Quotes of the Day

For a few days last week, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi set aside his responsibilities as the nation's leader and took up another, more difficult role: that of a grieving husband. Abdullah's wife of four decades, Endon Mahmood, died on Oct. 20 at age 64 after a four-year battle with breast cancer. In a relatively conservative country with a Muslim majority, the couple were known for their public displays of affection, often hugging or bestowing pecks on each other's cheeks. During the funeral, Abdullah, 65, did his best to appear stoic. Wearing a traditional black songkok hat, a high-collared blue shirt and a checked cotton sarong, he comforted friends at the funeral who broke down as they bade his wife a last goodbye.

Because Abdullah and Endon, the daughter of a Japanese woman and a Malay civil servant, were so close, and because the Prime Minister openly acknowledged his wife as his savviest political adviser and most trusted confidante, Malaysians are fretting over how her death might affect his leadership. For months, as Endon's condition deteriorated, political speculation in the capital Kuala Lumpur has centered on whether Abdullah has the resolve to go it alone, or if the loss of his wife might lead him to resign.

Such concerns come at a critical time for Abdullah, who became Prime Minister two years ago, taking over when his long-serving predecessor Mahathir Mohamad retired. The two men could not be more different. The soft-spoken, affable Abdullah is noted for his non-confrontational, consensus-seeking style, while Mahathir was more blunt and autocratic. When general elections were held a year ago, Abdullah campaigned on a platform of change, promising to root out corruption and to introduce greater transparency in government; he and his political party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), won a landslide victory. Abdullah quickly got to work, postponing or scaling back several of the huge—and hugely expensive—infrastructure projects that Mahathir favored. The government's previously somnolent Anti-Corruption Agency swung into action, launching a series of prosecutions of politicians and businessmen. And a special commission was established to look into corruption in the police force. In recent months, however, prosecutions against corruption have dried up, and the police commission's recommendations have yet to be implemented. "Abdullah has appeared strangely indecisive," says human-rights activist S. Arulchelvam. "He speaks the reform language, but his reforms have run out of steam."

Abdullah's supporters say their man is more likely to dedicate himself anew to reform. "Prepare to be surprised," says a senior UMNO official. "Worrying about Endon has been a distraction for the Prime Minister. Once he has had a chance to mourn her passing, you'll find that he comes back much more focused and more determined than ever to fulfill his agenda." Abdul Razak Baginda, who heads a pro-administration think tank, the Malaysian Strategic Research Center, observes: "He may even be stronger. After all, he promised his wife that he would soldier on and leave behind an enduring political legacy."

A simmering dispute between Abdullah's predecessor and one of his most senior cabinet ministers could be a bellwether of his commitment to reform. Mahathir and Rafidah Aziz, the International Trade and Industry Minister, are engaged in a very public spat over thousands of permits issued by her ministry to import cars. The ex-PM says the permit holders are circumventing heavy tariffs aimed at propping up the country's automobile industry, crippling Proton, the national car company he set up while in office. Mahathir has also noted that the largest recipient of import permits is a former senior official in Rafidah's ministry. (Rafidah has defended the awarding of licenses and denied any impropriety.)

Last week, Promuda, an élite organization of young professionals, urged Abdullah to fire Rafidah and to order a thorough probe into how and why a few individuals were awarded these highly lucrative permits. "The PM cannot act as though he is an innocent bystander," wrote Promuda chairman Don Rahim in an Oct. 16 e-mail to members. "The public is looking for leadership and decision." Other critics take an even stronger line, urging Abdullah to shake up the entire cabinet, which they argue is heavy with holdovers from the Mahathir era.

But for a few days, at least, Abdullah will be forgiven for devoting his thoughts to the memory of Endon. Speaking to reporters on the day after her death, Abdullah replied "lonely, lonely" when asked how he felt. The question for many Malaysians is whether, without his companion of 40 years, their Prime Minister will find the rough and tumble world of politics lonelier then he can bear.

• Simon Elegant
• After losing his wife to cancer, can Malaysia's Prime Minister recover the will to lead?