I refer to the Malaysiakini report PM vows to thwart takeover plan.

If you ask me, any attempts to seize power will fail if and only if we are all ready to initiate real change that we can all believe in. Nothing cosmetic, no ‘old wine in new wine skin’ but real critical, comprehensive and much needed change.

If we continue in the present denial mode, failing to address a growing list of concerns, the incumbent government will be rudely dumped in the country’s next general elections.

If undemocratic measures are used to retain political power when one has lost the high moral ground and political support one had, it would only be postponing the inevitable by measures that may be exhausting, exhaustive and basically counter productive.

For changes to take place, sacrifices are necessary and this is where it is pertinent that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi takes a bold decision to stand down as premier. There is no shame in this, Prime Minister sir.

All that is needed is for Abdullah to go on immediate leave prior to resigning and appointing the interim deputy prime minister Najib Tun Razak as acting Prime Minister and Muhyiddin Yassin as acting deputy prime minister.

The two can then initiate the setting up of a select committee comprising members of civil society and others with a track record of credibility, to assist them in addressing the real and urgent concerns of the nation.

We can even think of a ‘unity government’ comprising of parties from across the political landscape to work together in restoring the nation to what it was before 1981, when the Federal Constitution, democratic practices and separation of powers between the organs of government reigned supreme.

How else can you prevent the inevitable if one wants the status quo of a slowing economy, higher fuel and commodities prices, poor policy decisions and growing corruption and abuse of power continue? One can only stop the present ‘downward spiral’ by initiating broad changes.

Or we can resist it by our continued denial and instead engage in dark political schemes that are usually seen in certain African and South American states, with the jailing or assassination of political opponents and an emergency rule after engineering chaos and racial riots. This will totally our country.

Economically, politically and in the eyes of the civilised and democratic nations of the world, it will put the country back by 25 years – a position we cannot consider despite it being politically inviting to certain political adventurers and predators wanting to continue the old corrupt ways.

The nations that took this political path are many but the end result in all of them remains the same: total chaos and economic destruction.

Time is of the essence and in view of the current political uncertainties and bickering, the transition date of 2010 is politically unrealistic and unpalatable.

Moreover, the current tensions are not just between the Barisan Nasional and the Opposition parties but between component parties within the BN in view of recent racist tendencies and actions from Umno leaders who have snubbed both Abdullah and Najib of late.

The stakes are high and the repercussions even greater for the nation that was once a shining beacon of transformation and economic growth but today is heading nowhere but backwards. We do not have the benefit and privilege of time at our behest any longer to continue in bickering or denial. It is time for tough decisions and sacrifices.