PRESENT POINT POWER

Both of them seem too have the conclusion that Najib would assume the throne sooner than expected but Abdullah wanting a place in Malaysian history and he deserves it very much would most unlikely throw in the towel so easily.

PM Abdullah speaking to his Supporters on his "home coming"
and his message: (See below for more pics.)
“I was surprised by this barrage of supporters. But thank God I am well now and my voice is better and my health is better. After this I have to get back to work. We will announce the measures and projects for the 9MP on Tuesday.”

So we expect more fireworks in the weeks and months ahead when the battle cry
gets louder. Meanwhile we look forward to his Tuesday's announcement

TRANSCRIPT of Reme Ahmad S'PORE GLOBAL FORUM Talk : Dr MAHATHIR vs Datuk Seri ABDULLAH and other KEY PLAYERS - NAJIB & ANWAR IBRAHIM

was posted earlier on and available from

Transcript- Reme Ahmad

Here is the WRITTEN ACCOUNT by Reme Ahmad found at

http://straitstimes.asiaone.com/STI/STIMEDIA/sp/gforum/2.html

WITH former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad seemingly intent on shoving his successor out of office, political manoeuvring by the key players in Malaysia looks set only to intensify.

Tun Mahathir has said there are several issues with the current administration that he is not happy about - apart from those he has raised. So apparently there are more attacks to come.

He has blasted the Abdullah administration for cancelling the Johor Causeway bridge, on the issue of Approved Permits for imported cars and concerning Proton and its future. Last weekend, he upped the ante by hinting that Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has handed some of his powers to a coterie of young officers, including son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin.

Tun Mahathir is now expected to reveal other issues over coming weeks to undermine PM Abdullah.

At the moment, it is very difficult for PM Abdullah to fight fire with fire for fear that he will be seen as ungrateful of the man who put him on the throne.

But government ministries and agencies are expected to reveal alleged mismanagement and wrongdoings during Tun Mahathir's 22-year rule.

If in previous months officials of the Abdullah administration have been using kids' gloves in revealing these issues out of respect for 82-year old Tun Mahathir, a more vigorous response and even those damaging to him are now expected.

Some of the alleged scandals of the Mahathir era are expected to be brought to life again by a man who just months ago was a nearly forgotten leader, ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.

Datuk Seri Anwar has already filed court papers in a case involving Tun Mahathir containing mouth-watering details of alleged shady deals during Tun Mahathir's administration.

The battle is for the hearts and minds of Malaysians and especially for Umno leaders.

From the Mahathir side, they will basically be asked to decide whether PM Abdullah and his men are mismanaging the country, and should be replaced.

From the PM's side, Malaysians will be asked to state that PM Abdullah should be allowed to continue, because most of his troubles today are in fact inherited from his predecessor and he has to clean up the house.

Amid all this, one leader who is trying to keep his head below the turbulent weather but whose role will become more crucial in coming days is Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.

He has openly said he is behind PM Abdullah, and aides say he will not budge from this position.

Still, that has not stopped speculation that the 53-year-old politician - whom Mahathir said was his favourite to be PM - might be tempted, or perhaps forced by events, to shift if the going gets tougher for PM Abdullah.

Other top leaders are nervously watching, concerned that the gathering storm will spare few politicians.

TRANSCRIPT of Leslie Lopez S'PORE FORUM Talk : What LIES BEHIND the STANDOFF between Dr Mahathir and PM Datuk Seri Ahmad Abdulah in KL
was first posted and available at:

Transcript - Leslie Lopez

Here is the WRITTEN ACCOUNT by Leslie Lopez found at

http://straitstimes.asiaone.com/STI/STIMEDIA/sp/gforum/1.html

Malaysia's Mahathir Mohamad's harsh public attacks over policy issues have presented Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's nearly three-year-old administration with its most serious political crisis.

Dr. Mahathir's public admonishment of the Mr. Abdullah's government has put the business community on edge and raised concern that it could trigger a spilt in the ruling United Malays National Organisation, or UMNO, party.

But the deepening rift between the two politicians isn't just about policy differences and personality clashes.

At stake in this gripping political drama is a clash over what values should shape future ethnic Malay/Malaysian society.

Over the last two decades, Dr. Mahathir has aggressively imposed his vision of modernisation on his Malay race with the state playing a central role in economic development.

And to push his agenda, Dr. Mahathir was left with little choice but to adopt placing a very autocratic style,strict limits in the independence of key institutions.

In the process, he created a culture where Malays, and much of Malaysia, identified with a strong leader who could dispense patronage in a protected economy.

The vision Mr. Abdullah espouses is anchored in the thinking of Malaysia's political elite before Dr. Mahathir assumed power; one that places a premium on values such as egalitarianism, democracy and a sense of fair-play.

Mr. Abdullah's reform agenda, which includes bringing more independence to watchdog agencies, and pushing for greater transparency in the police force and the awards of large contracts, clashes directly with the systems and practices that have been established during the last two decades of Dr. Mahathir's premiership.

That's why this fight isn’t just a clash between the current and former premiers. It also includes wide swathes of Malaysia's establishment that is resistant to change.

Dislodging Mr. Abdullah, however, won't be easy.

But there are concerns that Dr. Mahathir, Malaysia's redoubtable strongman who has survived numerous challenges to his leadership during his 22 years in power, could inflict some serious political grief on Mr. Abdullah in coming months.

One potentially destabilising issue is political succession in Malaysia.

The 66-year-old Mr. Abdullah and Dr. Mahathir are considered to be from the same political generation, and many UMNO members believe that the next leadership succession, which would pave the way for deputy premier Najib Abdul Razak, should take place sooner to make way for the party next generation of leaders to move up the political ladder.

Several analysts say that Dr. Mahathir's political agitation against Mr. Abdullah would fit in nicely for those seeking to push forward the succession timetable.

MORE Pics of his home coming,