It's a long journey for the parties involved as they have
to fly to London or Frankfurt for a connecting flight to Caracas.

There have been no signals from the Prime Minister's office over the status of
Abdullah's itinerary, which requires Abdullah to stay in Caracas until Feb
29.

But it is almost certain that Abdullah will give the G15 summit a skip and
focus his attention on preparations for the general election.

It is likely that Abdullah would shift his energies on his whirlwind tour of
the nation and this week, he will focus on the northern states.

An official announcement on the cancellation of the trip would be a strong
indication that the polls would surely be called soon.

Last week, he flew to Terengganu and Sarawak, where he met state Barisan
Nasional leaders. The messages and mood of the huge gatherings were familiar,
all pointing to the polls.

On Sunday, flags of the Barisan were put up in several strategic spots in
Penang, particularly in areas where election workshops were being
conducted.

In Tasik Glugor, PAS and Umno appeared to lock horns by competing to put up
flags at the highest points of the trees in the area.

Going by the probabilities, it is possible that Parliament would be dissolved
as early as March 7 before its scheduled session the following day.

It would serve little purpose for the honourable members if Parliament is
dissolved midway.

In the 1999 elections, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dissolved Parliament midway in
the session – the first time in the country's history – but that was because he
had to table the Budget.

This time, there is no such predicament for Abdullah. Most MPs would rather
spend their time campaigning instead of attending the daily meetings for a
month.

Most Barisan MPs will not relish the idea of allowing their opposition
counterparts to use the Dewan Rakyat to score political points in the run up to
the elections.

The Government also does not want the opposition to bring up potentially
embarrassing issues, which would put the former on the defensive.

If Parliament is dissolved by March 7, the Elections Commission will probably
fix nominations within two weeks and polls are likely to be held by the end of
March or early April. The campaigning period would probably be less than 10
days this time.

Over the next one week, most Barisan parties would have drawn up their list of
potential candidates. The distribution of the 25 new parliamentary seats would
need to be quickly finalised in the coming weeks to enable the component
parties to gear up in these new areas.

According to informed sources, even that should not be a problem as the
majority of the new seats would go to Umno, which has a strong campaign
machinery.

The time is right – Abdullah, who has just completed his 100 days in office, is
probably the most popular Malaysian leader now.

With Abdullah likely to announce his decision to call off his trip to Caracas
this week, it should be all systems go from now for the elections.

He also ordered the state liaison committees to activate
their election machinery to involve members at every level.

But Abdullah has said he will visit Teheran from Feb 18 for a conference on aid
for developing countries. Then there is the Group of 15 summit in Caracas,
Venezuela, from Feb 25 to 29.

He has gone on record to say that he would attend both meetings but also said
trips could be postponed for all kinds of reasons. He is also scheduled to
visit Sabah on March 2.

The consensus among Barisan and opposition leaders is that the polls are near –
and they predicted Parliament could be dissolved by early or mid-March.

Most Members of Parliament have questioned the necessity for Dewan Rakyat to
meet from March 8 to April 12, saying their minds would not be on the debates.
They would rather spend time campaigning in their respective
constituencies.

The government bench also does not want to trade verbal blows with the
opposition for an entire month at the Dewan, particularly when the latter would
seize every opportunity to raise all kinds of controversial issues, including
potentially embarrassing ones.

More significantly, the five-year term of the Sabah Government will end after
April 12. If state elections are not called by then, the assembly will
automatically dissolve and elections have to be called within the next 60
days.

Barisan leaders are in favour of holding the Sabah elections simultaneously
with the rest of the country, saying it would be a costly affair to have
separate polls.

In the 1999 general election, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad called for elections when
the Dewan Rakyat was in session – the first time in the country's
history.

Various dates have been thrown up in the guessing game, with most believing
that polling will be held either at the end of March or early April. The
general consensus that Barisan will capitalise on the "feel good" sentiment
prevailing among voters.

Not wanting to be caught off-guard, the opposition is also in full swing, with
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang announcing the party's manifesto in
Kedah last week.

PAS and Parti Keadilan Nasional, which have made Kedah their frontline state,
have announced their allocation of state and parliamentary seats in the state.
Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua and supreme council member Irene Fernandez
are both contesting in Kedah.

Malacca-born Tian Chua contested against MCA vice-president Datuk Dr Fong Chan
Onn in Selandar in the 1999 polls. The Human Resources Minister won with a
thumping 10,447-vote majority.

