 1982, Najib again created history when he was appointed the menteri besar
of Pahang at the age of 29. He held the post until 1986.
Subsequently, he moved to the federal level where he was appointed culture,
youth and sports minister (from May 1987 to October 1990), defence minister
(October 1990 to April 1995), education minister (May 1995 to November 1999) and
again as defence minister (December 1999 to September 2008).
When Najib was appointed deputy prime minister on Jan 7 2004, he was the
defence minister, a post he held until September 2008 when he was given the
finance portfolio.
In politics, Najib had helmed Umno Youth from 1987 to 1993 and won one of
the three posts of Umno vice-president in 1993 and retained the post up to 2004
when he was elected deputy president.
Najib, who has five children -- three boys and two girls, was elected
unopposed as Umno president last Saturday at the party's general assembly.
-- BERNAMA
