Many Malaysians want Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign. But I think it would be a grave mistake if they think his political demise would necessarily change the political fortunes of the Barisan, especially Umno or usher in a new dawn for the country.

Never in the history of the nation's political life have we seen all the Barisan parties with their backs against the wall. There is a genuine and widespread depletion of support for them and getting rid of the incumbent is not the same as getting to the root of the problem and removing the cancer, which is vital if the country is to change for the better.

History may yet be kinder to the incumbent because in a sense he is a blessing in disguise, the silver lining in the cloud, that enabled such substantial change. While he has proven he can be heavy-handed by allowing the use of force on protestors and locking them away under the ISA, his laid-back and often whimsical way of dealing with problems have enabled events to pan out the way they did to the opposition's favour.

But it would have happened nevertheless under Mahathir given the same scenario. Only more opposition candidates would have been elected while in ISA detention.

To many Malaysians who longed for good governance the opposition offers a better hope. After all many of the new faces are well-known activists, some of whom have proven their mettle by not capitulating to unfair government pressure to silence and politically incapacitate them.

But why is good governance crucial? Because it is the only way a nation can prosper and the poor and rich can all benefit. A society that exists only for the politically-connected and rich, where the rule of law is undermined by double-standards, as what is happening in this country, is not desirable.

Now the opposition is organised to form the semblance of a viable alternative government in a new coalition called Pakatan Rakyat. For the first time, the bogeyman of race has been sidelined because Pakatan is a broad mix of politicians from the different major races and has substantial support from them all. Their ascendancy can only spell the decline of the Barisan. Let us hope in time the racial boundaries will fade and Malaysians will look at their country through a national instead of a communal grid.

But it would be unfair to blame Barisan's decline on PM Abdullah. He may have played the lead role but the script was the same, many of the cast were seasoned players with the exception of one younger new face who played the role of rogue. The props, the stage and even the music was the same old tune. The fact is the people were bored and fed up with the same old play and wanted to see a new act.

The Barisan script is old stuff, full of old plots and actors who keep fumbling their lines. Umno actors made it hard for the others by hogging the limelight. Over time, the supporting actors forgot their lines and bungled along the way. Umno kept changing the script and the MCA, Gerakan, MIC and others ended up playing roles without any speaking parts. Those who protested were written out of the script. The charade collapsed.

Until the dust settles and the Barisan is able to come up with a new script, one that Pakatan Rakyat is more closely following now, and a leader who is not tainted by allegations of corruption and scandal, it will do better to stick with the incumbent who must now spend more time governing the country. The honeymoon was long over. The policies and acts that undid him, he must now undo.

Release the Hindraf 5, stop the religious persecution, look into the plight of the poor, go after the corrupt to see them successfully prosecuted, adopt the IPCMC and the Police Royal Commission recommendations, establish a royal commission to investigate all allegations of corruption, etc. This, I believe, is the only way he can save his political skin and quickly. The writing is on the wall and time is running out not only for him but also the Barisan.

Barisan or Pakatan can only be good for the nation when good governance triumphs. The country must not forget that the function of administration should never fall into the hands of one who decides everything for everyone. Malaysia no longer needs a cult leader especially a dictator.

Democracy demands that collective responsibility means all those in government must have a say, even the backbenchers, and participative democracy requires the decision-makers in power to listen closely to the people.

A good script for the country is the need of the hour.