This time, it is speculated that he will contest against MCA central committee
member Datuk Chor Chee Heung, who is the Deputy Home Minister, in Alor Star.
Chor won with a 14,589-vote majority against DAP's George John then.

Fernandez, a social activist who campaigns for the rights of migrant workers,
is making her debut in this general election. Talk is that she will try her
luck in Padang Serai, held by Christina Lim Bee Kau who won with a 9,372-vote
majority against Keadilan's Saifuddin Nasution.

While it is clear that DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang and his deputy Karpal Singh
will be contesting, no one is sure which constituency Lim will pick. Karpal
Singh is likely to remain in Penang.

In 1999, Lim lost to Gerakan secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye by 104 votes in
Bukit Bendera while Karpal lost to Gerakan's Lee Kah Choon by 775 votes.

At state level, Lim lost to Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan at Kebun Bunga (3,708-vote
majority) and in Datuk Kramat, lawyer Lim Boo Chang of MCA defeated Karpal
Singh by 3,148 votes. His son, Jagdeep Singh, lost to Datuk Koay Kah Huah at
the Bukit Glugor state seat by 4,017 votes.

The spotlight this time will also be on Kelantan and Terengganu where Barisan
is trying to make an impact. Barisan leaders seem optimistic about Terengganu
but most analysts do not think the coalition will be able to win back Kelantan
where Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat has a strong grip.

Umno campaigners are counting on Abdullah to make the difference in the rural
heartland. With his Islamic credentials and his Mr Clean image, many opposition
activists are worried.

His common touch and his widely publicised crusade against corruption have
endeared him with padi farmers and fishermen, who welcome his decision to make
agriculture a priority in his agenda.

Over the next few weeks, we can be sure that election fever will be felt as
Barisan and the opposition shift into high gear in the run-up to the 2004
general election.

The Federal Constitution also clearly stipulates the
right of the Chinese community to practise their traditions. Moreover, the
school authorities, under the jurisdiction of the Education Ministry, had given
the nod for the gathering to be held at SK Sultan Sulaiman I.

Hadi, the hardliner of the Islamist party, had given three reasons for refusing
to approve the gathering – the open house would be held during prayer time, the
venue was not appropriate for entertainment purposes, and that women performers
would be involved.

Malaysians can understand and appreciate Hadi's reservations on the timing of
the gathering. However, the organisers had said it would not start until
8.40pm.

In fact, the unwritten rule for many event organisers, even in Kuala Lumpur, is
to begin functions at 8.30pm to allow Muslims to perform their prayers. Such
sensitivity should rightly be observed.

But, as Culture, Tourism and Arts Minister Datuk Paduka Abdul Kadir Fadzir
said, Chinese guests could eat first if they wanted to. I believe the Chinese
guests at the Terengganu gathering were polite enough to wait for their Muslim
friends.

What I cannot fathom is Hadi's fuss over the gathering's entertainment
programme. Husband-and-wife team Yusry and Erra Fazira are highly regarded for
their wholesome family act. Female singer Bienda, for example, is probably
among the few Malay artistes who wear the tudung.

Surely he has no quarrel with the Alleycats, probably the only non-Malay band
singing Malay songs and comprising singers who are now in their 50s.

Taking into account the conservative setting of the east coast state, the
organisers had included nasyid groups and a Chinese orchestra.

Hadi had said the ministry's application to the Kuala Terengganu Municipal Council
did not comply with the provisions of the Entertainment and Places of
Entertainment Enactment 2002.

Although he did not specify which provision, it is learnt that the enactment,
which was passed by the PAS state government, forbids women artistes from
performing in public places – even for cultural dances.

Last year, organisers of a Deepavali gathering landed in hot soup when they
included a traditional Indian dance by male and female performers. Then, the
Kuala Terengganu MCA earned the wrath of Hadi when they wanted to hold a social
dance for senior citizens.

The latest objection by PAS is another reflection of how intolerant its leaders
can be towards the political, cultural and religious rights of minorities
despite professing to protect them if the party were to form the next federal
government.

In fact, PAS leaders, including its spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat,
even defended the Taliban when they blew up the largest free-standing statue of
Buddha in Afghanistan.

In the name of religion, PAS leaders would remove every layer of democratic
process in Malaysia by labelling its opponents as "infidels and Jews" while
non-Muslims who speak up would be told they lack the credentials to speak about
the party because they have no knowledge of Islam.

This tactic has long been used by PAS to intimidate its opponents and those
without the courage and stamina to fight its leaders from shoving down the
throats of moderate Malaysians their own interpretations of Islam.

