KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi Monday (13 Oct) came to the defence of his deputy Najib Razak, who has come under renewed attacks after being named to take over the top job.

Allegations of purported scandals involving Najib are splashed over the less restrained websites, while the serious news portals are drawing parallels between him and former premier Mahathir Mohamad.

They claim that Najib's administration will see a return to Mahathirism - iron-fisted and authoritarian - as the Deputy Premier is said to be heavily influenced by Dr Mahathir.

The criticism began soon after Abdullah announced that he would not seek re-election as United Malays National Organisation (Umno) president, effectively sealing his retirement. Najib is likely to be endorsed by Umno to take over the post, which, by convention, also means the premiership of Malaysia.

The controversial Malaysia Today website last Saturday (11 Oct) published a series of unverified text messages purportedly between Najib and prominent lawyer Shafee Abdullah, who once represented the Deputy Premier's close aide Abdul Razak Baginda in a murder trial.

The messages purportedly had Najib making repeated inquiries about the case and the welfare of Abdul Razak. The authenticity of the messages is unverified.

"I can't believe Najib wants to abuse power, if he's the one who is inclined to abuse power, then how could he be my successor?" said Abdullah Monday, urging Umno to give Najib its full support. "I believe in him, I believe he's a good person and he would be a good prime minister."

So far, all 28 Umno divisions that have held their meetings gave Najib their nomination to contest the party presidency.

A contender needs at least 58 nominations from the 191 divisions to qualify.

But even as Umno appears to be coalescing around Najib as its new leader, the potshots continue unabated. Old corruption and murder scandals linked to him refuse to go away despite his repeated denials of wrongdoing. He had even taken an oath in a mosque that he did not know Abdul Razak's former lover, Altantuya Shaariibuu, a Mongolian woman who was found dead.

Najib is also fighting the perception that he will return to an authoritarian regime and abandon reforms in government.

Former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim, who resigned in protest over a government crackdown on dissent, told The Star that Najib will not be able to undertake reforms as long as Dr Mahathir is around.

"Mahathirism was all control, control, control. He has a strong influence on the top Umno leaders who had to choose between doing his bidding or facing his wrath," said Zaid.

However, Najib's supporters and even International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is tipped to be Malaysia's next deputy premier, refuted the perception. "I don't think Najib would want it to happen as he has his own political programmes to re-strengthen Umno and regain the people's confidence," he said on Sunday (12 Oct). (By CAROLYN HONG/ The Straits Times/ ANN)