I refer to your report ' Mahathir: Najib is more qualified that Pak Lah '.

The latest statements by our former premier will certainly raise eyebrows, as his statement is an insult on the integrity and political acumen of the present premier in running this country.

I am sure Najib being the No 2 man in this country is caught between the devil and deep blue sea by Mahathir's remarks.

If he remains quiet, people's perception is that the deputy premier agrees with his former boss' remark. If he pledges allegiance and loyalty with the present premier, he will risk losing the former premier's support to replace Pak Lah as the head of the nation.

Pity Najib, being caught in a Catch 22 situation, which is not his making.

Malaysians will have to draw their own conclusion whether there is merit to Mahathir's statement that the present premier should make way for his deputy in the near future.

However, one can see that the present premier seems to have the support of the majority of Umno members and for his deputy to dislodge his chief is akin to committing suicide. Najib has his fair share of supporters in the party and being the son of a former premier, he is no pushover either. Look like there is a Mexican standoff in this situation.

Voters in this country will face a different dilemma when they cast their votes in the next general election. Most of the incumbent politicians be it in the present regime or the opposition are old hands who are unwilling to give way to new bloods with better vision and ideas to carry our nation to new heights.

Imagine having cabinet ministers in Tun Hussein Onn era still clinging on to office and their old and tired faces will still be there comes the next polls. These dinosaur-politicians should make way for new bloods.

Leaders with tainted past still want to remain in office and the DAP with Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh who have been in Parliament since the 70's should make way for their sons to carry the torch in the coming polls. Their age and health are not conducive to be party leaders in the august house and it is about time the two stalwarts make way for new bloods.

PAS has seen some new bloods taking over the second echelons of the party but for Nik Aziz Nik Mat, the popular but old menteri besar of Kelanatan to say that he wants to run for office in the next polls shows that the party is not confident of retaining the state without having their charismatic leader leading the charge.

Our country is bereft of young and dynamic leaders who are well educated like their Singapore counterparts who groom younger leaders to take over when the time is right.

One tends to wonder why Mahathir is adamant in wanting Pak Lah to be replaced by Najib and wants to be king maker in this country after leaving politics.

Well the die is cast, Umno members will have to decide whether to stay put with the present premier or replace him with Najib, come the next polls.

At the end of the day, the common people are suffering when titans clash among themselves to win power with rising inflations. We also lack credible opposition parties that can replace the present regime. So why bother to vote in the coming polls if our economic situation is becoming from bad to worse in this trying time.