Equally disturbing is the continuing silence of non-Muslim leaders in Parti
Keadilan Nasional, which is bent on helping PAS wrest power. Never mind if they
only get the crumbs by becoming a junior partner in the ruling coalition.

Where are the outspoken non-Muslim Keadilan leaders who dare to challenge the
Federal Reserve Unit police at demonstrations but remain timid when PAS leaders
trample on the rights of moderate Malaysians?

But the disease is no laughing matter. We have banned the
import of chicken from Thailand and we must ensure that our soldiers do not let
their guard down in preventing any attempt to smuggle chickens across the
border.

The Thai government has come under fire from the public for an alleged cover-up
but the authorities have maintained that it was actually a "screw-up" and there
was no attempt to conceal the disease.

Thai government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair blamed government agencies for
"misinterpretation of procedures" and "inadequate information relayed", saying
there was a distinction between a cover-up and inefficiency.

But the damage has been done with two lives lost. The Thai government did a lousy
job by taking things lightly.

Accountability, transparency and the availability of information must always be
upheld in dealing with matters involving the public, particularly their health.
Thailand, it seems, has not learnt from the SARS outbreak.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra revealed that the famous Chatuchak
weekend market tested positive for the virus and poultry culling would
continue.

With thousands of stalls selling products from local handicraft to pets, the
market is regarded as a compulsory stop for tourists. By naming the market as
one of the two places in Bangkok hit by the bird flu, tourism will certainly be
affected.

The irony is that earlier this year, Thailand declared 2004 as the Year of Food
Safety. For the sake of its credibility, Thailand must now seriously handle the
whole issue.

Singapore, which imports 120,000 live chickens from Malaysia daily, has
strengthened its checks on our 50 to 60 trucks at the Tuas checkpoint. The
precautions include checking for infection – chickens with purple necks, combs
and legs or swollen heads and legs.

Documents detailing each chicken's journey from farm to market are verified as
a form of contact tracing. If a bird is found with the virus, the entire
consignment can be traced and culled immediately.

Learning from the SARS experience, Singapore has gone one step further – it has
designated Tan Tock Seng Hospital as the place for all patients suspected of
having contracted bird flu.

The Singapore government has emphasised that unlike SARS, the bird virus is not
transmitted between humans. Still, bird flu victims will be treated the same
way as SARS patients. It means they will be isolated.

Experts around the world have been fighting against time to find out how the
disease has spread and one possibility is migratory birds. World Health
Organisation officials said such birds played a key role in passing the virus
by producing infected droppings that dry up, turn to dust and are inhaled by
other birds.

Other possible factors include the smuggling of infected livestock,
contaminated feed, clothing and equipment, as well as over-crowded chicken
coops. A common factor among the 10 countries hit by the virus was the natural
route taken by millions of migratory birds that could have passed the virus to
domesticated birds.

Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng has advised the people to take
precautionary measures if Malaysia is to remain free of the virus. He stressed
the authorities were monitoring all cases of influenza-like illness but there had
been no abnormal increase in such cases.

He said all poultry-based food, including eggs, should be thoroughly cooked
because heat would kill the virus. In other words, roasted chicken is fine but
avoid half-boiled eggs for the time being.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Datuk Seri Shariff Omar has directed chicken
farmers to check the presence of migratory birds, including egrets and terns,
which might be attracted by the food in poultry farms.

Our authorities can take other stringent measures, such as reducing the number
of crows in places like Klang, Johor Baru and George Town, which have many
eatery outlets. More checks should be conducted on restaurants that keep
livestock such as birds.

Besides being illegal zoos, they pose a health hazard to customers. The
authorities should not wait for handwritten reports before taking action
against these restaurant operators.

We also need to keep a close watch on migratory birds found in padi fields and
other areas to make sure they do not carry the virus.

But our health and civil defence agencies should consider holding a field
exercise to simulate an actual disease outbreak to test our preparedness in
such situations.

By taking these steps, we would not just be fine-tuning ourselves to face any
disease outbreak but prove that we have a credible, responsible, transparent
and competent government.

But the disease is no laughing matter. We have banned the
import of chicken from Thailand and we must ensure that our soldiers do not let
their guard down in preventing any attempt to smuggle chickens across the
border.

The Thai government has come under fire from the public for an alleged cover-up
but the authorities have maintained that it was actually a "screw-up" and there
was no attempt to conceal the disease.

