The word is that secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh, 62, will take on Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy for number two.

Should Dr Ting decide to fight it out, he and Chua will have to convince the 2,000-plus delegates that they can do a better job than Ong and Chan. They will also have to explain why they should move upwards.

Chua has every democratic right to contest. And as a candidate, he should be given every chance to present his case to the delegates.

Elections are a vital part of democracy and, if fairly and properly conducted, there is no reason why it should split the party, as claimed by some politicians every time there is a contest.

If a leader clings on too long to his position, it surely does the party no good, and one way of bringing change is through the elections. Grooming successors helps the rejuvenation process and ensures a smooth leadership transition.

It is also healthy for members to offer themselves as candidates in a party election as it shows that there are many talents who are prepared to offer their services to the party.

It is also evident that democracy is alive in the MCA.

As in any election, much emotion will be generated as polling approaches but MCA leaders, who claim to contest the polls for the sake of the party and Chinese community, should refrain from mud-slinging.

Open criticisms will not benefit the party, the second largest component party in the Barisan Nasional, and neither will it go down well with the Chinese community.

The present leadership has been effective, strong and united.

There have been many changes since the two young leaders took charge – the most significant being limiting the president's tenure to a maximum of three terms.

Divisions also now find there is no disparity in the number of delegates they can send to the assembly, thus allowing the smaller divisions to be given much clout.

In short, the turbulence of the previous Team A-Team B fight which tore the party apart is now over. This is evident by the fact that Ong, 49, and Chan, 50, are now facing the elections as a team.

There will be pockets of discontentment following the peace plan, which saw Ong and Chan taking over and their predecessors Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek stepping down, but that is to be expected in a party of one million members.

Politicians, regardless of their level, expect positions and rewards – particularly after a bruising fight – and those who are left out in a compromise would surely be unhappy.

However, the  general membership, understanding the sentiment of the community, wants the leadership to focus their attention on protecting the community's interest and carrying out projects that benefit the people.

There are concerns that the Chinese community would lose its influence as the size of the community continues to shrink. Whether we like it or not, size does matter in the demography of a multi-racial country.

This election is not just about personal glory, winning positions or proving the candidate's popularity; the Chinese community want to know what the leaders can do for them.

The future plans are as important, if not more crucial, than past records.

The party and the community must remember that those who work will sometimes make mistakes but those who do nothing will only point out the mistakes of others.

He said the ministry wanted to re-evaluate the medical degrees from the university, adding that the university was not as impressive as those in Malaysia and Western countries.

Pointing to the large number of Malaysian students there, Musa said there was a need to review the status in the interest of the students and the country, saying "we are forced to review it for our own good".

Chatting to the Malaysian students, I remembered telling my colleagues that these young people would be very unhappy when they read our news reports via the Internet the following day. None of us had the heart to tell them of the press conference by Musa earlier.

Last week, the Crimea State Medical University issue was hotly debated in Parliament, with dramatic exchange of words resulting in a verbal clash between the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Syed Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz and DAP MPs.

But it was Datuk S. Sothinathan, the Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister, who found himself being suspended from his government post for three months after he broke ranks with the front bench.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Sothinathan's action was not befitting his role as a member of the Barisan front bench and that he should not have taken the stand of criticising his own government.

Outside Parliament, the debate has continued among members of the public. Some arguments have taken a racial tone, which is unfortunate, as the matter should be examined from the country's national interest.

The dilemma of our students at the university, irrespective of their ethnicity, should be regarded as a Malaysian problem.

There are Malay, Chinese and Indian students in Crimea. In fact, in 2003, Selangor state government officials even visited the university and signed a memorandum of understanding to place Yayasan Selangor students there.

Questions have been raised over the manner in which the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) handled the issue as it had previously recognised the degrees from the said university.

Then, there is also the concern over why the Education Ministry had given "no objection" letters to Malaysian students, who are said to be Arts students, to pursue their studies there.

These are valid questions and it is best that they are handled in a rational manner. Our Malaysian students there must be anxiously waiting for the Government to address their worries now. All the angry outbursts and name-calling, which are unbecoming of our politicians, will not help them.

In all fairness, the alert from the Government came long ago. The MMC has the right to ensure that Malaysians abroad study at the best universities.

