I am dismayed by the EC's pronouncement that three Keadilan leaders are disqualified from running in the next general election because of conviction and sentence in the lower courts. The dismay arises from the ' about-turn ' stand by Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman after being advised by his legal officer who according to him was apparently advised by the attorney-general.

Last year, Abdul Rashid apparently said that the EC has no problem with the convictions as the appeals have not been heard. This is the 'just response'. We must begin to wonder if Abdul Rashid's 'about-turn' is actually a 'turn-over'. In any case, it is not up to the EC to raise objections on nominations.

These three leaders are not criminals because their so-called crimes are political in nature as some malaysiakini readers have said. As their 'crimes' are political, there is room for political responses.

If one picks up any decent commentary on Article 48, it will be clear that the constitutional amendments to this law were made in events that amount to laming members of the opposition. These are political changes to the law which is a breeze because this government has been in power for so long.

In 1971, Lim Kit Siang also faced a disqualification to run. However the ruling party under the leadership of Abdul Razak did not raise the disqualification when Lim ran and won. Abdul Razak only moved a resolution in Parliament later (when Parliament sat after the elections), that Lim was disqualified but persuaded Dewan Rakyat to stay the decision to enable a royal pardon to be sought. That we must agree is the mark of a statesman.