Thai government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair blamed government agencies for
"misinterpretation of procedures" and "inadequate information relayed", saying
there was a distinction between a cover-up and inefficiency.

But the damage has been done with two lives lost. The Thai government did a lousy
job by taking things lightly.

Accountability, transparency and the availability of information must always be
upheld in dealing with matters involving the public, particularly their health.
Thailand, it seems, has not learnt from the SARS outbreak.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra revealed that the famous Chatuchak
weekend market tested positive for the virus and poultry culling would
continue.

With thousands of stalls selling products from local handicraft to pets, the
market is regarded as a compulsory stop for tourists. By naming the market as
one of the two places in Bangkok hit by the bird flu, tourism will certainly be
affected.

The irony is that earlier this year, Thailand declared 2004 as the Year of Food
Safety. For the sake of its credibility, Thailand must now seriously handle the
whole issue.

Singapore, which imports 120,000 live chickens from Malaysia daily, has
strengthened its checks on our 50 to 60 trucks at the Tuas checkpoint. The
precautions include checking for infection – chickens with purple necks, combs
and legs or swollen heads and legs.

Documents detailing each chicken's journey from farm to market are verified as
a form of contact tracing. If a bird is found with the virus, the entire
consignment can be traced and culled immediately.

Learning from the SARS experience, Singapore has gone one step further – it has
designated Tan Tock Seng Hospital as the place for all patients suspected of
having contracted bird flu.

The Singapore government has emphasised that unlike SARS, the bird virus is not
transmitted between humans. Still, bird flu victims will be treated the same
way as SARS patients. It means they will be isolated.

Experts around the world have been fighting against time to find out how the
disease has spread and one possibility is migratory birds. World Health
Organisation officials said such birds played a key role in passing the virus
by producing infected droppings that dry up, turn to dust and are inhaled by
other birds.

Other possible factors include the smuggling of infected livestock,
contaminated feed, clothing and equipment, as well as over-crowded chicken
coops. A common factor among the 10 countries hit by the virus was the natural
route taken by millions of migratory birds that could have passed the virus to
domesticated birds.

Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng has advised the people to take
precautionary measures if Malaysia is to remain free of the virus. He stressed
the authorities were monitoring all cases of influenza-like illness but there had
been no abnormal increase in such cases.

He said all poultry-based food, including eggs, should be thoroughly cooked
because heat would kill the virus. In other words, roasted chicken is fine but
avoid half-boiled eggs for the time being.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Datuk Seri Shariff Omar has directed chicken
farmers to check the presence of migratory birds, including egrets and terns,
which might be attracted by the food in poultry farms.

Our authorities can take other stringent measures, such as reducing the number
of crows in places like Klang, Johor Baru and George Town, which have many
eatery outlets. More checks should be conducted on restaurants that keep
livestock such as birds.

Besides being illegal zoos, they pose a health hazard to customers. The
authorities should not wait for handwritten reports before taking action
against these restaurant operators.

We also need to keep a close watch on migratory birds found in padi fields and
other areas to make sure they do not carry the virus.

But our health and civil defence agencies should consider holding a field
exercise to simulate an actual disease outbreak to test our preparedness in
such situations.

By taking these steps, we would not just be fine-tuning ourselves to face any
disease outbreak but prove that we have a credible, responsible, transparent
and competent government.

Think hard. Nurulhuda was just a Year Four pupil who was
cycling to a grocery shop before she was raped, sodomised and left in a toilet
of a guardhouse near the village where she lived.

Another victim, nine-year-old schoolgirl Haserawati Saridi, too, was raped and
murdered while she was walking to school in Kampung Rantau near Menggatal in
Sabah on Jan 8.

In Terengganu, an eight-year-old girl was raped by a man in some bushes while
she was on her way to buy groceries in Besut on Jan 13. A villager found the
victim crying by the roadside.

All three victims certainly did not wear revealing or seductive clothing that
provoked rape. Certainly, they were not flirtatious or had behaviour with men
that could be regarded as open invitations for sex.

They were just innocent kids. All these recent cases took place in the rural
heartland. These three horrible crimes took place in villages where the moral
fibre is still regarded as strong.

If we listen to our self-appointed guardians of morality, they would simply
point their fingers at women as the contributing factor for increasing rapes,
besides moral decadence and Western influences.

The excesses in our cities, as some of our simplistic and ignorant politicians
would like us to believe, is the cause of the increasing sex crimes. So, we hear
calls to ban concerts by provocatively dressed singers and proposals to impose
dress codes.

