Malaysia is waiting eagerly for the anticipated takeover of the federal government by Pakatan Rakyat. Anwar Ibrahim (DSAI) keeps Malaysians titillated by his regular innuendos of ‘crossovers’ and being on the brink of forming the new government.

Malaysians are generally fed up with the Barisan government which reeks of corruption, misgovernment and racism and we would welcome a change in the form of a Pakatan Rakyat- led federal government .

That being so, Anwar Ibrahim should consider carefully the people he invites as partners. He himself has said he needs about 30 members of Parliament to crossover to be able to do this. Getting the numbers is the crunch!

Recent developments in the Sapp and the impending threat of a ‘no-confidence’ vote on the prime minister causes one to wonder whether its president, Yong Teck Lee, is the right calibre of person Malaysians would like to see in a Pakatan cabinet.

Yong has ‘changed his shirt’ once too often. Beside his wavering political stance and philosophy, he was charged with election fraud in the 1999 Sabah state elections and banned from standing for elections for a five-year term.

His alleged appropriation of RM5 million has come to light now. This may be just the tip of ice berg and more scandals may emerge.

Then, there has been talk of crossovers in West Malaysia too of members from MCA and even some other BN ministers. Even the possibility of such a thing happening sends cold shivers down the spines of many a Malaysian.

MCA is tainted with same brush as Umno and MIC - corrupt, racist and self-interested with not an iota of concern for the rakyat. Malaysians are seeking a total liberation from the venal regime of the current government.

Anwar’s attempts to embrace these elements should be cautioned. He immediately after the landslide victory of Pakatan Rakyat promised Malaysians ‘a new dawn’ which Malaysians eagerly accepted and interpreted it to be a rakyat- conscious government based on openness, transparency and accountability.

Is there a departure from this promise? It would be if even a whiff of the Barisan taint is allowed to creep in. There are still a few good decent politicians in the Barisan. Court them instead. Even if it takes a little longer, the wait would be worthwhile.