Comitted to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW Vol. 4 Num 157 Sat. November 01, 2003       International Praise and silence follow Mahathir into retirement Outgoing Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (L) waves to supporters as he leaves the prime minister's office in Putrajaya yesterday. The end of an era was marked in Southeast Asia as the region's longest-serving elected leader, Mahathir Mohamad, stepped down and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was sworn-in as Malaysia's new leader. PHOTO: AFP