The question whether we can trust Anwar Ibrahim to keep his promise when he becomes prime minister to slash petrol price is not really an issue because it is not possible for anyone to know for sure whether a person will keep his word.

What is more important is to ensure that we have a system that will make him accountable if he does not keep his promise. We have lived with a Barisan Nasional government for 50 years and they have never ever cared for the people’s welfare and interests, and yet we have voted for the Umno-led government for 50 years.

Why then is it necessary for us to worry if Anwar will keep his word? He has so far performed according to his word. He has openly supported a multi-racial Malaysia and this has never passed the lips of any Umno leader for all of the 50 years they have been in government.

From my perspective, it is sufficient that Anwar says he will deliver and that is good enough for all of us because if politics is from now structured according to my vision of a two-party parliamentary system, it will naturally evolve (if MCA gets out of Barisan Nasional).

In any such event, from now on, any government that does not deliver will be voted out of office. This is what democracy is all about and we should strive for this ideal.

I endorse Anwar on strategic and grounds of common sense; and so I will state what it is that is so strategic and common sense that I talk about. I had all along been touting that the minority races must regain our voter strength and to stand on our own as full citizens of the Malaysian nation, under the protection of the Malaysian constitution.

The truth is that in all the past 50 years Umno - acting with the complicity of the MCA and MIC - had in all ways and mostly for the elite, hijacked the Malaysian nation.

The NEP was in every way a mere ‘red herring’ to enrich the few Malays and so-called Umno leaders, but to the average Ahmad, Harun and Sofi, the NEP was only in name. To those Malays in the kampung who are not politically connected, ask them if they even know how to access government largess?

Let me be blunt about what had gone on in the distribution of government largess and what has been the result. Billions over the last 50 years has been given to the bumiputeras but what has been gained? Have the Malays developed a viable capitalist entrepreneurial class?

I can tell you that in this respect, Malaysia has remained is at a standstill because the recipients of government largess were not the cream of Malay youth. They only chose those who are the ‘connected’ sons and daughters, a very small elite group.

Is there a pool of capable technocrats to carry the Malays to a higher level of development? Assess the pool of Malay talent that you have today. I can say that most - if not all - of the Malay graduates find employment refuge in government service.

I say that after the March 8 elections, the political landscape of Malaysia has changed for good and for ever. The Malay component of Malaysian society is 68 % so you tell me, and the Chinese and Indians make up the other 32% but after March 8, the majority of the Chinese have abandoned the MCA and this desertion of the Chinese from MCA will continue until MCA withers on the vine. In the case of MIC, who knows?

However, the 68% Malay voter base is divided between Umno, PKR and PAS. Even if we assume that each sides takes half and half, the present trend is for Malay grassroots to support PKR and PAS. This will mean that Chinese support is the determinant that will swing the balance of power towards Pakatan Rakyat.

We, the Chinese, do not need to know how good or how bad Anwar is or was; we do not need to know. All that the Chinese need to know is how to support Anwar 100% and swing the federal government to his coalition because for the pendulum to swing, we need to nudge the pendulum a little bit so that it will begin to swing on its own momentum.

No matter what Anwar is or was, we need to swing the pendulum to start the movement and for the Chinese to become the ‘swing voters’.

It is for this reason alone if not for anything else, that there is strong reason for the Sarawak and Sabah politicians to join Anwar to win government. It is better to be in government than to be outside of government.

Anwar has Chinese - and for now Indian - support to form government. In other words, he is sure to be able to form government.