LETTER | Indeed we must celebrate this climate of growing transparency. Thanks to the courageous eight students.

In fact, the oldies with their entrenched hold on power better realise now that the younger generation is taking greater responsibility in the nation's problems, concerns, issues and all things that are not right.

The latest expose of the Executive Summary by four so-called learned professors that was presented to the Rulers has got the whole nation up in arms.

The courageous and truly patriotic students have revealed how sickening to the marrow some of our institutions of higher learning can be.

All the more reasons to now swoop down into the corridors of these institutions and find out what other mutated and poison-laced brainwashing is going on.

And the pronouncement "Long Live the King" followed by His Majesty the Sultan of Johor announcing that the government did the right thing by listening to the "voice of the people" is now seen as a mockery, ie, this entire exercise to stall the government's decision to sign the Rome Statute to the extent of threatening a coup d'etat.

When will we ever learn? This is the age of reckoning made possible by the unstoppable Information Technology expressway.

You cannot pull veils over people's eyes. You cannot hide your transgressions. This is not the age of typewriters and facsimile.

This is the age of a new renaissance where the networked society thrives on the 'time and space flows', as explained by the Indian-American anthropologist Arjun Appadurai, who is a major theorist in globalisation studies, among others.

The 3Rs defence (race, religion, royalty) is not going to withstand the civilisation shaping up all around us. Wake up!

Hence, the overwhelming outpouring of comments condemning the actions imposed and forcing a decision making that has stalled the participation in the Rome Statute is a clear indication that the people's voice is 'We want the Rome Statute'.

More of our young who are savvy with the fast transforming technologies will smoke many more transgressions out into the open, believe me.

Leaders better be reminded.

Academicians cannot anymore operate like untouchable sages proclaiming to be saviours of the 3Rs mantra.

With this expose by the examplary eight students, those who peddled all the wrong propaganda owe Malaysians an immediate registration of regret and apology.

Let us talk about ownership and accountability.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his cabinet have the vote of the citizens. The Rome Statute has to be on and there cannot be two ways about it.

Capitalising on a hidden agenda of stopping the Rome Statute to grab power is the worst form of treason against the nation.

Relying on inaccurate and so-called learned advice is a dereliction of high office responsibilities.

The giving of ill-conceived advise is a betrayal against the people of this land.

There is no room to sound nice and farty. Let us call the spade a spade.

The government of the day has the people's vote.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.