I have tried to follow the current US presidential elections closely as a way of learning about the nature of their democratic politics. I am especially interested to learn how a mature democracy prepares and identifies an appropriate candidate for the 50th US presidency.

Of course, we are long way from becoming a republic but I really believe it is never too late to talk about how we can change our selection process of corrupt prime ministers as leaders of either coalition, which has a majority in Parliament. It should never be an automatic appointment any more based on the obvious case of crooked and poor governance of the nation-state demonstrated so far.

I must say, after 58 years as an independent nation, while we have had evidence of both good and poor leadership, what we have lacked from every prime minister is a good model of the full accountability of any undisputed leader of our multi-ethnic nation-state. We lack a prime minister who is truly for all Malaysians; since the Tunku, and maybe for a while with Dr Mahathir Mohamad.