Eyewitness at the Malacca PPP annual general assembly indicated that a handful of PPP party members stormed out of the venue in protest when Mohd Ali Rustam was delivering his speech.

PPP president M Kayveas lamented that the chief minister's speech made the entire assembly feel like a funeral. Thus, Ali's denial that the media misreported his speech is illogical and an afterthought action.

It is utterly disappointing and discouraging to note that certain PPP members are afraid to cooperate and give the recording of the speech made by the Malacca chief minister to officials from the Prime Minister's Department because they think by doing so would seem that they are against the establishment.

Thus, it is incumbent on the current top leadership of PPP to ensure its members give their utmost cooperation to the authorities pertaining the speech made by Ali Rustam, including by handing over the recording the speech.

Imagine what would have the late Sneevasagam brothers (founding members of PPP) done if this speech incident had happened during their helm of PPP. Don't let them turn in their grave!

On many occasions, the existing PPP leaders have criticised and taken potshots against other political parties allegedly for "not walking the talk". Now, it is the turn of the current leadership of PPP to "walk the talk" by cooperating with the authorities.

Failing which, PPP should not go from pillar to post "begging" for seats in the coming general elections because if the party doesn't have the courage, moral fibre and political will to defend itself from being chided, humiliated and warned like a schoolboy in its own turf than how on earth can PPP defend its would-be constituents in particular and the rakyat in general?

During the parliamentary session on July 11, 2005, in debating the proposed Syariah Court Evidence (Federal Territories) (Amendment) Bill 2005, Jerai MP Badruddin Amiruldin (Umno) was reported to have said, based on Hansard at page 34 as follows:

"Ehh, Malaysia ini Negara Islam, you tidak suka, you keluar dari Malaysia."

Now, a senior Umno leader has openly said that Umno does not need non-Malay parties in the BN fold to govern Malaysia. Umno's tacit policy for a long time is 'what is mine is mine and what is yours is also mine'. Enough is enough!

Perhaps it is about time for Gerakan, MCA, MIC and other parties in the BN coaltion to seriously reconsider their blind alliance with Umno because if they still remain docile , subservient and spineless to Umno then one can almost see the days when Malaysians will be fed to the burners (metaphorically speaking) to turn them into fuel for Umno.

Lest not forget what the late Martin Luther King Jr (civil rights leader) once said: "We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people."