Jeffrey's conclusion on the affair between the Sultan of Pahang and a Filipina nurse expressed in his letter, is somewhat misplaced ([#1] Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned [/#], March 2).

The writer said, "Whilst the champion of women's causes will jump on this episode to illustrate how a woman is often victimised by men in power, let there be sufficient empathy for the other side - often how a man is held to ransom (by a woman who reverses the power when she catches his biological seed) and made to suffer in property, reputation and standing by reason of his first indiscretion arising out of a natural basic instinct."

If we extend his logic to a thief, for example, we should not be too hard on him or put him in jail because he can't help stealing owing to the fact that he is a thief. The police who catch him should not punish him because his fault is that he got caught.

Do we need to empathise with a man who needs to rape or force himself upon a woman because it is his "natural basic instinct"?

The writer also ignored the fact of the victim's hardship and the plight of the child. A child's need to know the truth about his or her biological father and to interact with him is a legitimate concern and worthy of the community's support. That the writer should read into the victim's ulterior motive for financial gain and intention to hold the accused to ransom is gratuitous and unkind. Even if it were true, a man still has the legal and moral responsibility to be responsible for his actions, especially someone who can afford it. That's what paternity suits are all about.

The Sultan of Pahang is a powerful man and few would want to cross his path. It is unlikely a poor Filipina would hold him to ransom if the facts did not occur as she stated. If someone accused me wrongly, the first thing I would do is report it to the police, not send my lawyers to negotiate. Based on the documentary evidence unless the whole thing is a big hoax and the photographs and letters are fabrications, it seems that the sultan did not deny he is the father of the girl.

It is a lesson for us all that none of us is above the law and that misdeeds done in secret can easily find their way out into the open. And if we are caught with our pants down, the decent thing to do is to admit our fault and make restitution for our mistakes. If we try to cover them up or lie our way out, it could make things worse. President Clinton found out the hard way.

Men who think abortion is an easy way out of a paternity suit should think again. Many women become attached to their unborn child and will try to raise the child alone if necessary. It is only an arrogant man who thinks he can have unprotected sex with a woman and walk away without worrying about the possibility of her getting pregnant.

Here's a true story about another king who fell. King David, the father of King Solomon, was a great king who lusted after a beautiful woman who was not his wife. When he saw her from his roof, bathing, he had her sent to his palace and he had his way with her. Then he had the woman's husband sent to the front line where he was killed in battle.

One day the Prophet Nathan came and told him about two men in a town. One was rich and had many sheep and goats, the other was poor and had only an ewe lamb which he tended and loved and treated like a daughter. A traveller came to town and the rich man took the poor man's lamb and slaughtered it. When David heard the story, he burst in anger, "The man who did this deserves to die." The prophet Nathan then told David the man was he. Upon hearing that, David was convicted of his wrongdoing and cried, " I have sinned against God." As a result we have the beautiful Psalm 51, which is his beautiful poetry of repentance.