After many weeks of intense speculation, the first salvo has been fired in perhaps what will be a series of events that eventually leads to the demise of the Barisan Nasional government.

Sapp's announcement yesterday that it had lost confidence in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's leadership and would support a no-confidence motion in Parliament against him, further weakens his position as prime minister. But there is still some way to go before Pakatan Rakyat can form the next government.