The news about Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin wanting to compete in the upcoming SEA Games has drawn not only flak and criticisms but also raises serious, fundamental questions of principles.

The Crown Prince of Johor is spot on in saying that politicians should be leaving the time-consuming sports arena to career sportsmen and women.

You can be a youth leader riding the political waves. But as a political leader, walking the talk does not translate to also wanting to play polo, right?

Just as much as principle centred leadership in politics demands that career politicians stop dabbling in businesses and business deals, they should also be guided by the wisdom of the rakyat. They should wisen up to the fact that as a youth minister, you pave the way for the rakyat to bring glory through competitive sports. Certainly not be at the helm playing the sport if you are a politician.

Wonder how much of his on-the-job time KJ has dumped into playing polo. Wonder too, by virtue of his position and power as a career politician, how will lead a sports team that has to be focussed on intense practice every day and weeks on end to prepare for a winning performance.

Politicians like KJ must realise even before the rakyat tell him, that if you want to be a career politician then just do it. If you also want to be a career sportsman, then as a matter of principle and practicality, give up your political positions and do what every keen sportsman does.

If KJ thinks he is smart in setting a new standard of multi-tasking or wanting to be the new 'superboy' in the country, he is sadly mistaken. He has only weakened his boss, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's effort to battle the winds before GE14.

It is sad to know that a young Oxford hopeful wanted to be in politics but went into stocks and now is brandishing competitive sports.