Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, one of Asia's longest-serving and most controversial leaders, retired today to a mix of Asian praise and Western silence after an international outcry over his remarks about Jews.
In a sombre ceremony at the royal palace following prayers at the national mosque, Malaysia's King Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, accepted Mr Mahathir's resignation and swore in his deputy, Mr Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, as the country's fifth prime minister.
The 78-year-old leader of the mainly Muslim Southeast Asian nation spent much of his 22 years in power rubbing Western governments the wrong way, while becoming a respected spokesman within the Islamic and developing worlds.
Malaysia's 24 million ethnic Malays, Chinese and Indians have enjoyed peaceful relations under his rule.
Speaking on the eve of his retirement, Mr Mahathir was modest about his place in history. "As Shakespeare said, the evil that men do lives after them and the good is oft interred with their bones."
But a speech to an Islamic summit two weeks before Mr Mahathir stepped down, in which he referred to what he called Jewish domination of the world, raised a storm of protest from the United States, Western Europe, Australia and, of course, Israel.
Western governments had little to say on a historic day for Malaysia.
But Mr Mahathir received warm praise from Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who many believe will take a leading role in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) after the departure of the veteran Malaysian leader.