Undenial of Reality.

Sakmongkol is willing to ease down. He was appalled at the insensitivity of the UMNO leaders. They had not discussed about Tun Mahathir.

But perhaps there was a reasonable explanation. The MKT meeting last two days was a most heated meeting. Almost all MKT members spoke about the need to save UMNO. We shall not go into the ‘we told you so mode’.

Perhaps, the MKT people were themselves stunned by the candour and upfront assessment of the situation. They finally realised how hugely unpopular the UMNO leadership is. And if nothing changes, the whole ship is sinking. Before sinking, the rats will swim away.

Probably Pak Lah and Najib are the only persons who disbelieved Anwar has the numbers. My friends in east Malaysia say at the moment Nana Non indeed has the numbers and many still in the east Malaysian states are adopting a wait and see attitude. Wait until the ship sinks and see the other side next.

While these people are in a state of extreme denial of reality, they are also underestimating the craftiness of Nana Non. Sakmongkol knows sometimes intense dislike bordering on personal hatred, has prevented sobering analyses of the situation.

At this moment there seems to be only one way to stop Nana Non. The government will not discount the use of the ISA since the outcome in the courts is not certain anymore. But it risks being an international pariah and cannot afford to be ostracised economically. It cannot afford a backlash from the people anymore.

Sakmongkol believes that Nana Non is not bluffing. He wanted to see the sitting PM out of deference and esteem of the eastern culture of respecting the man of stature and the elder. Unless we are thick as two bricks, that’s a logical explanation given by Nana Non. We ignore it at our peril.

We must never underestimate his resolve and determination. Look, he has been a senior member of the government once and even reached the position of the DPM. Would he engage wantonly in blowing just hot air and does not have a well laid out plan? This whole business of forming a government is not like going to a dinner party or doing embroidery.

The majority of the MKT members are aware of this. They are too consumed in trying to stay afloat to talk about Tun Mahathir.

But it must make concessions. It must ease the re-entry of TUn Mahathir quickly and prepare itself for the judgement of the UMNO members in December.