Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi resigned Thursday after obtaining the consent of the country's constitutional monarch, paving the way for his deputy Najib Razak to be declared the new premier.

Abdullah, 70, arrived at the royal palace in the capital Kuala Lumpur early Thursday, to hand in his letter of resignation.

Government officials said Najib is due to be sworn in as the country's sixth prime minister on Friday.

Abdullah served as premier for slightly over five years, after he took over from former leader Mahathir Mohamad in November 2003.

Last Thursday, Najib was officially declared party president of the United Malays National Organisation (UNMO) after Abdullah announced he would not be seeking re-election.

The president of UMNO, which is the most powerful party in the ruling National Front coalition, usually becomes the country's prime minister. (dpa)