Although an occasional visitor to your website, I must comment that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad appears to have realised past mistakes and to be determined to salvage his legacy by increasing democratisation and liberalisation before the 2004 general elections.

I cite the following that he has done in support of the above statement:

1) The Foreign Investment Committee (FIC) has relaxed its rules to allow foreign citizens to buy all types of properties costing above RM250,000 (The Star, May 4). This is a sensible policy. Foreigners bring in foreign exchange but cannot take away the physical properties. This revitalises the housing and construction sector that props other businesses like banking, insurance, professions like valuers, lawyers, architects and surveyors. It ameliorates the existing glut of property.

2) Abolishment of the last vestige of capital controls, the 10 percent exit levy on profits repatriation to encourage return of foreign funds (The Star, May 3).

3) Watering down of the education quotas to accommodate deserving non-bumiputra students (The Star May 7). This is not only fair to non-bumiputras but stems foreign exchange outflow and brain drain.

These are pragmatic measures to counteract the 24 percent drop in Malaysia's foreign currency reserves from US$34.5 billion to US$26.29 billion in mid-April this past year. Based on reports, the only mistake he has made of late was to have suggested that Tenaga, a national power company, would take a stake in Bakun hydroelectric project. That caused foreign selling (The Star, May 5).

To counteract abuse of power highlighted by ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim's black eye, Suhakam was formed in 1999. It has powers to investigate human rights violations. Someone respectable like Justice Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah now heads the judiciary. The judiciary meted out custodial sentence to the ex-Inspector-General for causing Anwar hurt.

The only negative side on record is detention of 10 persons under the ISA. The jury is still out and no judgment can be made on the government's case until expiry of 60 days. We do not know the real situation. The second echelon of Keadilan's officials is detained along with FreeAnwar web master, a social activist-cum-columnist/film director and a human rights activist.

If it were mere political persecution, it is bad timing bearing in mind the government's low popularity at this moment. If it were political persecution, why not arrest the first echelon leaders of PAS, Keadilan, DAP or PRM?

Besides it is hard to understand why Keadilan vice-president Dr Chandra Muzaffar came out with an immediate clarification that he was opposed to street demonstrations. It is like setting out the groundwork to dissociate himself from the allegation of plans of street demonstrations to topple the government, if it turns out to be true.

The ISA cannot help prove anything by producing confessions. Malaysians will not believe them as they might be coerced. What the ISA can do for the expedience of police work is to secure the necessary leads to where the evidence may lie for proof in open court later. So we have to wait and see.

On Anwar's desire for medical treatment in Germany, I agree with Dr M Bakri Musa's assessment in his May 4 column 'Seeing it my way' that "Anwar's medical condition is straightforward" and could be operated locally. The German government may grant asylum. I am not too sure that "an Anwar in exile is an Anwar forgotten" or that Anwar is no Ayatollah Khomeini as the writer thought. From the government's view, he is still the icon and martyr of opposition. The reformasi movement is still very much alive though street demonstrations have subsided.

In response to cronyism and money politics, Umno disciplinary board suspended six division leaders for money politics (The Star May 7). There are also rumours, according to MGG Pillai, of a split with the finance minister due to the PM's unhappiness over the controversial Time dotCom and MAS deals. If these rumours are believed, they go in some measure to personally exculpate the PM from these controversial transactions.

The PAS-dominated opposition front has not, however, fared too well recently. Recently there were newspaper reports that the PAS state assembly representative allegedly disparaging statues or idols of worship as contrary to Islam. If true, it is worrisome for non-Muslims in the background of PAS being committed to Islamisation of the administration, in stark contrast with the present secular course.

The Barisan Alternatif's avowed stand on the New Economic Policy is that it is not race-based. It is supposed to eradicate poverty and restructure society by assisting all who requires it.

This being the case it should unstintingly welcome without reservations the PM's call to open up the educational quotas so as to give qualified non-bumiputras with top marks places in local institutions of higher learning.

Instead, according to The Star on May 7, PAS president Fadzil Noor was quoted to have expressed reservations and that the government should conduct an indepth study first before giving up bumiputra seats to non-bumiputras. I am shocked at the first reaction of the PAS president, assuming the reports of what he said were true.

I have serious doubts of casting my vote for BA if that is the level of sincerity it shows as against the promising trends on the side of BN led by the PM.