Ever wonder why money politics and vote buying in the Barisan Nasional is so rampant? Things have become so bad that even Umno politicians are not afraid to admit the scourge nowadays.

The systemic cause for money politics is when policy innovation is not given its valued status. This is because power lies mainly with the party leaders. While in theory they have to go through their supreme councils and central committees, in reality key decisions are made by the top leaders according to their whims and fancies.

Did MIC president S Samy Vellu ask his CC before he announced that MIC would not appeal against MIC secretary-general's S Sothinathan's suspension? Was MCA's decision to buy the Nanyang Press truly a decision of its CC? Did former Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad consult the party's supreme council before he sacked his deputy Anwar Ibrahim?

In leaving too much decision-making power to top leaders, the contractual relationship between the leader and the led is seriously undermined. People who are not consulted in decision-making need not account for or support it.

Since the members are not consulted, there is little value for candidates to strive for better proposals and policies for the consideration of the party. Candidates, therefore, will use other methods to attract support eg, money, promise of offices, pulling strings, personal attacks etc.

The rot, therefore, is at the top. Leaders are not encouraging policy debates and this had a direct bearing on the prevalence of money politics. Another consequence is the fact that our general election campaigns frequently lack substance.

If the election is turned into a policy competition, then we should see more open debates among candidates as opposed to the current trend of focusing on 'sound bytes' or catchy slogans.

So the choice is with the leaders and also to what extent the voters would push for policy debates as a way to choose the leaders.

A leader who is given a blank cheque by followers will take them for granted and make reckless policies which may adversely affect all. Voters are well advised to look at what the candidates' policy intentions are before they give him or her a mandate. Candidates shouldn't be allowed to get away from policy debates on issues which affect the people fundamentally.

When leaders frown upon policy research, whatever they end up saying (aided by their privileged access to official information) will sound intelligent and comprehensive. But the product from a few brains certainly cannot match quality work which draws from more substantial, learned input.

Leaders are at fault when they keep policy formulation away from the people thus leaving politics open to money and influence peddling, violence, personal attacks etc. We must hold them responsible for this very bad 'policy' which breeds a negative political campaign culture.

We need to hold them responsible through policy debates and constant surveillance so we need not regret later when they execute bad policies against the people's wishes or do it in our names.