I refer to the Malaysiakini report If you don't vote MIC, 'prepare to pay price' .

At a time of heightened anger, anxiety and annoyance, only an absolute gibbering idiot would have advised any political party to take out huge advertisements threatening the very voters whose votes, hearts and minds they are attempting to recapture.

I am aware that told political habits die hard and it becomes all the more complex when senior leaders and politicians are ill-advised by their supposedly intelligent political intelligentsia.

Instead of pro-actively engaging dissenting forces, apologising if necessary and addressing issues that are on voters minds, the incumbent politicians, to my horror, have continued to demonise, any quarter which challenges them or holds alternative views. This is indeed sad.

It is also sad when one thinks the answer to dissent and loss of confidence is to bring in a few new untested political faces which include those with shady and controversial backgrounds. This while retaining the bulk of political misfits and corrupt warlords in the state assemblies and parliament.

In a fiercely fought election campaign, truth and fair play should be the winners not half-truths, blatant lies, distorted statistics’ and spins from friendly editors and journalists specifically placed in position of editorial power to do their political masters bidding through their talk shows, coffee table chats, statements, articles and public relations exercises.

As a leading Malaysian consumer advocate, I continue to appeal to those waiting to lead the nation to sincerely address the continuing unfettered corruption, nepotism, cronyism, the manipulation of the various tiers of government by ‘black hands’ and the growing political apathy all which have eroded the confidence of Malaysians on a very large scale.

And the fact remains that when the dust of the 2008 election settles, nothing less than a holistic change is expected from the incoming government and the greater challenge remains that of reconciling and reunifying a nation upset and disillusioned.

And the answer lies not in political doublespeak or rhetoric but with adopting good and just policies, good governance, transparency, a common respect of minority rights and needs, accountability and zero tolerance for corruption in all its forms, shades and shapes.