I refer to the Malaysiakini report Perak gov't collapses - BN claims power .

The political turmoil in Perak is a sad indictment of the political ethics of politicians and the urgent need for reform. While it is the right of every politician to party- hop for whatever reason, the acceptance of two PKR state assembly persons facing charges of corruption into the Barisan Nasional fold is worrying.

Most will agree with Dr Mahathir Mohammed who reportedly slammed the Umno leadership for 'stooping low' in accepting the troubling two. It brings into question if the government which recently rushed through the establishment of the MACC to curb corruption is serious about stemming corruption.

Umno's action will only fester corruption because corrupt politicians will think they can offer themselves to the highest bidder to escape from the arm of the law and their troubles.

Politicians under investigation or charged for corruption ought to be taboo for any political party except the most unprincipled. Those who believe in winning at all costs don't deserve to win because there should be ethics in politics even if it is soiled by dirty politicians.

The arm of the law has been seriously shortened because of political interference and it can't be good for the rule of law. Political patronage ought not to undermine the cause of justice especially when the judiciary's reformation is far from finished. There are questions as to the independence of the judiciary and the police and justice not seen cannot be justice done.

Politicians should be free to switch sides and leave their political parties and join another or become independent because they have a right to conscience. If they no longer feel right to support their party's policies or leadership they are free to leave. But they ought to do it for the right reasons and in the right manner.

In the Perak situation, it is insulting to the rakyat for the politicians who have left their parties to claim to be independent when they are apparently aligned with one side. This is an act of public deception and should not be encouraged.

Those who claim to be independent ought not to be the de facto members of another party. They should be truly independent and be seen to be independent. But it is unlikely these ‘instant independents’ will survive a fair election.

In the imbroglio, the conduct of the politicians involved leave much to be desired. Their disappearing act, denials and duplicity in saying one thing and doing the opposite, take the public for granted.

Their words cannot be trusted anymore and that is the price politicians pay for their puerile and duplicitous conduct because voters remember their misdeeds. It needs be said that politicians need to show a higher standard of conduct in such circumstances.

It is time to make politicians more accountable for their conduct. Voters can, of course, vote out the delinquent ones but there has to be greater accountability of personal conduct between the elections. Whatever the solution, it must involve bringing the conduct of all politicians to a higher standard than what the public has recently seen.

That Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak should promise Perak people a ‘new era of service to the rakyat ’ when BN forms government makes you wonder what kind of service the people have been getting all these years.

Ipoh used to be a convenient place to visit by plane and now it does not even have an air link. Pork-barrelling politics has also got to go and it should be made illegal for politicians to offer money to electorates willy-nilly. This practice teeters on corruption.

Every place deserves to be developed regardless of who controls the state.

The game of politician-baiting is a double-edged sword. Politicians who cross over to other parties for the wrong reasons, especially selfish ones, deserve the public's disapproval. They create a climate of suspicion and instability which can't be good for anyone.

Democracy demands that the people be given the right to give their mandate to democratically- elected politicians. The coveting of power by poaching, soliciting and other means, legal, corrupt or otherwise, should not be adopted as the modus operandi of the politicians.

If there is honour among thieves there must be honour among politicians. Otherwise they do not deserve the mandate to govern.

I think it inappropriate, even sacrilegious for Najib to suggest it is ‘God's will’ of the Perak political turmoil. God is a God of order, truth and justice and does not suffer fools for people to use his name in vain, more so in partisan politics. We know about the fools who went to war invoking God to be on their side. But God would rather they be on his side.

Power won by corruption and deceit is immoral and illegitimate and let us hope voters will make themselves heard when it counts. That Umno's image has been tarnished as Mahathir suggests is reasonable and fair comment.

There is no glory in having politicians already charged for corruption in your team. It is an insult to the people's moral sensitivities and a 'desperate act' as Mahathir rightly criticised.