I have been following the Hulu Selangor by-election with intense passion because of its vicinity to my home town of Rawang.

Incidentally, that’s the same town from where P Kamalanathan, Barisan Nasional’s relatively novice candidate hails from. And he’s taking on a seasoned politician in PKR’s Zaid Ibrahim.

I have nothing against either of the candidates but feel incensed and appalled by the unspirited behaviour of other politicians who’ve joined the campaign fray.

These politicians have, and are taking the electorate for granted on the flawed assumption that every word spoken by them is the gospel truth and that we, as the electorate, are duty-bound to swallow lock, stock and barrel.

I am utterly disappointed with our so-called politicians who time, and again, fail to realise and recognise that the electorate are not idiots nor trade-able commodities. We cannot be bought by mere rhetoric and gimmicks.

The electorate are your parents, spouses, children and even your friends. For heaven’s sake, learn to respect our intelligence. We can reason. And, we can do it pretty well too.

Times have changed. Information technology has empowered once helpless individuals , like you and me, throughout the world. We have instant access to a free flow of information enabling us to analyse, digest and make our own conclusions.

The era of character assassination and gutter politics is dead and gone. Voters want to hear politicians and political wannabes speak from their hearts with sincerity. Not dishing out verbal garbage and false promises.

The worst strategy any political party can adopt is to take the route of character assassination. It will work against you, and instead, do a favour for your rival. The electorate are not imbeciles. They can think and think. To make matters worse, circulating doctored pictures of your political rivals purportedly committing sinful acts is a guaranteed recipe for disaster.

A bigger recipe for disaster is the so-called cross-overs from political dissidents who time it so inauspiciously during a by-election. For many us, such moves smirk not of genuineness but opportunism. It sends out only one message – orchestrated moves.

Will our politicians ever learn?

I am not convinced going by the ongoing campaign taking place in Hulu Selangor. It is the same old trade mark of tirades and promises being repeated from previous disastrous campaigns. Classical mistakes being repeated from the same old script which has no relevance in today’s political environment.

Why can’t politicians adopt an honest-down-to-earth campaign by engaging the electorate instead of verbally abusing us with a barrage of irrelevant stuff? Why can’t politicians talk from their heart and sincerely tells us in a convincing manner that you really care for us? That we matter to you beyond the electioneering period.

Why can’t you admit that all of us including politicians are not flawless and do make mistakes in one way or another? Why can’t politicians ask for forgiveness from the rakyat for their shortcomings and that of their political masters?

Why can’t you share with us the spirit of harmony, dignity, hard work, a corruption-free culture and mutual respect? Why can’t you be colour blind for once and admit that all of us – both ruling and opposition parties - have a role to play? Why can’t you speak from your heart and admit your shortcomings?

Why can’t you behave and act in a dignified and humble manner when talking to us? Why can’t you schedule visits to our towns and villages on a regular basis and not during elections? Won’t that demonstrate your sincerity?

Why can’t you give us, the electorate, some semblance of respect and dignity? We’re human and want to help make Malaysia a well-respected role model with Malaysians living together as one happy family? Will politicians ever learn?

I hope the results of the Hulu Selangor election will be a lesson for all of us.