Such arguments, however, do nothing to prevent rapes but only serve to further
victimise rape victims. Women, in some cases, have been held responsible for
the sexual behaviour of these rapists.

It's a case of the padan muka (they asked for it) attitude and so, the weirdos
who get sexually aroused by looking at a woman's armpit or her hairdo, are
spared the blame.

There is also this myth that women only get raped after they readily accept
drinks or rides from total strangers at nightspots or shopping complexes. I am
not saying that rapes don't happen after such careless liaisons but research
has shown that even in our neighbourhoods, no one is spared.

For that matter, the villages have continued to be in the news for sex crimes.
In 2002, Felda settlers found themselves in the news for rape and incest rather
than their agricultural abilities.

Settler Shari Mohd Shariff, 41, was sentenced to 12 years' jail and 12 strokes
of the rotan after he pleaded guilty to two counts of raping his 12-year-old
daughter at their Felda Serting Tiga, Air Hitam, home.

We will never be able to ascertain the causes of sex crimes in rural areas
where the religious foundation is said to be strong.

In 2001, police reported that crime rates shot up in Terengganu, which saw a
30.8% rise, and in Kelantan, which had a 12.3% jump, despite the imposition of
moral rules and hudud laws by the leaders of the two states.

Between 2000 and 2003, Selangor registered the highest number of reported rape
cases at 216, followed by states with strong rural bases such as Johor (194),
Kedah (110), Sabah (109), Perak (91) and Sarawak (81). Kuala Lumpur, for all
its so-called avenues of vice, had 67 cases against Kelantan's 52 and
Terengganu's 48.

The cynics among some of us would say that the sometimes-repressive environment
in rural areas might have worsened things. Pent-up frustrations, one might
say.

Interestingly, research by the Consumers Association of Penang between 1985 and
1988 showed that for pre-puberty girls, their attackers included their
neighbours and schoolmates. Certainly not total strangers.

But the most important point is that these pre-puberty victims were too young
to be in any position to secure the attention of their male attackers. They
were just minding their own business when they were accosted.

The two youngest victims in the study, published as a book titled Rape in
Malaysia, were five-year-olds. The most brutal case was in 1987 and the victim
was nine-year-old Ang May Hong, who was raped and murdered on her way to buy
breakfast one morning. Her father found her body three hours later in an empty
house not far from her Jalan Ipoh house in Kuala Lumpur.

In the same year, seven-year-old Chong Ser Ling was sleeping beside her mother
one night when she was abducted and raped in an adjoining house. She died on
her way to hospital – the rapist was a childhood friend of Ser Ling's
father.

All the laws and penalties in Malaysia would not make any difference if
Malaysian men, including some of our politicians, regard women as mere sexual
objects or playthings for men.

We must emphasise the point that there seems to be a perception that only
"certain" women are likely to be raped. The fact is that pre-puberty girls and
even grandmothers have been raped in Malaysia.

Our lawmakers can also look at countries such as Australia, Canada, Britain and
New Zealand which have revised their rape laws and the handling of such
cases.

Then, there is the aspect of making it easier for rape victims, who are in
emotional and psychological shock, to lodge reports against their attackers at
police stations or hospitals.

But all the promises and pledges of our leaders should not end even if the
media no longer put rape news on the front pages. Just remember – such sexual
assaults can happen to our daughters, sisters or mothers when they are out on
the streets today.

Although the two-time Grammy Awards winner can still
perform to a sell-out crowd, she has to do more in the face of heavy
competition from newcomers such as Beyonce, Christina Aguilera and Britney
Spears.

Regarded as the best-selling female performer of all time, Carey has shed more
of her skimpy clothes in her videos and continued to retain most of her male
admirers, including those PAS members who must have been secretly watching the
clips.

If it's all about sexy singers, the majority of us would rather watch Kylie
Minogue or Shakira, Being sexy, however, does not mean being erotic, lewd and
obscene. Anggun, Ning Baizura and Ella are considered to be sexy by many,
regardless of whether they are men or women, but they are properly
dressed.

We like Carey simply because she is a good vocalist. She also composes her
songs, and with 15 hit singles under her belt, she certainly has talent. She is
proud of her physical assets and flaunts them much more than she ought to, but
we believe she is sensible enough to abide by the conditions spelt out to her
by the Malaysian authorities for her Feb 22 concert here.

After all, she is scheduled to perform in Jakarta on Feb 15, Beirut on Feb 24
and Dubai on Feb 26 – all three cities with predominantly Muslim populations –
as part of her world tour.

