KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has praised the statesmanship and dignity of the late Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Dr Mahathir described his successor as a leader who served the country with distinction and willingly stepped down when it was time.
Recalling their decades-long acquaintance, he said he had known Abdullah for a long time before becoming prime minister in 1981.
“I remember our first meeting clearly – it was in 1968 at a supermarket," he told reporters at Masjid Negara here on Tuesday (April 15).
Reflecting on their working relationship, Dr Mahathir said he had chosen Abdullah as his deputy before retiring, marking him as the intended successor.
“When I decided to retire, I appointed him as deputy prime minister, indicating he would be my successor.
“And indeed, when I stepped down, Abdullah took over,” he said.
Dr Mahathir said Abdullah led Barisan Nasional to an overwhelming victory in the 2004 general election.
“He... achieved the most outstanding victory in our history, where 90% of the electorate voted for the government under his leadership. It was the biggest success ever,” he said.
However, he also acknowledged the challenges Abdullah faced in later years.
“He faced many difficulties. Owing to these issues, his performance in the 2008 general election was not as strong.
"But when the support waned and many called for him to step down, he did not resist. He stepped down gracefully and handed over the position to Datuk Seri Najib Razak.”
Dr Mahathir praised this act of statesmanship, saying it reflected Malaysia’s tradition of peaceful leadership transition.
“This is the way we do things in Malaysia. When we retire, we leave smoothly without creating problems and hand things over to our successors.
“If this practice continues, God willing, Malaysia will remain a peaceful country. This is the example set by Abdullah Badawi.
“I offer my condolences to his family. I believe they will find strength in patience, for it is human nature – we will all eventually pass on,” he said.
