Millions of Malaysian voters who have recently responded in good faith to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's grand promises of reforms must have watched aghast at the raw exhibition of racism and corruption at the recently concluded Umno annual general assembly.

Instead of seeing the biggest congregation of Umno leaders responding sensibly to Pak Lah's clarion calls for the government to stamp out corruption and for Malays to stand up on their feet without crutches, what we witnessed was the exact anti-thesis of Pak Lah's noble ideals.

In party election results that stunned even the delegates themselves at the assembly, tainted leaders who were incompatible with Pak Lah's reform agenda, and who had obviously been sidelined or discarded, were returned in droves with high votes to displace Pak Lah's own favourites, up to the highest party position available for contest.

What is even more alarming is that, in this election process, the practice of money politics has reached such dizzying heights that Umno has achieved instant world fame as the political party with the most illustrious term of 'money politics'. (This fact can be verified by Google-ing the term under the search engine's 'News' section.)

Equally disturbing is the fact that senior party leaders, one after another, indulged in unprovoked racist outbursts that antagonised the non-Malays and rattled moderate Malays. These outbursts were met, unfortunately, with rousing applause.

There is no doubt that Pak Lah's leadership within Umno, as well as his reform agenda, has been dealt with a significant setback.

Among one of the examples of racist blasts at the Umno AGM was the minister of education, who is also the Umno Youth leader, strongly calling for the re-invigoration of the New Economic Policy (NEP), inexplicably saying: '... unless there is a guarantee of a level-playing field, the Malays will never be able to compete fairly'.

A strange utterance indeed from a senior Malay government leader. How is it possible that the Umno Youth leader could complain that life is not fair to him, that he is competing on an non-level-playing field?

If the youth leader and senior minister is not happy with Malay achievements, who is to be blamed? Is he angry with non-Malays, who presumably have deprived him of just opportunities? If so, how have the non-Malays caused his miseries? If not, who is he blaming?

The youth leader suggested that the way forward is to strengthen the NEP. Considering the current globalised environment, which policy will make the Malays stronger and better equipped to meet present and future challenges: stepping up theur privileges or phasing them out?

How could Umno begin to help the Malays to cope in the globalising world when it could not even recognise and admit the fundamental cause of its failure, which is the abuse of its political hegemony to indulge in rampant corruption?

Judging from the behaviour of the 2,500 leaders gathered at the assembly, it does not appear the congregation has taken heed of Pak Lah reform message: reject corrupt practice, work hard, don't blame others, remove the crutches, stand on your feet, compete in the global arena with dignity, and the government will do everything possible to assist you.

As if to reject Pak Lah's such appeal in vengeance, the assembly returned a leadership that stands opposite to Pak Lah's values, under an election process that so stank of money corruption that a veteran party leader disgustingly described it as the worst in his 34 years' experience as a national leader in Umno.

Save for the financial windfalls that lined the pockets of some delegates, and stripped of the racial emotions generated, what has the Umno assembly achieved that will bring concrete advancement to the Malay masses?

Or is it the reverse has the assembly taken a giant retrogressive step that not only pushes back the Malay Agenda, but also endangers national advancement and cohesiveness?

Compounding the malaise in Umno is the surge of deputy president Najib Razak's influence at a time of hesitant leadership by Pak Lah. Najib is allied with the previous autocrat Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whose decadent rule is precisely what Pak Lah is trying to overcome.

As the newly elected senior leaders (who are politically inclined towards the previous autocrat and apparently disfavoured by Pak Lah) by tradition rose to pledge allegiance to Pak Lah, did they not invariably (and almost ritually) mention Najib in the same breath, as if the two leaders are inseparable twins?

There is no question where their loyalty lies when it comes to the crunch. An organic body cannot have two heads. That a leadership crisis will brew in Umno seems inevitable. By extension, the nation can also expect a rudderless leadership in the days ahead.

It is in such time of anguish, when the nation is crying out for competent leadership, that our mind is turned to the one who was resoundingly condemned at the same assembly as a traitor to Umno Anwar Ibrahim.

That Anwar is recognised by the world as the most outstanding Malaysian politician is without question. It is not without reason that Anwar is given such accolades. His reasoned approach on national and regional issues on politics and religion has met with such recognition that he has been invited by leaders and institutions around the world to give his contributions beyond the shores of his country.

From a Malaysian's point of view, his steely adherence to principles, and his uncompromising reform agenda to stamp out corruption and racism and to reinstate democracy and rule of law make him the ideal candidate to bring this nation out of the current mess.

With his undiminished charismatic pull on the Malay masses, he can be expected to gain solid ground in his political pursuit.

From Pak Lah's point of view, it might not be such a bad idea to let Anwar make his contribution to national politics, as his benevolent influence as a constructive rival to Umno may be used as leverage to force the present decadent hierarchy to undergo some form of self-cleansing.

The greatest challenge to Pak Lah perhaps is this: can he exert enough authority to prevent a repeat of Anwar's history?