MALAYSIA - ATTEMPTS by certain quarters to pressure Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down are inappropriate.

Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Pawanteh, who said this, added that such attempts would only worsen the situation, weaken Umno and push the nation towards crisis.

He described arguments that problems in the country would be solved if the prime minister stepped down as "wishful thinking".

Hamid said none of the senior Umno leaders had called for the resignation of the Umno president.

On the controversy surrounding the appointments of the Perlis and Terengganu menteris besar, Hamid, who was a former Perlis menteri besar, said the rule of law must be upheld.

Under democratic principles, he said, the appointment of a menteri besar was made on the advice of the party leader and was not the prerogative of the ruler.

"If there's a different interpretation, then I think it's not appropriate. If we deviate from the principle of acting on advice, we'll expose ourselves to criticism for meddling (in the appointment of a menteri besar)."

Hamid was in Dakar to represent Abdullah at the 11th OIC summit which ended on Friday.