Western countries, including the United States and France, have been quick to welcome the appointment of British-educated Najib Abdul Razak as the new deputy prime minister.

"The US government has worked with the new deputy prime minister in several capacities over many years and we look forward to working with him in his new role," Washington said in a congratulatory message after his appointment was announced Wednesday.

Relations between Malaysia and the US were strained over the past year by the fierce criticism of Washington's foreign policy by the veteran former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a strong opponent of the attack on Iraq.

Mahathir retired on Oct 31 after 22 years in power, handing over to his deputy Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who has already quietened the strident criticism of the West which was a hallmark of his predecessor's rule.

With the appointment of Najib as his deputy, Western diplomats have made no secret of their hope that relations will continue to improve.

Urbane minister

As defence minister for many years, Najib, 50, has dealt regularly with western countries over arms purchases, particularly recently as Malaysia has dramatically boosted its firepower in the army, airforce and navy.

Diplomats say they have found it easy to work with the urbane minister, who wears his religion lightly in this rapidly-developing, mainly-Muslim Southeast Asian trading nation.

"The feeling is very positive," said a French diplomat, noting that France has signed a deal to supply the country's first submarine fleet.

"He has been in France several times, we have quite close, good relations with him and we hope his appointment as deputy prime minister will enhance other fields of cooperation."

Najib's links to the west go back to his teenage years when he was sent to Malvern Boys College in Worcestershire and went on to take an honours degree in economics at Nottingham University in 1974.

He comes from a family with a strong political lineage - his father Abdul Razak Hussein was the country's second prime minister and his uncle Hussein Onn was the third.

Career politician

Najib was thrust into politics at the age of 23 when his father died, pressed into service by Umno, the linchpin of Malaysia's ruling National Front Coalition since indepence from Britain in 1957.

He stood unopposed in his father's former parliamentary constituency of Pekan in central Pahang state, and has been a career politician ever since, holding several posts in government.

Najib is believed to harbour ambitions of becoming prime minister himself one day, and Abdullah's move in naming him deputy has been seen partly as a tactic to avoid any early challenge for the party leadership. - AFP