THERE’S something that definitely must be said about Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the prime minister, who is facing (it seems) mounting troubles within Umno, his own party and the backbone of the ruling national coalition, but a situation (it also seems) that is getting to the stage likely to lead to an open revolt to his leadership. Not yet, anyway, and probably never will, if he continues to maintain the same composure and plays his hands right against his challengers and their hordes of supporters both within and outside Parliament.

It just goes to show it is not easy to be the leader of a nation when there are more bad news than good news.

Apart from his strongest critic within the party (then and now) engaging in very straight talk (which reminds one of US Senator John McCain) telling him, in effect, to stand down or stand aside, the PM is nonchalantly oblivious to such calls. Politicians clamouring for him to step down no longer beat about the bush or even bother to use refined language or expect him to read between the lines.

Why?

Maybe they still remember the post-election CNBC interview when the journalist asked Abdullah to comment on the message that the electorate was sending to the BN. ‘What message?’ he replied. Only much later, weeks after the interview, did he realise what it meant and said he understood the message from the voters who turned their back on the BN during the March 8 polls that saw the BN’s defeat in five states and returned with a reduced majority of less than two-thirds.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the former PM and certainly more opposition than the opposition, was rather cruel when he said that Abdullah just couldn’t understand it.

Indeed, there is never a dull moment in Malaysian politics in the post-election era.

There are so many rumours flying, not just about who is going to cross over, and on this subject any plan appears to have been put on hold or was never there in the first place, perhaps the work of political windbags.

I may be speaking too soon, though. Something is bound to give, and it just turn out to be the most unexpected.

Some may tend to forget that the BN, although quite badly bruised in the recent general elections, has a comfortable working majority, although short of the two-thirds it had expected to retain.That is if the BN leaders can hold the herd together in the face of the combined opposition Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s constant talk that they have the numbers to form the federal government.

Politics, as they say, is the art of the possible. And politics also make strange bed-fellows.

You just can never tell what some very angry   still-powerful politicians might do to save their own skins. The alliance of Pakistan’s erstwhile bitter opposition rivals is an example.

It’s not going to do the nation any good to prolong the political instability and uncertainties, as every concerned citizen will readily say.

Whether an end to the uncertainties will come with a change of leadership or even the government remains to be seen.

Malaysian faith in the system of parliamentary democracy where leaders belonging to various political parties are   directly elected by the people and the parties coming together to form a ruling coalition is still strong, inspite of its many shortcomings .

The business community have already expressed growing concerns about prolonging political uncertainties. Unfortunately, there are little signs of that three months after the general elections.

Perhaps the present government elected into office should be allowed to concentrate on running the country, looking after the welfare of the people and carrying with development projects while the opposition stay focused on their role as watchdogs in Parliament and in those states where they are in control to concentrate on running those states well.

A friend who just came back from London where he met some bankers said  there is growing global concern over the likely impact of rising oil prices. Malaysians may not appreciate the possible implications if oil price touches US$200 per barrel and goes up eventually to US$300 or US$400 in the near future.

A family of four with a household income of RM3,000 per  month will barely be able to make it, not to say the majority who earn less.

The other night when I visited a petrol station I saw a couple of people driving pick-up trucks filling plastic containers with diesel. Rumour has it that the government  is not going to increase the direct subsidies and that diesel could cost as much as 50 sen more per litre to prevent abuse and smuggling. Certainly, petrol for motorcycles, cars and outboard engines is going to cost more.

If and when this happens, it will create a chain reaction. Everything will go up in price while one’s taxi-home pay remains more or less the same. Time for Sarawakians to think of taking a second or third job to supplement income as they do elsewhere?

My friend, a shipping company owner, has even told his partners not to think too long term in further investments because of the implications that     are likely to arise from rising oil prices. ‘It may come to the stage that even when you have the money you may not be able to buy oil.’

Yes, a rather pessimistic view, but one of caution, about being better prepared for the future.

Yes, given the situation prevailing it is not easy to be optimistic always.

Maybe the current price of CPO (crude palm oil) which at the time of writing is RM3,800, more or less, per tonne is a good indication.It is rising correspondingly to prices of petroleum products.

Perhaps Malaysians, especially readers of The Borneo Post and thesundaypost, would     like to write in and say   how they feel about the politics, the economy and related matters, especially how this might affect us Malaysians in the months and years ahead. Or are we going to just say, que sera sera?