I refer to the Malaysiakini report EC: No by-elections in Perak.

Perak politics have plunged into chaos after the state assembly speaker declared vacant the state seats of Behrang and Changkat Jering though this was immediately denied by the two assembly persons.

It is now clear that the speaker had acted upon undated resignation letters signed by the duo far back as March 2008. They validity of these two letters will soon become the focus of a protracted legal battle. In the latest turn of events, the Election Commission (EC) has taken another controversial stand by not calling for by-elections.

Far back in the early 80s similar incidents cropped up in Sabah when PBS took over the state government. The aggrieved party finally went up to the courts to settle their disputes.

If I am not mistaken, the courts held that the undated resignation letters were invalid because the freedom of association guaranteed under the federal constitution also means freedom to dissociate from any political party at any time.

This time around, it is unclear how the courts will deal with the issue of undated resignation letters. The EC, according to the words of its former chairperson, Rashid Abdul Rahman, must proceed with the by-elections irrespective of what happens between PKR, the speaker and the two exco members.

However, these are the words of a former chairperson, no longer entrusted with powers to discharge his duties. The current chairperson, instead of complying with the speaker’s notice to declare the seats vacant, went against him and said the seats were still being held by the two excos.

Since the EC choose to reject the constitutional request of the speaker, more arguments and counter-arguments will surface, dragging the whole country into protracted political disputes.

It is certainly no good for the general public, particularly at a time when the government and the people have so much to deal with with an unprecedented economic downturn. These politicians or political players, be they from Pakatan Rakyat or BN, have done a great disservice to the country and its people.

Constitutional issues aside, political grass-hoppers are untrustworthy, unprincipled and immoral people who should not have been elected in the first place.

In the event that parties from both sides of the political divide agree to enact an anti-hopping law, the amendments must include a whole-life ban on all party-hoppers to prevent them form contesting in future elections.

Of course, to be fair to everybody, exemptions should be granted to those state assembly persons or members if parliament expelled by their political party.

Our democratic institutions must not be ridiculed and openly scandalised by the actions of a few irresponsible people. They are not qualified to stay in the forefront of our democratic institutions. The country’s democracy will benefit and prosper without these destructive elements.

Turning back to the politics in Perak, the scenario is too chaotic and both Pakatan and BN are equally guilty.

Pakatan should not have lured Umno’s Nasarudin HashimNasaruddin's (Bota assembly person) to cross over on Chinese New Year’s eve.

Similarly, whatever the predicaments they are facing, Jamaluddin Mat Radzi (Behrang) and Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering) should not have betrayed the rakyat .