Najib Razak sworn in as Malaysian PM amid challenges

Najib Razak has been sworn-in as Malaysia's new Prime Minister, taking over
the job from Abdullah Badawi.

Malaysian new Prime Minister Najib Razak, left in pink, waves with his wife Rosmah Mansor at prime minister's office in Putrajaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday, April 3, 2009. Najib took office Friday, inheriting myriad challenges, including a flagging economy, a racially divided society and a moribund ruling party struggling to regain its popularity. (AP Photo)

In front of King Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, Najib Razak took his oath of
office at the National Palace on Friday.

Malaysian PM Najib Razak said, "I, Mohd Najib Razak, do solemnly swear not to tell anybody directly or indirectly anything that is known to me as prime minister."

The British-educated economist is Malaysia's sixth prime minister since the nation declared independence from Britain in 1957.

Najib inherits many challenges, including a flagging economy, a racially-divided society and a ruling party that is losing public support.

Political analyst Syed Abdul Razak Alsagoff said, "Najib Razak has a different style of politics, whereby I feel that he will be able to hold this country together because among all the present generation of political leaders, Tansri Najib has the highest intellectual capability."

Former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad said, "People do not know whether he would be brave enough to change, to change himself into change his way of running the party and the country."

Teacher Maria Tan said, "All of us should give him a chance, you know he should be proven and don't condemn him before he's even been able to start the day."

Both Najib and his predecessor Abdullah are from the United Malays National Organisation. The dominant Malay party lost considerable ground to the opposition in general elections last year, winning only 140 seats in the 222-seat parliament.