It is understood that Singapore, well aware of the tourism gains from such a concert,
tried very hard to get her to sing there but she picked Kuala Lumpur over the
island republic.

Last week, Federal Territory PAS Youth deputy chief Ahmad Sabki Yusof protested
against the concert, saying it was untimely and that Carey was known for her
sexy and provocative dressing. PAS could not accept her "immoral performance",
he said. Criticising the Government for allowing such an "obscene act", he said
her concert was not suitable for the people.

PAS was also unhappy that the Government allowed Linkin Park to perform here
recently.

Malaysians should be familiar with the stance adopted by PAS. In the name of
religion, they have played moral guardians again. Not only have they protested
against anything Western, they have banned mak yong and wayang kulit, very much
part of the Malay culture, supposedly because of Hindu influences.

Years ago, students aligned to PAS staged a protest at Universiti Malaya
against a concert by jazz queen Sheila Majid and also at Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia for holding an Alleycats concert. The argument then was that campuses
should not be venues for pop concerts. If so, what about PAS politicians
preaching at these campuses?

In Terengganu, the PAS government has banned Indian dances for Deepavali
celebrations on the grounds that they involved female and male dancers. A
social dance for senior elders, organised by the state MCA, also ran into
trouble.

PAS leaders, in their eagerness to embrace the Arab culture, have unfortunately
gone overboard in the name of religion. To put down their opponents, the PAS
leaders brand them as Jews and anti-Islam.

They have used such arguments for far too long, and moderate Malaysians should
not allow them to intimidate us with such baseless allegations. Non-Muslims
should not let these mullahs dictate what we should see and what we should
wear.

The Terengganu government tried to impose a dress code on non-Muslims but has
since backtracked, because we will not allow ourselves to be subjected to the
theocratic rule of PAS.

Not all Arab women in their home countries wear the veil, as PAS politicians
would want us to believe. Just tune in to the Arab Radio Television (ART)
channel in Astro and you will see what I mean. The broadcasters in ART and
Al-Jazeera are mostly blondes, stylish and contemporary. ART is a 24-hour
general entertainment channel broadcasting from Egypt to the Middle East and
some parts of Australia.

We cannot allow politicians in the guise of theologians, irrespective of their
religion, to run Malaysia. We have a Federal Constitution with secular laws,
which forms the foundation of this country – and it should remain that way. Any
effort, big or small, to chip away this foundation must be stopped.

Moderate Malaysians should ignore the protest by PAS against the Mariah Carey
concert. PAS is living in the past and is simply passe.

He also did not want someone with political ambitions,
with an eye for popularity, who would probably build up his own war chest.
Anyone with these ideas in mind would probably expose himself to all kinds of
allegations and suspicions.

In short, Abdullah – who has built an image as Mr Clean and has made the war
against corruption the cornerstone of his policies – does not want a politician
at the Finance Ministry who will be responsible for approving contracts and
projects to businessmen.

Since assuming office as Prime Minister, Abdullah has repeatedly stressed the
importance of prudent fiscal policies and the management of public spending by
putting off non-priority projects. He has emphasised the rule of law,
transparency and corporate governance.

By promoting economic adviser Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop to Second Finance
Minister, Abdullah will be assured of a person who can devote his time and
attention to the economy.

The former Bank Negara adviser is best known for his role in helping Malaysia
get rid of the scourge of currency speculators during the Asian financial year
crisis of 1997-98 by imposing selective capital controls and pegging the
ringgit.

He was instrumental in laying the groundwork for Islamic banking in Malaysia, a
model being emulated by a number of Islamic countries, and also responsible for
setting up Valuecap Sdn Bhd, an investment agency whose aim is to buy shares of
undervalued companies with good growth potential in the Kuala Lumpur Stock
Exchange.

Nor Mohamed's appointment has been well received by the business community,
which has been complaining about the need for more transparency in the Finance
Ministry for the past one year.

Regarded by businessmen as market-savvy and clean, they hope to see Nor Mohamed
bring positive changes. Since last week, the KLSE has received favourably the
appointment of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as Deputy Prime Minister and the
other Cabinet changes.

At private meetings with senior political leaders, key corporate leaders have
called for more check and balance in the ministry, which handles the purse
strings of the country. Without doubt, the Prime Minister has taken these
sentiments seriously.

Nor Mohamad, who studied at St Xavier's Institution and Universiti Malaya, was
sworn in as senator on Thursday but he would not have to contest the next
general election, speculated to be in March or April.

