PM to quit?

Wednesday April 2, 2008

PM denies rumours that he will quit

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has brushed aside speculation that he would step down as Prime Minister.

Bernama reported that the Prime Minister reiterated that he would not run away from his responsibilities.

"I am here. I am here. I am here. They make all the speculations that I want to run away, I've resigned. Why should I resign?"

"My Government has got a strong majority (although) not the twothirds (majority), but very strong...that is the stand of support."

"Why I must run away from my entrusted responsibility," he was quoted by Bernama as saying, after meeting Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said at his office here Wednesday.

Speculation on the matter had been rife in the wake of calls by his predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, that Abdullah should step down for the Barisan Nasional's poor showing in the March 8 general election.

The BN lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament, winning only 140 of the 222 parliamentary while the Opposition captured 82 seats.

BN also lost control of Penang, Perak, Selangor and Kedah and the majority of seats in the Federal territory besides failing to wrest Kelantan from PAS.