I refer to the Malaysiakini report Yet another reason why Haidar should quit.

What irks me is the speed at which the government formed the three-member panel to authenticate the tape.

Common sense will tell that before forming the panel, would it not have been better if the concerned lawyer in the tape be called upon and asked whether it was him and did the event did indeed take place?

In the event there was a denial from the concerned lawyer, only then the government should have proceeded with the panel or other mechanisms to authenticate the video.

The manner in which the government acted in forming the panel was as if it was acting having already assumed a denial on behalf of the person on the tape.

The formation of the panel raises more questions than the mere task of answering whether the video is authentic. It has again been illustrated unfailingly that common sense is not so common after all in the government circles.