While the spreading of rumours cannot be supported and must in fact be condemned, the government which
has denied the existence or possibility of riots has itself not fully explained the unusual presence of Federal
Reserve Unit riot police in the Chow Kit area on the day in question. Perhaps their presence in fact deterred
the occurrence of the riots which would otherwise have occurred, in which case the rumour-spreaders
actually did the authorities a favour (notwithstanding the widespread panic in the capital city which they also
caused in doing so). So far, it is not known whether these rumours were deliberately spread by those
arrested or were spread in a well-meaning but misguided attempt to warn.

UMNO has since its last General Assembly determined and established that corruption, cronyism and
nepotism do not exist in Malaysia, contrary to what most ordinary Malaysian know and feel the effects of
every day. Malaysia is therefore the cleanest country in the whole world in this respect, if Mahathir is to be
believed.

Zahid Hamidi, the UMNO Youth leader and a staunch Anwar ally, who made the allegations of cronyism
and nepotism being practised by the government at the last UMNO General Assembly, was practically
forced to retract the same and admit that there was no such thing (after Mahathir had displayed and
published a list of hundreds of Malay beneficiaries of special public-listed company share issues and
government privatization projects (a list in which Zahid himself appeared).

Mahathir himself made the announcement of this retraction after an UMNO Supreme Council meeting and
both Zahid and Anwar (and their supporters) have since then effectively been silenced. Anwar and his men
were thus seen to have been deftly emasculated by the good doctor. Swifter and more brutal surgery had
never been performed in the Malaysian political arena. The mopping up, though, appears to have been
overdone but then overkill has always been Mahathir's forte. Malaysians cannot plead ignorance, neither can
they say they have not been warned. Expect no quarter from Mahathir and give none to him.

Now that Anwar is out of UMNO, what will he do and is it possible that his supporters will continue to
follow him out as well? Is a new political party in the offing? Or will Anwar join PAS where he should
rightfully belong, allegations of misconduct notwithstanding. What is sure is that he needs a far better strategy
against Mahathir than that which he has employed thus far. Are there any in his "team" who are capable of
working out such strategy?
 
 
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