In another action to show his strength, Dr Mahathir has recently taken over the finance ministry from his long-time ally, Daim Zainuddin.

ECONOMIST: Malaysia

In June Dr Mahathir brought an old chum and former finance minister, Daim Zainuddin, into the cabinet with an economic brief that has clipped Mr Anwar's wings.

ECONOMIST: Malaysia��s rough justice

Dr Mahathir further strengthened his position on June 25th when he restored his friend Daim Zainuddin, a former finance minister, to the cabinet as its economic overlord.

ECONOMIST: Malaysia

He eventually handed the job to Daim Zainuddin, a wealthy power-broker and long-time ally who had helped to devise the controls as part of a wider recovery plan.

ECONOMIST: Daim Zainuddin goes as Malaysia��s finance minister

Daim Zainuddin, Malaysia's economic czar, also has some heavy-handed moves to explain: Kuala Lumpur's currency restrictions which shield its ringgit from attack as it tries to reflate the economy.

CNN: A NEW COURSE

Also remaining in the same posts were Daim Zainuddin (finance, special functions), Syed Hamid Albar (foreign), Rafidah Aziz (international trade and industry), Ling Liong Sik (transport) and Samy Vellu (works).

CNN: Stirred But Not Shaken

The list of casualties reads like a Who's Who of Mahathir backers: the PM's close friend and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, former agriculture minister Sanusi Junid, the ex-deputy premier Ghafar Baba, former chief minister of Malacca Rahim Tamby Chik, current deputy ministers Khalid Yunus and Railey Jeffrey, and the party's veteran information chief Hussein Ahmad.

CNN: HEN MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER