I refer to the Malaysiakini report Protect Karpal's right to views, says Santiago.

It has been really childish of the Umno-led Federal government to insist that veteran lawyer and politician Karpal Singh has committed an act of treason for saying that the Sultan of Perak has gone beyond his powers when he had allegedly inter-meddled with the decision of the Menteri Besar of Perak in transferring a head of a government department who has refused to work with the current administration.

This only goes to show that Umno has refused to accept the verdict of the people and it will do anything to ensure that it gets back to power even if it means politicising non-issues like that of what Karpal had opined. If what Karpal had said amounts to treason then what can we say about the Perlis and Trengganu dramas that took place before their respective mentri besar were sworn in? Doesn't that amount to treason too?

It would only go to show that criticism of the Malay Sultanate can be tolerated if it emanates from a Malay but not so if the non-Malays indulge in it. Therefore again, it is Umno's best policy of divide and rule is the best racist way.

Government servants in this country can always be better if they are allowed to think beyond the box. It is the social engineering of the Mahathir years which has basically made most government servants obedient servants of Umno and not the government that democratically wins an election and assumes office. This mind set has been further entrenched with the continuous bombardment of Umno propaganda via all media avenues that are available. It has been the steely determination of the population coupled with a good campaign by the opposition that has made Malaysians think and vote with a conscience in the last elections.

The General Orders is the bible of the government servants and if it is the prerogative of the state chief executive to transfer an officer of a particular government agency within his state's purview, then his decision is well within his scope of powers. One may ask why wasn't the new menteri besar of Terengganu taken to task for not complying with Umno's wishes in naming his team of executive officers of the state's administration?

It is clear that what Karpal has said is just fair comment on a matter of public interest. The reason for all this brouhaha is just that this opinion and statement comes from a non-Malay politician. If the comments had come from a PAS politician, the entire response would have been different.

Everyone knows that if one's life is at stake on a charge of drug trafficking, murder, kidnaping or any claim of wrongful dismissal on part of the government be it the federal or state government, the first name that forms in one's mind for the best legal representation is Karpal Singh and it should be noted that most of these people are from the largest ethnic race in the country who have no qualms about seeking Karpal's noted legal prowess when it comes to defending them from the charges that have been put against them.

But when it comes to the man who has now been reduced to moving around in a wheel chair due to an accident, people feel that he is a very dangerous man who could incite the people. What great theatrics from Malaysians.

It is as clear as day that all those interviewed for their so-called public opinion of Karpal's statement on the main Umno-controlled media were all Malays. There was one Chinese looking man whose voice could not be heard expressing his opinion but the rest were all Malays. Therefore, even if Malaysians of all ethnic backgrounds want equality, Umno would not allow it for the simple reason of losing its dominance.

Double standards are common in Malaysia because the ruling elite have always set the benchmark for what’s okay and what’s not. It will be alright for Umno to demonstrate but never for PKR, PAS, DAP or even for that matter Hindraf. The police who have now beefed up their force with large number of law graduates as inspectors and assistant superintendents seem to be quick to point out about the Police Act but fail the understand that the Federal Constitution is a greater piece of legislation.

One could argue that it would be also fair to take the former premier to task for being very instrumental in forming the Special Court to try the rulers after the Gomez incident in Johor sometime ago. Therefore it would be better if Umno try to first check its own excesses in the way it belittles the people's intelligence.

We have witnessed a new dimension for the country's practice of parliamentary democracy which we would like to see a lot of every time it is time for the government to seek the people's mandate to continue with governance. A good, caring and efficient government only needs a simple majority to govern whereas a corrupt, authoritarian and bias one always needs two-thirds majority to govern. Syabas and bravo to Karpal, we have a right to speak.