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Malaysian PM Says
Ruling Coalition to Learn Lesson and Move ahead
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said on
Monday that the ruling coalition would draw a lesson from the results of
Saturday's general election and continue to lead the country to move
ahead with improved services.
Badawi, who was sworn in for a new five-year term in office earlier
Monday, made the remarks after chairing a meeting of the United Malays
National Organization (UMNO) Supreme Council and a supreme council
meeting of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN), or National
Front.
The results of Saturday's general election dealt a lesson to UMNO and
the BN, which UMNO and the BN accepted, he said at a press conference
after the meetings at the UMNO head office.
He noted that although the BN did not get a two-thirds majority in the
parliament, it still can form a strong government to fulfill the pledges
in its campaign manifesto and continue to carry out its policies and
development programs.
The BN won 140 seats in the lower house of the 12th Parliament in the
general election on Saturday, eight seats short of the two- thirds
majority line.
The prime minister also said that the BN would appoint Cabinet ministers
with capability and integrity.
In addition, he also noted that he would accept opposition Members of
Parliament who want to join the BN to make it a two- thirds majority,
the national news services Bernama reported.
According to the official results of the election, the BN won 140
parliamentary seats, in which UMNO secured 79, the Malaysian Chinese
Association (MCA) obtained 15, the United Sarawak Native Inheritance
Party (PBB) captured 14, and the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) caught
three.
The opposition parties bagged a total of 82 parliamentary seats, in
which the Democratic Action Party (DAP) got 28.
The opposition parties also won a majority in the state legislative
assemblies in Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor.
2008-03-17 |
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