COMMENT | I haven’t heard anyone say anything good about the current ruling government in the past year.

Although the general election manifesto is admittedly not a Bible, breaking promises always leaves a bitter aftertaste in the mouth. It breeds a cycle of doubt, disappointment and distrust.

Initially, when the government breaks a promise, we doubt if the most powerful is listening to the people’s grievances. Then we harvest disappointment when a few promises are broken in a row. Over time, this fosters distrust.

Even though a voter is not too caught up with the manifesto, distrust spreads like wildfire. Before you know it, everyone feels the same way.

All of this came to a boil in the Kimanis by-election.

There are three reasons why Kimanis is not an ordinary by-election. It should serve as a warning to the Pakatan Harapan government that the old ways of doing things will not work...