Many Malaysians are understandably aghast at the outcome of the recent ousting of the Speaker of the Perak State Assembly. The grab for power is one thing but to remove the Speaker so unceremonioulsy is to say the least inappropriate. Such resort to force is unbecoming and gratuitous.     
 
Changing political sides is however not sacrilegious. After all in a democracy even politicians have the right to change sides for one reason or another. They are ultimately accountable to their electorates. And one group's villains may become the other's saviours.

But in the Perak situation where two of the political turncoats were under investigation for corruption does call into question the propriety of accepting crossovers under such circumstances. Until cleared by the courts they should have been 'haram' to any political side let alone be given power in government.
 
Now it is even unlikely they will face the judge. It is such opportunistic party-hopping, without principle or legitimate cause,  that is highly unacceptable. It opens the gate for culpable politicians to escape the arms of the law and face justice.

If political parties had a code of ethics they would not have accepted anyone who is under investigation, police or otherwise. Corruption committed by a servant of the state is the highest crime against the people. Whether it is the corruption of the country's constitution or an act of selfish dishonest financial gain, such conduct is unacceptable. To win at all costs without regard to moral considerations is ethically improper and undermines the inegrity of the whole political process.
 
Their acceptance by the Barisan coalition does give rise to people's concern whether the government is serious about reining in corruption. It is unlikely, given that senior UMNO members found guilty of corruption in the recent UMNO leadership elections  were not charged but merely sidelined, and one even went on to win a top post, albeit denied a cabinet post against convention.  
 
When such happenings are no longer mere rumour but facts, it is worrying. One wonders about the message the government is sending out to the community. That it is okay to be corrupt and to simply accept a light slap on the wrist? Surely this is inconsistent with its avowed and publicised war on corruption. Successive leaders have openly decried corruption but somehow been unable to stem its tide. Those recent actions ought to provide the clue.   
 
How an activist like Bersih's Wong Chin Huat who was merely exercising his rights within the law can be charged for sedition is yet again disappointing. This man was merely acting out his convictions, and I should emphasize, out in the open. He was not doing anything in secret or subversion and those who opposed his actions certainly could have rebutted his claims in a democratic manner.   
 
 But not surprisingly the police pounced on him.  Despite efforts to show a human face, the government has yet to forsake the modus operandi of using the police to stifle dissent. It now makes it more difficult for the government to win hearts and minds if it is seen as denying the people their civil rights.   
 
No citizen ought to be under attack by its government for trying to improve his country through lawful and patriotic activism. Police repressiveness is for military juntas not democratically elected governments like Malaysia's. It is those who subvert the rule of law and justice and resort to unethical measures and abuse their power and manipulte all the state institutions who are the real enemies of the state.  
 
PM Abdual Razak Najib has to be careful that he does not make the same mistake as his predecessor in saying one thing and doing the opposite. He has publicly announced his desire to improve the situation, and with several of his ministers suggesting the government has to 'reform or die'. Many Malaysians think he can change the situation but not with police heavy-handedness and stifling of public dissent. Repressiveness is not the same as reform.
 
If a citizen exercising his rights lawfully can be unfairly charged for sedition it speaks volumes about the abuse of power. Power cannot be legitimately used to hamper the rights and freedoms of citizens in the pursuit of the country's best interests even if such activity involves the criticism and removal of a government if such activity is lawful. It is all part of the political process in a democracy.
 
If legitimate dissent and political activism to bring about change is stifled then democracy is a sham and a shame. The Opposition may as well not exist because in going about their job they can be accused of sedition, a spurious charge. Sedition is an archaic idea.  
 
History tells us that an English  king, used to beheading his subjects for sedition, was beheaded because he failed to respect the supremacy of parliament and the freedoms of the people for change. And in today's true democracies leaders are not allowed to abuse their power and will be held to account, something that has yet to be seen in the country.  
 
By stripping the Perak Speaker of his chair in such an unceremonious way makes a mockery of parliamentary democracy and manifests disrespect for a legitimately elected member of the state assembly. Ultimately the resort to physical force saw the death of democracy. The skirmish robbed the state assembly of its dignity and democracy suffered a brutal blow. The people's parliament in Perak suffered an outrage of its dignity and the rule of law was badly bruised.   
 
Even to non-partisan observers it is a question of honouring what is right and proper. When police surround the people's parliament and make it off-limits to the public, when politicians are seen tussling in their august house, and force replaces reason, it paints an ugly picture of politicians and the police. Reasonable people do not resort to tough police and forceful measures.     
 
The lack of transparency and safeguards in the electoral system can't be over-emphasized, and those who openly criticise the system are helping not hindering the government. That the existence of a group such as Bersih to ensure electoral integrity should be no cause for concern by anyone save those who have much to lose by their activities.
 
The government has once more shot itself in the foot and needs to come to its senses and realise that good and fair governance can't result from bad, over-the-top and unfair actions. All the spin and rhetoric in the world will not save it from the ramifications of its actions that are flagrantly unfair and smack of strong-arm measures. They merely accelerate the attrition rate of support for their cause.    
 
