This is a rough study on the psychology of some of the retired or unknown and retired politicians, corporate captains and university lecturers, who are more prone to joining the opposition camp upon their retirement.

Many of them do not have degrees in the social sciences or political science, like US President Barack Obama who got his bachelor's degree in political science from the Columbia University in New York City before he entered public service to become a congressman for Illinois and later president of his country.

In Malaysia, losers in politics seem to think they are more smarter and popular. They enjoy each time there is a by-election because they can raise their voices again and create confusion amongst the crowd of people.

When will the opposition and other politicians in Malaysia acquire taste and honour? Malaysia is perhaps the only country in the world which offers a lot of space for lawyers and court cases.

You can't find anything like this in Singapore or in other neighboring countries, except perhaps Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The level of legal activity in Malaysia can be compared to such countries but it can never be compared to that of England or America where the presidents of their Bar Councils do not make press statements or hold public forums that only aim to inflame the emotions of the public.

What if the media does not support or give coverage to such forums? I am sure the Bar Council here or the other NGOs will not be interested to invest their time and energy to pour out their emotions and feelings.

Unfortunately and ironically, the majority of the people and voters are not street-smart; they are still taken in by speeches and lengthy orations.

When will the people and voters in Malaysia be able to make their own decisions on whom to vote for based on their own judgment and not because they told who to choose?

From the people who are now vocal and active in opposition politics, we can see how most of them were relatively unknowns when previously in their respective chosen profession. But once they retires, they made a bee-line for the opposition. When they were in government service, they were coy and quiet.

Many of them also probably think that there is life after retirement. When they were in the government service or working in the private sector, they had to retire at a certain age. But if they go into politics, they can remain there for as long as they like.

So in a way, psychologically speaking, some of them enter opposition politics, hoping that they can find a new vocation and to earn money the easy way without having to prove anything.

It is good that our politics allows such persons with such backgrounds. Whether they have leadership qualities or not, it is not important, because in opposition politics, the leadership is the one found at the very top.

Most of the new opposition members of parliament and state assembly persons cannot ask interesting and intelligent questions, especially the member from Kelana Jaya who cannot even speak Malay well.

The truth of the whole matter is that many enter politics, regardless of whether it is opposition or ruling politics, not because they have leadership qualities or the necessary qualification. The sad truth is that our politics allows just about anyone with whatever qualifications or even no qualifications to enter.

From those who only have a basic diploma, to the retired university professor, all of whom know that they could never have exceled in their original profession. So no wonder we still have retired postmen and clerks entering politics. They say they want to ‘provide leadership' for their communities, but is that a fact?

Is it not because they are able to get a better job that offers better pay, better than what they could ever have got with their limited education and professional experience?

Malaysian politics is not like that in America. Over there, former vice-presidents, upon retirement or after losing in a presidential election, choose to teach at a university or set up an organisation to help the needy.

Here in Malaysia, politicians who lose in elections will be very angry that they had lost so they end up trying to win in the next election and the next and the next....

Simply because they do not know what else that they can do besides politics.

Many of our opposition politicians still have a Third World mentality. A major characteristic of a Third World politician is when one refuses to concede defeat, and who chooses to continue running for office despite being given many chances to prove oneself.