COMMENT | Although I am no longer active in politics, I remain politically conscious by keeping abreast with political developments in and around the country, like many are.

I believe I am able to dissect and understand to a certain extent why political leaders say this or that at times. No, I’m not always right but I believe I’m not way off either on certain issues.

Being a journalist for a good part of my working life helps. I’m sure my colleagues in the news world agree. At times, I think we can sense what’s going to come out from a politician’s mouth even before they say it. It’s as if we can “smell” a politician’s “fart” from afar. Yeah, think flatulence if you like.

For us in Sarawak, the major discussion this past week has been about Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement that “the government is unable to act against former Sarawak chief minister and current governor Abdul Taib Mahmud until formal reports are lodged against him for alleged power abuse and corrupt practices”.

This was the second time Mahathir commented on the subject since his return to Putrajaya after the 14th general election. He made the remark in a Jakarta forum in response to a question from the floor. It was posed by a Sarawakian, so I’ve been told.

I paid no attention to the prime minister’s statement until people started asking, bombarding actually, me for my reaction to Mahathir’s remark...