As ludicrous as the clowns of Barisan Nasional (BN) are, and as much fun we have at their expense, it seems to me we'd be well advised to remember that these people are deadly serious, and that the way they run the country has gone from laughable to downright tragic.

Corruption, for example, used to be seen by many Malaysians as a raffish but relatively harmless part of their culture; an almost endearing local custom that ensured them a discount on fines for traffic offences or quick and relatively efficient attention from civil servants.

But now it's clearly gone beyond a joke, with members and cronies at every level of the kleptocratic government ripping-off the national treasury to the tune of billions of ringgit every year.

From over-compensation of contractors on the cancelled crooked bridge project, through massive, unexplained blow-outs on the costs of building and development projects like the Matrade edifice and the Port Klang Free Trade Zone, to outrageous mark-ups on purchases as uncovered and announced annually by the Auditor-General, the looting goes from bad to worse.

And aside from a few token arrests of low-level offenders, few of the obvious suspects are ever investigated or accused, let alone brought to book. Some, like Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Najib Abdul Razak ( photo ) and ministers Rafidah Aziz and Hishammuddin Hussein, are evidently deemed entirely above and beyond prosecution if not suspicion.

Others, like Zakaria Mat Deros of Istana Impian fame, somehow get to laugh all the way to the bank and enjoy impunity despite all their adverse publicity. Not that there's much bad publicity for these people at what's customarily referred to as "grassroots" level, as control of the media has gone as far beyond a joke as corruption has.

The vast majority of Malaysians have no idea what a lovely laugh their rulers and leaders are having at their expense. Most never read or even hear about the idiotic remarks their BN representatives make on their behalf. They're not considered sophisticated enough to witness the proceedings in Parliament on television or even for exposure to reports of witless official antics and utterances in the nation's gagged news media.

Unlike those of us in the Internet-savvy minority, they don't get to share in the chorus of scorn at laughing-stock like the bocor MPs, the crazed keris-wavers of Umno Youth or zanies like Zam and Nazri. Or, worse still, if they do get to hear about these jokers, they likely hear the government version of events and take them seriously.

Just like the rest of us should, after we've had ourselves a chuckle or two. Because, as silly or outright insane as they might seem, the people who wave the keris, declare that they "know amok" and threaten repetitions of May 13 are in deadly earnest.

Theft of power

If possible, I grant you, they'll keep stealing power by stealth. With every trick they can think of from gerrymandering boundaries, stacking electoral rolls, intimidating intending opposition voters and browbeating coalition partners. But if ever the vote goes against them, depriving them of even their constitution-controlling two-thirds majority in Parliament, let alone a ruling majority, they'll be ready with the ultimate May 13.

A great deal has happened in the 38 years since that date in 1969. The BN has steadily gained total control of virtually every institution. It has annexed the armed forces, achieved monopoly of the police and other civil services and brought the judiciary to heel. And if that wasn't a grim enough picture to wipe the grin off most Malaysians' faces, they've also formed a vigilante group called Rela.

As risible a rabble as Rela might seem to many of us, I can't bring myself to believe that their real purpose is simply to victimise immigrants, legal or otherwise, or to act as the nation's "eyes and ears" as the government claims. In fact I suspect that Rela, armed and dangerous and responsible to nobody but BN, is there in readiness in case the need arises to be rapidly promoted from the eyes and ears of the nation to the arms, legs, fists and jackboots of the incumbent government. Just like Khairy Jamaluddin's Mat Rempit could so readily be enlisted to serve the cause as its cavalry.

I can hear what the saner among you are starting to mutter about now. "Far-fetched". "Conspiracy Theory". "Too paranoid for words". "Couldn't happen in Malaysia". But think about it for a moment. It happened in Burma when the opposition won an election. And considering the levels of corruption in this country, plus the arrogant untouchability of the richest and most powerful culprits, it seems to me that Malaysia is headed inexorably in the same dire direction.

Law enforcement and justice, from the Altantuya murder trial to the Lingam tape, are such a joke that anything is possible. Is the judiciary as politically compliant and as rigged as it appears to be? Were the detectives who died recently truly tragically gunned-down in a drug-raid that went wrong? Or were they, as in a memorable incident I recall in Sydney years ago, actually casualties in a drug-related gang war?

Who knows? This comedy act has gone on so long by now it's impossible to tell whether to laugh or cry. But time, no doubt, will tell.

Zimbabweans are no longer laughing, as they must have at some stage in his career, at Mugabe ( photo ) and his half-Hitler mustache. North Koreans, I suspect, no longer get much of a giggle out of Kim Jong-il's pompadour hairdo and elevator shoes. I doubt the Burmese don't find it as funny as we outsiders do that their generals have chestfulls of medals despite having never fought a war against any foe but their own people.

And I wonder just how much longer we'll be able to snigger at Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Najib, Hishammuddin, Khairy, Nazri, Zam, Zakaria, Badruddin Amiruldin and all their thousands of fellow buffoons and goons before they finally deliver their deadly serious punch-line.