Most, if not all, believe that there was deal between Anwar Ibrahim and Pak Lah to release the former. I simply don't buy this. While most try to find out whether there was deal or not and the reason it was struck, many fail to reflect on Pak Lah's motive to do so.

The real question we should ask is, was there such a deal, and if there was, why would Pak Lah want one?

If I were Pak Lah, under no circumstances would I release Anwar. This is so because Pak Lah himself is not that clean and has every reason to protect his family's wealth and power. He knows very well that Anwar has never condoned corruption, nepotism, abuse of public funds etc.

To release Anwar would be very risky to his friends' and his family's future. Having released Anwar he certainly cannot expect the latter to shield him as a pay off. This is simply impossible with regard to Anwar's credentials.

If he was independent and brave enough to attack Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Daim Zainuddin at the expense of his own freedom, there is no reason for him to shield Pak Lah for releasing him.

Anwar would simply say, 'Yes, you might have helped me once but principle is still principle. Your corrupt friends must still be brought to book, and your children's companies must still be investigated'.

I believe that Anwar was released due to Pak Lah 's intervention within the judiciary. In other words, there is a strong possibility that Pak Lah directed the judges to decide in Anwar's favour, and to give it more colour, the decision should be made 2-1.

This was done without Anwar knowing about it. I also believe that Pak Lah acted alone without the consent of other Umno leaders. Why did he not tell his Umno friends?

The answer is simple. He knew that they would not have consented to his plan. For the corrupts, the thought of a free Anwar alone would have been enough to give them the shudders. Pak Lah therefore went ahead with his plan to release Anwar as he knew that he would later be credited for saving Umno's image and the wealth of its members.

Anwar's release is just a farce to deceive both the local and world community. Pak Lah knew that as long as Anwar is incarcerated, Umno's, the BN's and ultimately Malaysia's image, would forever be tarnished.

So release him, but do not let him have a clean slate. It is important that the public should still be doubtful about Anwar. The contradictory judgment of the Federal Court is clear proof. It quashed the sodomy conviction but still maintained that it believed Anwar had engaged in homosexual activities.

One also may be tempted to ask whether Pak Lah is worried over the fact that Anwar may one day mount a challenge against him. The answer to this is also simple and this is where reformasi and Anwar's supporters should be careful.

I believe that Anwar would be arrested, tried and subsequently convicted for another offence or be detained under the ISA once again if he is perceived to be a threat to the powers-that-be. If this were to happen, we must all try to prevent it and protect him once again

In essence, Anwar's release by Pak Lah is to kill two birds with one stone. Release him for a short while to enable a clean image for both him and Umno. But at the same time, ensure that the public at large still has some lingering doubts about Anwar.

And if Anwar gets too powerful, than he knows what to expect. Do I have evidence to support this? No, I don't. I believe time will prove me either right or wrong.