COMMENT | The Port Dickson (PD) by-election was no ordinary by-election. It was a case of might makes right.

PD was a classic act of the powerful crushing the individual. Many Malaysians have reserved a special name for this by-election - "syiok sendiri". They have also started calling the prime-minister-in-waiting, Anwar Ibrahim, "Dear Leader".

The state machinery and various MPs were forced to mobilise behind Anwar in a big sham of solidarity. It put Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in a quandary, because he could not allow Anwar to lose, as it would reflect badly on the party.

Only the blind would call Anwar's win a victory. Contesting in a safe seat is like taking candy from a child.

The alternatives to Anwar were a politician who was accused of money politics and bled Felda dry. A person whose bedroom antics were legendary. A person who was incensed by arrogant politicians, and wanted genuinely to do more for local causes. The PAS man, a woman and one other.

As Umno-Baru abstained from taking part, and their supporters warned to keep away, the result is not a true representation of the PD vote.

Far from a show of democracy, PD was a betrayal of democracy. If one of the main aims for change in GE-14 was to have clean, free and fair elections, then the PD farce should have been used as a good starting point for real reform...