The Royal Malaysian Police, like the judiciary, like the Election Commission, like the many other branches of the government, is at the beck and call of the Executive which has absolute power. They have been given the latitude to ensure not peace or stability for the nation but security for the Barisan Nasional government.

Now in the absence of a strongman, these branches of government have the choice to either continue in obvious defiance of the country's Constitution or to realign themselves with the law of the land.

But it is obvious that the Royal Malaysian Police, with the power given to it, is a force unto its own with no accountability to anyone but itself.

So in this so-called democracy, will there be a smooth transfer of power? Should the opposition win the next election, will the police and Election Commission work to ensure a smooth transition of power? This is one of the tests of a matured democracy.

It is time that Malaysians face corruption and abuse of power head on. With our votes, we have the power to decide if we have had enough. If we can work towards a new Malaysia, we have the chance of being competitive again. We have the chance of recognising that globalisation is at our doorsteps and no matter how much we are against it, it is coming in. We need to claim Malaysia back and make her competitive once again.