Much is expected of Nor Mohamed. Malaysians hope he will carry out personnel
changes in the Finance Ministry to boost efficiency and even credibility.

As a vital ministry in the government, it needs people of high integrity. Those
whose image has been tarnished should have no place in the ministry. They
should be transferred out, retired or have their contracts terminated.

In short, Nor Mohamed needs to carry out a clean-up job in the ministry.
Malaysians have great confidence in Nor Mohamed, who has an impeccable
reputation as a trouble-shooter, and with him as Second Finance Minister we
believe he will carry out Abdullah's policy of transparency and corporate
governance.

Malaysians also hope the Second Finance Minister will review the manner in
which contracts have been given through negotiations instead of open
tender.

Nor Mohamed will be able to provide sound advice to Abdullah on the need to
re-look at how we have committed ourselves to expensive projects, well above
the amount budgeted under the Eighth Malaysia Plan. Surely, something isn't
right somewhere.

With his solid track record, we can expect positive changes at the Treasury
over the coming weeks.

We are not talking about isolated cases involving rape or
murder in basement car parks, apartments or dark places but petty crimes –
which seem to have increased in recent years – within our midst.

Worse, when police reports are made, the victims are sometimes told that very
little can be done because the chances are slim in arresting the culprit and
recovering the stolen item. These are not very encouraging words from the
police.

There are plenty of reasons why the image of our police force has taken a
knock. In all fairness, our police officers have performed well in solving
serious crimes and have done splendidly in keeping Malaysia peaceful.

But they score few points when it comes to combating crime, which affects most
people.

While the number of cases last year dropped to 149,042 from 156,469 in 2001,
most Malaysians still do not feel they are living in a safer environment or
that our police are doing a good job.

The public perception is that there are many corrupt policemen in the force.
When they see a motorist being stopped by policemen by the roadside, the first
thing that enters the mind of Malaysians is the mata-mata will likely ask for
money to settle a traffic offence, even though they are checking the identity
of the motorist for anti-crime purposes.

That's how bad the image of the police force is. The rakyat, sad to say, also
think that our policemen are indifferent to public needs.

Complaints to the Prime Minister's Office have also come from investors,
particularly the large Taiwanese community here, who are upset by the declining
quality of law and order in Malaysia.

That, of course, makes it difficult to sell Malaysia as a safe place for
investment. If we want foreigners to study in Malaysia, parents must be
convinced that it is safe for their children to stay here.

Rather than moan and groan about the sad state of affairs, Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has taken the right step in ordering the setting up
of a Royal Commission of Inquiry.

He has heard plentiful stories about the force and as Home Minister – the
police are under his command – he must look into overhauling it. First, he
needs to know what has gone wrong.

The setting up of the commission reflects the Government's full commitment
toward rehabilitating the image of the force and restoring public confidence in
it.

The review, Abdullah said, would involve police procedures to meet present
needs and fulfil public expectations.

Graft among police personnel could affect the integrity of the whole force and
thus all complaints of bribery involving its members must be investigated
speedily, thoroughly and fairly.

The new Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Omar, I am given to
understand, is known for his serious commitment to discipline and fighting
graft. He will certainly be of great help to Abdullah in giving the police
force a new image.

Bakri has responded speedily to the need to beef up the force by asking for
6,000 CID officers and has drawn up a crime-prevention plan.

But it must be emphasised that the commission is not on a fault-finding mission
but a fact-finding one. We must know what has gone wrong, in a fair and
objective manner, for us to rectify the mistakes.

For example, we must look into the welfare of our policemen. Their salaries,
among the lowest in the region, need to be looked into.

If the salaries are attractive, we will get good, qualified and educated people
entering the force. It will go a long way in fighting corruption and instilling
professionalism.

The force must also seriously consider expanding the size of its volunteer unit.
Unlike Singapore where policing is part of its national service, Malaysia
relies entirely on full-timers.

A bigger volunteer corps can help increase the number of beat patrols. Our
policemen alone cannot walk all the neighbourhoods.

The presence of policemen in uniform is always a deterrent in fighting crime.
Now we find many empty police pondok probably because of manpower shortage.

Using volunteers will also attract more Chinese and Indians to join the force,
as many have done through Rela and other civil defence corps.

More police cadet units should be set up in schools to instil the love for the
police force and keeping Malaysia safe. This is one area where the Malaysian
Crime Prevention Society, the police and the Education Ministry could help out.

Over the next two months, we can expect the political
tempo to pick up.

