Hobson's Choice for UMNO

What can possibly happen between now and next week? Here a few possibilities.

At the recent MKT meeting on the 18^th of September, perhaps only Pak Lah was the only one adamant in insisting that UMNO is strong. He has no other choice but to stay his ground. For to admit that UMNO is weakened, would be a damning indictment on himself. It would place him as having failed UMNO in its entirety.

But alas, the ground upon which he stands is crumbling in. UMNO is bigger than any individual. It must be saved by strong leadership. A leadership that inspires confidence. A leadership that projects direction, firm and above all resolute to lead.

Sakmongkol hopes, that UMNO, in order to avoid a thousand deaths at all cost, wont be clutching at straws by having a questionable substitute. Sakmongkol hopes it will not become a lost ship calling any port in a storm. Then UMNO will be at it all over again. KD-UMNO is besieged and then will go under. The fault, Sakmongkol is afraid, is within us.

That other possibility of course is the spectre of Anwar Ibrahim forming the next federal government. In the MKT perhaps only the prime minister insulates himself from the real possibility that the other fellow has the numbers. All the other MKT members know the other fellow has it but have to shore up confidence by denying it.

That other fellow will be seeking an audience with the King to plead his case. He of course knew the current PM will not convene a sitting of parliament to deliver a death blow to himself. But he did in order to show a sense of propriety and probity.

He will then move on, try to achieve his objective and then tell the people, he had already extended the olive branch to the outgoing PM but that the latter refused.

If this second possibility takes place, it is most conceivable that the anguish from the UMNO heartland can only be appeased by a totally new UMNO leadership. Sakmongkol does not see the current leadership as having capabilities to douse the incendiary grief.