Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi faces two huge challenges to his political survival this week, even as his Cabinet is divided over the use of the tough security law on three people last week.

One main challenge comes from opposition chief Anwar Ibrahim, who will be knocking at the door of his ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition as the Sept 16 date comes to pass tomorrow.

The opposition is unlikely to meet its self-imposed deadline, but will continue to agitate for a change in government in the near term.

A senior aide of Anwar repeated a much-used refrain when asked whether the opposition could get at least 30 government lawmakers to defect to topple BN from power.

'We have the numbers. It will definitely happen soon,' he said on Saturday.

But bigger problems for Abdullah come from within his own Umno party.

Some of it relates to the unhappiness of several Cabinet ministers over the use of the Internal Security Act against a Malaysian journalist, a blogger and an opposition lawmaker.

Abdullah is likely to prevail if he can assure them that such police action would not be carried out again unless the security situation is dire.

But the most serious challenge to him could happen on Thursday, when Umno's decision-making Supreme Council holds its monthly meeting.

The 40 men and women members of the council include Cabinet ministers from Umno, state menteris besar and leaders of the Women, Youth and Puteri (Young Women) wings.

Their meetings on the top floor of the Umno headquarters building are often seen as more important than the weekly Cabinet meetings, as whatever Malaysia's biggest political party wants, it often gets.

And this week, the closed-door meeting will likely discuss an issue that had threatened to split the party.

The issue revolves around asking Abdullah to step down much earlier than the earlier agreed-upon date of mid-2010.

Some of his party chiefs want him to quit and pass the premiership to his deputy Najib Razak before the December Umno elections three months away.

Abdullah's standing was badly damaged last week after the four Umno leaders immediately below him indicated politely that he should consider making an earlier exit.

Abdullah is Umno's president.

Last week, deputy president Najib, vice-presidents Mohd Ali Rustam and Muhyiddin Yassin, and information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib all said the 2010 exit plan cannot just be agreed upon by the Supreme Council.

They said the party's 191 divisions, which will hold their annual meetings between Oct 9 and Nov 9, should be allowed to decide.

'The Supreme Council's proposal on the power transition was reasonable, but the party members have the right to decide on this at the divisional delegates' meetings,' said Ali, who is also the Malacca chief minister, last week.

In other words, the four leaders are saying the future of their boss must be decided by the rank and file. And many of the party's 3.2 million members are angry with Abdullah for eroding the strength and prestige of Umno and BN during his five-year tenure.

A growing view is that Abdullah should quit before December so that the party could regroup under Najib, with possibly Muhyiddin as deputy president.

Incidentally, both Najib and Muhammad were seen as his staunchest supporters until their remarks last week.

Abdullah on Wednesday said he was surprised that the issue of leadership change was raised again, as it had been agreed upon.

He said he wanted to focus on his work to bring development to the people, not rumours and speculation.

While he has his supporters, things may be quite beyond repair for the premier.

'Like it or not, I am of the view that the handover of power must be held earlier. The party must come first, the restive population must be calmed, reforms must be carried out,' said former Selangor menteri besar Khir Toyo, a member of the Supreme Council, in his blog. (By REME AHMAD/ The Straits Times/ ANN)