Referring to your report 'Still at odds over Abdul Gani' (Dec 20) about "two DAP leaders" remaining at odds over the suitability of Gani's appointment as attorney-general, I think, in the first place, that Gobind Singh Deo hardly qualifies as a leader in any true sense of the word.

Other than the fact that his post as publicity bureau secretary is not recognised in the DAP constitution, he has by no means done anything significant for the party that entitles him to the description as "leader".

His latest outburst supporting someone of dubious character to the AG post is not an auspicious sign of leadership potential either. Indeed, one might question whether he has the integrity becoming of a future leader of any party besides Umno.

Regarding Gani's appointment as AG, the fact is that you don't hire anyone as cashier even when there are only rumours that he's got sticky fingers, nor a psychologist as school counsellor when you feel he could have been a child molester. You look around and play safe, looking for people with the right credentials and résumé.

To even think about appointing a person who might have coerced someone to fabricate evidence against another to a post that essentially oversees the enforcement of justice in the country is, to say the least, preposterous.

DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang is right: this is probably the first guy to enter the AG's office under a cloud. And whether that cloud could be dispersed or not isn't as important as whether another qualified judge, one with a squeaky clean record, could not be found for the post.

Lastly, the case is less about "democracy" within DAP as with the image the party aims to project. Whatever critics might say about DAP, it has always been a party of integrity. What Gobind Singh Deo uttered on Dec 9 has tarnished the party in a way that would make all past DAP leaders and supporters turn in their graves.