If the general election is to be held by March or April,
then the various political parties must begin their campaigning by next month.
Abdullah, as Barisan Nasional chairman, has already visited most states since
taking over.

It can be considered the first round of the nationwide
tour that he must make before the polls. Besides gauging the mood on the ground
first-hand and meeting Barisan state leaders, especially those from Umno, he
would also have the opportunity to speak directly to the voters.

That aside, the five-year term for the Barisan government
in Sabah ends in March and elections must be held within
60 days.

It is most likely that the Sabah
elections would be held simultaneously with the general election. Up for grabs
will be 60 state and 25 parliamentary seats.

Over the past months, Abdullah has met state leaders to
hear their assessment reports at the Umno management meeting.

Most of them painted rosy pictures of the ground
sentiments to show that they are doing their job but Abdullah has shocked these
politicians with reports from alternative sources.

At times, the mood is very much different from what they
want Abdullah to hear.

There will be more of such meetings over the coming
months as Umno leaders chart strategies to win over constituencies, that are
still deemed to be difficult, before going to the polls.

But Abdullah cannot wait too long. His popularity is at
an all-time high at this point. His numerous populist approaches have endeared
him to the people and he must seize the opportunity to call for elections and
earn his mandate soon.

As an experienced politician, Abdullah surely knows all
this. It is a matter of choosing the right date for the polls. By Jan 31, he
would have completed his first 100 days in office.

The electorate's mood so far is certainly advantageous to
Barisan. There are no strong issues that can generate enough emotion to build
up anti-establishment sentiment.

The component parties of Barisan, which will definitely
ride on the popularity of Abdullah, have remained solidly united. The MCA,
which is the coalition's second largest party, has put its problems behind and
has found a new purpose under its younger leaders.

They have put the house in order and the direction is
clearer. They have also brought freshness to the party and have earned the
respect of the community.

While talk of an MCA-Gerakan merger seems like a mirage,
it is another step towards co-operation between the two Chinese-based parties
whose relationship has been rocky at times because of their rivalry.

In 1985, talk of a merger never got further than the
formation of an MCA-Gerakan joint council. But circumstances have changed, with
a new set of leaders from both sides – and try they must, for the larger
interest of the shrinking community.

Except for Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak, which is caught in
a leadership tussle, the rest of the parties are ready for elections. It will
not be difficult for Abdullah to get the two factions to sit down to settle
their differences.

The leadership has so far stayed out of the fight but the
time has come for Abdullah to intervene and put an end to what is nothing more
than a power struggle, in the name of the Iban community.

The only real contest for Barisan is from PAS. This
coming election is surely one where the voters have made up their minds. There
is hardly any point in PAS trying to win non-Muslim votes.

In 1999, the DAP paid a terrible price for partnering
with PAS. Its top leaders all suffered disastrous defeats, especially in Penang,
for that decision.

Until now, the Chinese community still cannot forgive the
DAP. Its leaders are trying hard to recover lost ground by criticising their
former ally but their polls pact is still fresh in people's minds.

The resignations of Terengganu DAP leaders, in order to
keep their government positions in Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's state
government, is certainly not evidence of the Chinese supporting the Islamic
state policy, as PAS leaders are claiming.

In the 1999 polls, independent candidate Ng Chai Heng
managed only 187 votes in a three-way fight for the Bandar state seat. Barisan
candidate Wong Foon Meng, from the MCA, got 6,245 votes while Mohd Azmi Lop
Yusuf of PAS polled 6,756 votes. The majority was 511 votes with 211 spoilt
votes.

For some reason, Ng found his way back to the DAP after
the polls and even got himself appointed as state DAP secretary. Hadi also
picked him as his assistant for non-Muslim affairs. Despite his miserable
performance, PAS has portrayed him as the community's voice.

Worse, the DAP leadership allowed him to keep his post,
even after the party had severed ties with PAS for two years.

But many have pointed out the actual reason for the
readiness of these PAS appointees to dump the DAP. The state constitution,
following amendments by PAS, provides for the nomination of assemblymen from
minority and women's groups.

Ng and his supporters obviously see the carrots dangling
in front of them by PAS.

As for Parti Keadilan Nasional, no one is quite sure what
the party represents besides seeking the early release of Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim. It continues to be vague on many national issues; worse, it is often
reluctant to offend PAS even on issues that clearly infringes on the rights of
non-Muslims and women.

By next week, Malaysians can be assured that the momentum
for election campaigning would pick up once the year-end celebrations come to
an end – and that 2004 will be another exciting year.