Published May 1, 2009

Abdullah to be offered important advisory posts

By S JAYASANKARAN
IN KUALA LUMPUR

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MALAYSIA'S former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, 68, who stepped down in early April, is likely to be offered some key advisory positions, officials close to Prime Minister Najib Razak said yesterday.

New chapter: Retired PMs like Dr Mahathir and Mr Abdullah are traditionally treated with respect and deference. Besides being given a pension, they are also offered positions as advisers to government corporations

The officials said that the Cabinet on Wednesday was informed that Mr Abdullah was likely to become adviser to Malaysian Airline System (MAS), the national air carrier, and the Institute of Islamic Understanding, a progressive think-tank on Islam that was set up during the tenure of Mahathir Mohamad, Mr Abdullah's predecessor.

In addition, Mr Abdullah is likely to be adviser to the three growth corridors he had proposed during his tenure as the fifth Malaysian prime minister - namely, the Iskandar Region in southern Johor, and the Northern and Eastern Growth Corridors.

Retired prime ministers are traditionally treated with respect and deference. Besides being given a pension, round-the-clock security and overseas travel on official jets twice a year, they are also offered positions as advisers to various government corporations. Hussein Onn, the third premier, was adviser to national oil corporation Petronas until his death in 1990.

Dr Mahathir, 83, set up his own think-tank, the Perdana Foundation. But he is also adviser to Petronas and national car company Proton although he has sarcastically jibed that 'neither ask me for any advice'.

According to the officials, Mr Najib told his ministers that he had no problem with anyone of them calling on either Dr Mahathir or Mr Abdullah for advice, stressing that 'we are all family'.

The counsel was probably meant to stave off any impression that any of the former premiers should feel slighted.

In 2006, after keeping silent for three years, Dr Mahathir went on a rampage against Mr Abdullah - a two-year tirade that went a long way in ensuring that the Barisan Nasional suffered badly during the last general election.