I refer to the Malaysiakini report Chua's downfall: Who's the 'black hand'? and the letter Chua's sex life none of our business .

Although I have already formed an opinion on the road the former health minister Dr Chua Soi Lek should take, I didn't jump on the bandwagon earlier, as I expected the Malaysian blogosphere to be buzzing with lurid tales of his sex scandal and unsolicited opinions on whether he should have stayed in office, resigned or be fired by the prime minister. As usual, the PM needed priming before he could make a statement on this scandal - the result of clandestine entrapment by Chua's enemies in the fold.

Some elements in MCA seem to have special skills in this kind of investigative work, much better than our pathetic police force, where many murders go unsolved.

Does a person holding public office become public property? To a certain degree, yes. If you are married and you have an illicit affair or sexual escapade, than your integrity becomes questionable. Cheating, in whatever form, is not a good credential to have while holding public office.

If you’re not married, it's nobody's business, as in the case of Nicholas Sarkozy, the French president. If you are private citizen, your private life is nobody's business and if you happen to be married, your indiscretion is between you, your spouse and your family.

The bold step taken by Chua to come clean has completely obliterated his political career. His honesty and his hope that his supplication would earn him some form of forgiveness from the people has taken the wrong turn. He overestimated the benevolence of his peers in the party and the ever listening ears of the prime minister.

In relinquishing all his party and cabinet posts, he said he didn't expect the ‘overwhelming negative response’. ‘Overwhelming negative response’ as supplied by Astro and the China Press? How accurate that assessment is is anybody's guess. I wonder how and on what basis their opinion polls were conducted.

As far as my memory can take me, I can't recall any other Malaysian politician who had the guts to own up immediately for his or her misdemeanour. Many have gone unpunished for much bigger crimes. We don't seem to have a standard for dealing with errant politicians holding public office. Currently, it's kind of different strokes for different folks - the less influential and less needed, would be sacrificed.

The case of a chief minister having a sexual liaison with an underage girl was one case that didn't see the full light of day. Instead it sent a member of the opposition to jail for bringing the case into public domain. The then PM refused to delve any further into the case, which could have ended up in statutory rape if it was proven true. If I remember well, it was the girl that was taken to court and sent for rehabilitation!

What Chua did was wrong from moral point of view, but it didn't bring any physical harm or injustice to the general population as much as corruption and abuse of power has. The only person emotionally hurt would be his wife. She has, for being a devoted husband and good provider, forgiven him.

I think the man was given too many lashes, more than he deserves. The penalty was bigger than the crime. He should just have to resign his ministerial position and be allowed to keep his party position and the elected seat. Now that Chua's political career is over, would the prime minister leave no stone unturned to get the culprits who illegally made and distributed the video?

It is obvious that in this country 'honesty is not the best policy'. Hypocrisy can save you but honesty will definitely kill you.