Across the World: Malaysia

PM to leave by March

Malaysia's prime minister will likely step down on March 31, an official said on Friday, capping a tumultuous five-year rule during which the governing coalition slipped to its weakest political position ever.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who presided over disastrous election results in March 2008, had announced earlier that he would step down and hand over office to Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak. But he has not given a date.

However, the prime minister's aides are expecting their last day at work to be March 31, an official close to Abdullah said.

(China Daily 02/14/2009 page11)