Will Anwar return to UMNO

This is an edited reply dated March 11 to my very good friend, KH, who asked several question from NY, USA.

1. whether Anwar will return to UMNO
It will be political suicide if Anwar returns to UMNO unless he can bring about sweeping changes to UMNO for instance turning the U"M"NO from Malay to Malaysian. He owes his resurgence in large part to a multi-racial support and hence returning to UMNO will be unforgivable. He should connive with boeo based party to leave the BN's yoke. That's smarter without having to wait for the next election, maybe with an offer of DPM to borneo's MP. Even better generate defection among the UMNO. 112 -82, he needs 30 MPs to cross over. Not easy but politics is an art of possible. Remember how Pairin's PBS dumped BN in 1990.

2. whether DAP and PKR should merge
I also come to the idea of a merger between PKR and DAP, that's will be fantastic I thought initially, however, the fear for the PKR's Malay will be a take over by the Chinese dominated DAP. It will be better for PKR to win over greater number of Malays especially in Johor and Pahang before this idea is entertained. It is interesting to see why the Johor's Malay are such a staunch UMNO backers since independence.

It maybe nice to do away the idea of race in Malaysia. It won't. Jst look at USA despite the civil war 150 years ago and the civil right movement 40 years ago.

3. whether Perak will have a non-Muslim MB
I fantasize the idea of the Sultan of Perak, Azlan Shah, the most enlightened of all the sultans, to be daring and progressive in appointing a DAP member to be the MB by waiving the state constitutional requirement that the MB has to be muslim. DAP won 18 seats. Politically, it is wise for DAP to support preferably PKR muslim to be the MB, after all it is the malay who constitute the majority.

4. whether Pak Lah should continue as PM
Frankly, let Pak Lah continues, that's is the best for two party systems to evolve.

5. whether Gerakan and MIC should linger on
Gerakan and MIC, I hope, will become oblivion over times. Gerakan, a chinese dominated multi-racial party has very limited appeal really if compared to PKR and DAP. If opposition make an Indian at least an exco each in the state they controlled, or better still a deputy CM, that is going to give a strong signal to the indian community that their future is better served by PKR-DAP alliance. (post note: taking place now with Dr Ramasamy appointed as DCM in Penang)

6. how the local government can be reintroduced?
nothing is more important than delivering a good governance in the next 5 years for the 2 party system; Guan Eng seems to have a good start by waiving all the summons issued by local council from the last reign. Talking about local government, if election can be introduced (federal law has to be amended), only then long term sustainable real grassroot democracy can then get entrenched in Malaysia. If the federal law cannot be amended bcoz of BN's opposition, the BR's state governments should find a mean, perhaps like american open primaries, that bind the ruling party by convention rather than by law, to appoint the elected mayor/counselor whichever party they represent. BN would have no choice but to stake up the game.