When eminent and intelligent persons in the community start talking out loud against the establishment it behooves the government to take heed. These Malaysians are not irresponsible and opinionated loudmouths but concerned citizens who have played pivotal roles in helping their nation progress and those who criticise the government are not necessarily its enemies.
 
 From former judges to the ordinary man in the street they speak the common language of patriotic dissent expected in any democracy when things go awry. They do not believe the country is viable under a regime where the rule of law bends to the will of those in power. It results in the destruction of all the country's state institutions and turns it into a police and feudal state, and inevitably a flawed nation.
 
But can those in power for so long see that?  
 
Activists are not agitating for themselves but for the nation's sake and why should any decent government take offence? Why should lawyers carrying out their duties be arrested?Why should the police be used in a political way when they should be stemming the rise of crime? A dose of fair play often is a good remedy for paranoia.
 
Former Malaysian Bar president and Special UN envoy, Param Cumaraswamy in his Malaysiakini article 'Rule of law in jeopardy' had this to say about the Perak State Assembly stalemate:
 
 He wrote, "On March 4, I appealed to the Sultan of Perak to dissolve the state legislative assembly to avoid the crisis there leading to anarchy.Indeed what happened in the state legislative assembly yesterday was anarchy.I have never seen or heard of such chaos in any legislature in the world. That such commotion could occur in a state where the ruler was once the Lord President of the Supreme Court is beyond belief."
 
It is an opinion shared by many Malaysians.
 
Former head of Transparency International, and a DAP vice-chairperson, Tunku Abdul Aziz, wrote, " I never for a moment thought I should live to see the day when a traditional hereditary ruler of a Malay state has taken such a rapid slide in his people’s estimation, approbation and adulation as has Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak."
 
He is not alone.
 
Indeed the highly regarded Perak sultan has become yet another casualty in the political turmoil. I was in Perak recently and met few who had a nice word to say about his role but before the political crisis you would find it hard to meet any of his critics.
 
If he had dissolved the assembly as requested by the Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin, the chaos could have been avoided. Now he can't avoid being seen as partisan and that will hurt his esteem among his subjects, not to mention his reputation worldwide. Rulers should be above partisan politics and their actions should be seen to be so.  
 
If there is a silver lining it is that the political metamorphosis occuring in Malaysia is healthy and while Malaysians are not wont to demonstrate they still know the difference between a sound decision and a poor one. The Malaysian public is slowly but surely coming of age.

 Looking at the circus of arrests of activists and releases of ISA detainees going on in the country one is not surprised why there is so much confusion. Surely someone must have the common sense to realise that every act of injustice, every high-handed measure, only results in the loss of respect, credibility and support for the incumbent administration. Political expediency underlie the events rather than sound principles and the day politicians act ethically the people will regard them more highly.   
 
Until the government is seen to act fairly and its actions are congruous with the country's constitution and the police are not used as they have been to stifle the people's peaceful activities, it faces a dismal future, in winning public support that it lost on March 08.
 
PM Abdul Razak Najib can't be that naive to think that Malaysians can be cowed by the police when it has been proven time and again that strong-arm measures betray the desperateness of those who order them. Nor will the ISA detention without trial dampen the spirit of those fighting for a legitimate cause. High-handedness is the precursor to an inevitable downfall for those who still resort to Cold War methods.
 
But a government in full control of itself and has the people's respect because it does what is fair and constiutional will never resort to heavy-handed use of the police or a frivolous use of the courts to unfairly charge citizens. The days of unconstitutional political and police methods are over and every unjust act only adds to the angst of the victims and their supporters, not to mention a growing annoyed public.
 
Some critics already say the use of the Sedition Act on politicians and citizens against the government's opponents may turn out to be another way to hinder the democratic and rightful activities of citizens and serve as a substitute for the ISA. I doubt this pseudo-ISA tactic will deter concerned citizens from passionately acting on their concerns for their country. For every ISA detainee others will take their place because it is hard to stifle legitimate public dissent.  
 
In honouring the rule of law and the rights of the people any government elevates itself. But in pummelling the people with arrests and charges of one sort or another, it merely tangles itself in a knot and suffers the erosion of the people's support.
 
Any keen observer will tell you that the country is undergoing a political and social metamorphosis that calls for honest reform. And that is not forthcoming if the police are kept busy, not chasing after criminals but active patriotic citizens!
 
What will save PM Najib's government is not spin but integrity and that seems to be the vital missing ingredient. But the recent court decision in favour of Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besar, Nizar Jamaluddin offers hope that integrity is not dead and buried elsewhere. Where there is hope the struggle continues.
 
It is now up to the people to decide who they want as their menteri besar and it makes sense for a new election to decide the impasse which has not been good for everyone. This is the remedy for the Perak sickness. I trust the Sultan of Perak will do the right thing and salvage the situation and his reputation there. The world is watching!