Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad revealed his ignorance of the due process of law by questioning the relevance of producing the sarong as a material evidence in the recent acquittal of an alleged flasher.

Short of urging him to requisition de facto Law Minister Rais Yatim to lecture him on Law of Evidence 101, it would suffice that he checks with the Attorney General's Chambers on why soiled mattresses were lugged daily to court during the trial of former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.

When one is so used to putting away people one doesn't like by using shortcuts like the Internal Security Act, court processes would understandably seem alien, tedious and cumbersome. Hishamuddin Rais and four others are still in detention in Kamunting based simply on police announcement of 'discoveries' of arms caches and rocket launchers which never saw the light of day.

On the other hand, investigations done on the alleged corruption of serving ministers suddenly needed fine-toothed combs, and then deemed not meriting court scrutiny because of 'insufficient evidence'. Is it surprising then that in Bolehland, obtaining Swiss Bank records as evidence in alleged wrongdoings of Eric Chia in Perwaja Steel, remain as complicated as rocket-science.

I admit that pouring out my bile is not a positive way to start to the new year. But will someone tell Mahathir that credibility is the essence of effective leadership. Quotes attributable to him are beginning to compete with the Sunday funnies!