COMMENT For a sense of the state of Umno's electoral prospects, consider how the question of what is a good time for Prime Minister Najib Razak to call for polls being steadily overtaken by a more distressing call.

This is whether or not he is indeed the leader under whose baton the dominant party of the BN can best fight the 13th general election.

The latter question bobs up on the back of speculation about what other damaging revelations will be uncorked by the ongoing inquiry in France into corrupt practices surrounding Malaysia's purchase of submarines from that country in 2003.

The latest disclosure about then defence minister Najib having allegedly asked a French arms broker for a payment of RM1 billion to a proxy company for the privilege of commencing procurement negotiations with his ministry may not be the only damaging morsel to come out of the ongoing inquiry in France into corrupt practices surrounding the whole affair; there may be more career-ending revelatory shards to come...