Three weeks after the general elections, the federal government and five state governments formed by the Opposition have brought out several new policies but we would need another two months of observation to see whether the country is on the right track of reform.

One of the reasons why voters voted for the Opposition in the general elections was because the country was facing too many problems but the government took no action to resolve them. The key to reform is whether the mindset of the country's leaders have changed. If they remained with the same thinking, then there would be no changes.

From the remarks made by Umno leaders, we could see that only a few people had changed their thinking. The Prime Minister said recently that BN lost because it has neglected online campaign while Rural and Regional Development Minister Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib pointed out that the people did not want BN to lose and some even regretted the results had turned out the way it did.

As for national issues, the Prine Minister admitted that the open tender system for Penang projects might not be fair. And Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin said the amendments to the Universites and University Colleges Act were not necessarily acted as restraints to students' freedom to form associations. He did not think that the Act curbed the students' freedom of association. Meanwhile, Internal Security and Home Affairs Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar refused to release the Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee who has been elected assemblyman.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim wished to carry out judicial reform but was not supported by other members of Umno.

Do Umno leaders still have time and courage to consider the question of reform as they are going to face the pressure of the party elections nine months later?

Responses from BN component parties were as disappointing as well. Some of them have not even understood the crux of the problem but were perplexed over minor matters, which included wondering whether they should be more high profile.

Voters have conveyed their messages through the elections that they were actually concerned about issues like the increase in cost-of-living, deteriorating social order, corruption, racist policies, problems among member parties of BN, unsound judiciary and the administration of low level. However, the people have not seen any countermeasure taken by the government to resolve these problems. The Prime Minister merely brought four major policies related to stock and capital markets.

On the other hand, state governments formed by the Opposition were working hard towards transparency, to reduce the people's burden, increase revenue and reduce expenditure, look into land abuse cases, restore local elections and systematically appropriate funds for independent schools. Although we are not sure at the moments whether these measures work, but at least it is a good start.

The people are still waiting for the federal government to take its first step to reform, and time is running out. The answer for which party will sink and which will rise is going to be revealed a month from now. (By LIM SUE GOAN/ Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Sin Chew Daily)