Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi ceded the key finance ministry post to his powerful deputy on Wednesday and hinted he may leave office before an agreed date of 2010.

Abdullah faces a resurgent opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim, which says it has won over sufficient government MPs to take power. The prime minister again dismissed that claim and said he had no plans to meet Anwar, who he accused of sabotaging foreign investment in Malaysia.

"I see he (Anwar) is a threat to the economy and probably security," Abdullah told a press conference to announce Najib Razak's new portfolio.

Najib's appointment to the finance ministry post, which has been held by the prime minister since ex-prime minister Mahathir Mohammed sacked Anwar in the late 1990s, was seen as indicating that Abdullah may accelerate his departure from office.

He had already agreed to hand over to Najib in 2010, two years ahead of the next elections in 2013, but has come under pressure from some top officials in his party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) to step aside earlier.

"I would not be staying longer than 2010. It will be more flexible, if I want to go earlier I will tell Najib," Abdullah said.

UMNO leads the 14-party coalition that has ruled Malaysia for over 50 years, but in March under Abdullah's leadership it slumped to its worst ever election result and lost its two-thirds majority in parliament.

"He's under pressure within the coalition to speed up his own departure," said Gerald Ambrose, of Aberdeen Asset Management, which has 6 billion Malaysian ringgit ($1.74 billion) invested in Malaysian shares. "The appointment of Najib sort of indicates he is going some way towards speeding up that transition. I don't think that's the end of it."    

The return of Anwar to Malaysia's political scene after he was released from prison on sodomy and corruption charges has galvanised the three-party alliance which he now heads.

Anwar said on Tuesday he had won over sufficient government MPs to take power and wanted talks with Abdullah on a peaceful transition.

The opposition needs the support of at least 30 government legislators to add to its 82 MPs so as to have a majority in the 222-member parliament. He also said he would go to the country's king within two days to seek a confidence vote in the prime minister.

Abdullah confirmed that he had received a letter from Anwar requesting a meeting, but there was no indication in it that the opposition leader wanted to discuss a handover. - Reuters