The brewing controversies of MCA triad links, MCA Wanita chief Dr Ng Yen Yen's past status as an Australian permanent resident, the way these controversies are mishandled by MCA and the Barisan Nasional leadership not o­nly reflect the 'quality' of our politicians but also all go to show the sickness within body politic of this country.

The following points occur to me:

To many people, it was plain wrong for Ng to be a foreign PR when she was holding public office as senator. This is because a foreign PR is incompatible with public office. Some may think it reflects disloyalty, but even not, it reflects that the holder has bought 'insurance' of foreign PR just in case this country gets too 'hot' to live in.

And when a person is holding public office, it would be incongruent for him/her to pledge allegiance to serve country and yet buy 'insurance' to leave at the appropriate time. If the PR status was to enable her to visit her children studying in Australia, then it would reflect that she had no confidence in either Tunku Abdul Rahman College or our educational system.

(One would reasonably expect that quota system will not militate against exceptions as the case of children of those of influence within the ruling parties).

There are also other questions. Are any of her children and husband still holding Australian PR even when she is not? If the answer is yes, then it seems to imply that the family does not have confidence in Malaysia's future. Or at the very least she could indirectly do the same by tagging o­n her family members PR to exit if deemed necessary.

Whether the above construing or misconstruing is fair or otherwise, it is hardly consistent with democratic culture to issue a 'gag order' by threatening disciplinary action against any "Wanita leader or member who openly comments o­n the issue of Ng's PR status".

On the part of those in Team A at MCA's helm, it would tantamount to silencing criticisms within rank and file of o­ne's own wrong or dubious doings.

This 'silencing' seems to be the trend when disciplinary action is sought to be instituted against MCA Youth chief o­ng Tee Keat's disclosure of MCA triad links. What 'crime' has o­ng actually perpetrated when he raised 'criminal' triad links of his own party members or leaders?

To silence by threat of disciplinary proceedings represents an abject failure or unwillingness or inability to rebut cogently criticisms. It is a well-tried way of a tyrant - not a democratic leader.

This whole controversy is o­nly the tip of the iceberg. We do not know how many other prominent leaders of Team A or their families hold present or past permanent residence in foreign countries.

We do not know how many too in Team B have secured permanent residence abroad. It would be strange that those who live in glass houses can throw stones at others.

But before Teams A, B (or maybe a new C) of MCA are criticised for hypocrisy, let's ask ourselves whether other politicians within Barisan Nasional component parties, whether Gerakan, MIC, PPP or even Umno have bought this 'insurance' against a PAS electoral victory and a campaign to investigate 'money politics' by Syariah law in its aftermath!

For us ordinary rakyat , the better course is for all who hold public office should make statutory declarations of not o­nly of their assets and wealth here and abroad but whether they or family members hold past or present foreign permanent residence. It must be explained to them clearly that if they bear false oath as exposed by political rivals in the future, they will go to jail for perjury.

For we cannot have a situation of the country's affairs being run by those who evince no stake in it. There is no compelling reason for them then to run it properly. In fact it may be an admission that they have run the country improperly. The fact that they buy insurance of foreign PR shows that the political elites too have no confidence in the way the country is run by them, so why should we common folks vote them in there?

Just like this issue of money politics and its extension, 'black gold' politics with triad links. Triad connections have a criminal aspect to it that is supposed to be investigated by the police at the direction of the Home Ministry rather than the issue being pushed off to the MCA president for silencing the whistle blower, o­ng Tee Keat, by party disciplinary proceedings.

Against the background of rampant money politics that leaders of various major parties within the ruling coalition have admitted as a prevalent disease, and in view of triads and gangsters have lots of money from their ill gotten gains that may be deployed to support the dynamics of money politics, the alleged MCA triad links will raise the question and open the Pandora box regarding the public issue whether other political parties too (to the extent of some of their members' involvement) are likewise implicated in links with gangsters but have not yet been discovered.

Gangsters who run lucrative illegal business will also require political patronage and representation, don't they?

In conclusion, the above ways of handling the dirty linen washed in public is really a very sad reflection of political ineptitude, and as a measure of our political culture, a indictment of its sickness.

If it were true (as suspected) that some of our leading politicians across the entire political spectrum buy insurance cover of foreign cover of permanent residence for themselves or their families or that some of them forge alliance with triads as part of money politics, it would be a vindication of the suspicion that they have run the country badly that they themselves are aware privately but cannot of course admit publicly because "the show will have to go o­n".