KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — Former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi believes Datuk Seri Najib Razak should get the chance to resolve the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy and restore stability in the country.

In Abdullah’s authorised biography Being Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, author Datuk Wong Sulong said that Abdullah had publicly endorsed Najib by agreeing to launch a book commemorating the latter’s 40 years in politics in February this year.

"Against this swirling and dramatic political conundrum, Abdullah feels that Najib should be given an opportunity to clear up the 1MDB mess and to restore political and economic stability to the country,” Wong wrote.

Abdullah also would like Najib to give "serious thought” on what sort of country Malaysia would be on the 100th anniversary of its independence in 2057.

"He hoped by 2057, Malaysia would be a democratic country with a strong economy and a highly educated and productive workforce,” he added.

Najib recently announced Transformasi Nasional 2050 (TN50), a new national vision for the year 2050.

Abdullah’s predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad previously set a Vision 2020 benchmark for Malaysia to achieve a high income nation status.

Dr Mahathir had hounded Abdullah from office, and is now on a campaign to do the same with Najib.