I have no doubt that Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is the best choice for the next premier. Given his long experience in government, Pak Lah as Abdullah is affectionately known, certainly has the managerial skills required to run the country.

However, what worries me is the people who would surround him as advisers, think-tanks, bureaucrats, fellow leaders of Barisan Nasional component parties and senior editors of the official media. Most of these people would be hangovers or leftovers from the administration of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. These people with all kinds of old vested interests may conspire to exert undue influence or pressure on 'Mr Clean' and 'Mr Nice Guy'.

Moreover, these people have no more new ideas to inspire the people. So, it is necessary that they be quickly replaced by a new set of faces who are only personally loyal to him (Pak Lah) and not Mahathir. Old and long-serving ones must be retired off before Oct 2003.

Otherwise, it would be these people, not Pak Lah, who will actually rule the country. Pak Lah would be perceived as a 'lame duck' or 'puppet' of the old guys behind the scene who are still personally loyal to Mahathir.

True, to axe these people may cause a short period of pain, but if Pak Lah does not, they would bring problems of image and credibility without end to him. Mahathir may still want to control the new prime minister, or influence policy-making behind the scene through his loyalists in Pak Lah's court. Pak Lah also must firmly reject any person recommended by Mahathir to be his new deputy.

Pak Lah must also ensure that the BN candidates for the coming general election be purged off all the old faces whether in Umno, MCA, MIC, Gerakan, SUPP, Snap or PBS.

In short, Pak Lah must establish his independence, in appearance as well as in reality. Pak Lah should be Pak Lah, not a timid and malleable agent of Mahathir forever. After Musa Hitam and Anwar Ibrahim, I really do not think Mahathir could afford to remove Pak Lah now.