I refer to the Malaysiakini report Balasubramaniam, family may be held 'against their will'.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the statement made under oath then retracted for reasons the person who made the report knows best but is not revealing.

Surprisingly, he is now 'missing' after starting something he did not have the guts or fighting spirit to see it to the end

What is most important is to be able to substantiate these reports with hard facts so as to give credibility and standing to it. Otherwise, it leads to a lot of speculation and rumour-mongering among the people and will cause them to lose all faith and respect for the leaders.

It is already beginning to show. What is the reason to hold back hard evidence? It is either you have it or not. If you do not have it, do not play with fire that can turn into an inferno.

These 'learned' gentlemen playing this game of Russian roulette are bringing about more suspicions and doubts into their allegations and denials without any solid backing to support their statements.

Don't play the chicken-and-egg game to create infuriation and disgust. If fear is the reason for holding back the real evidence required to start a proper investigation and to arrest the people concerned, then request publicly and demand for police protection which is the sworn duty of the police to provide for the general public.

If something happens to the person under police protection then the police and the government should be held accountable and must answer for their negligence and not be evasive.

Don't take the public for granted, thinking they can be fooled with insinuations, lies and denials.

What is even worse is the way these reports are handled by the police with no sense of urgency or priority. There is also some indications of favourtism and a two-tiered application of the law.

Only those making the reports, it seems, are questioned at length but those being implicated are left alone.

Before it can get more ugly and embarrassing, those with the hard facts and proof of these allegations should come come forward and reveal them to give credence and to maintain your trust and dignity with the people who are solidly behind you.

If a political change foreseen for the better is what is required, then be it so and sooner the better. But in order for it to materialise, prove yourself to be worthy. Do not just fire blanks.