Among the reasons stated for the MMC's change of heart in recognising the university included the dubious qualifications of students admitted for the institute's medical studies, the difficulty of its medical graduates in using technical terms in English, and the strain on the quality of teaching due to the sudden increase in intake.

The MMC has stated that it would withdraw the recognition of the programme to any student registered and admitted after Dec 31 this year.

Some parents have appealed to the body to extend the deadline to another year, pointing out that when the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom withdrew its recognition of medical degrees from Universiti Malaya in the 1980s, it gave the university a five-year period to rectify what it saw as its weaknesses.

The fault of the MMC is the sudden change of heart after having given recognition  earlier and the manner it is now tackling this headache.

Unlike other degrees, doctors deal with human lives and none of us want to be treated by doctors with dubious medical degrees.

But all is not lost. Graduates of the Crimea State Medical University, it should be pointed out, can still sit for a qualifying examination when they come back to Malaysia. If they pass, they can still practise at home.

There are other options. For example, Kiev University is prepared to provide courses to Malaysians using English as a medium of instruction. Musa, who had visited the university, was impressed with the facilities there.

Here is an interesting historical anecdote: Crimea, now an autonomous region in Ukraine, has a long history of conflict. The Crimean War, which lasted two years from 1854-56, was fought between Russia and the alliance of Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire and Sardinia. It was the focus of Tolstoy's voluminous War and Peace.

Let's hope this medical university controversy ends quickly and does not generate unnecessary tomes of words, written or otherwise.

As the prime minister, Abdullah should be allowed to devote his attention and energy to the larger issues affecting the country. He should not have to worry about a simple transfer request of a university lecturer or a scholarship application.

But that was what happened over the past fortnight. Abdullah, together with Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein  and Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Shafie Mohd Salleh, had to step in to put things right.

On June 13, Dr Shafie approved two years' unpaid leave for Assoc Prof Dr Terence Gomez to take up a post with the United Nations in Geneva.

This followed reports that Dr Gomez had been "forced" to resign from Universiti Malaya because his application for a two-year secondment to take up the UN post had been rejected.

The UM corporate communications office head Che Ramlan A. Rahman had said that the management could not release Dr Gomez, who is known for his academic work on business, politics and corruption, because he was needed at the university.

The case attracted the attention of not just ordinary Malaysians but academicians overseas. It was the kind of publicity that UM, which is celebrating its centenary anniversary, does not need.

The case was badly handled as it was allowed to drag on, leading to numerous letters being posted on the Internet while opposition politicians seized on the issue to point out what it regarded as another case of government inefficiency.

The fact is that it has nothing to do with policies, but just a simple case of poor decision-making.

Meanwhile, Hishammuddin too had to step in to make sure that the Public Services Department offered scholarships to the five SPM top scorers who initially failed in their bid.

Believing in fairness, the Umno Youth chief told reporters that he would not forget their names and vowed to resolve their problems.

The good news finally came from MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting who announced that Ng Ee Liang, Desmond Chee and Khaw Chok Tong would study medicine in Australia, Chew Ying Dee would take up pharmacy in Britain, while Teoh Wan Ying was offered to do actuarial science in the United States.

They were not the only ones. Utusan Malaysia reported that Abdul Azim Abdul Rahim, who scored 12A1s, also had his application for a PSD scholarship rejected. He was one of the 25 top performers who received certificates from Hishammuddin last March.

Again, Cabinet members had to intervene to make sure justice prevailed but the question is why Malaysians have to go through this annual charade.

We have drawn up a system where every young Malaysian needs to work hard to prove himself and when he has proven himself, we come up with vague explanations on how he missed by a quarter or half a point.

We can tell these bright sparks that they do not have the X-factor that could have earned them their scholarships or some of us can say that they could always look elsewhere for financial help.

But does Malaysia want to lose these intelligent youngsters to other countries who would readily offer them the scholarships?

The  PSD should be taking every step to keep the best and brightest in Malaysia and not discourage them, let alone reject them.

To their credit, the PSD has been accommodating to many appeals by those rejected the first time.

The action of our leaders has proven that the people can still depend on our moderate leaders to step in when such situations arise, but there is a need to ensure that officials do not carry out actions that harm the ruling party.

On the other hand, students seeking to further their education through such financial support must understand that there are limited resources.

They must learn to be more adaptable to possibilities of rejection and learn to check out alternatives. Parents too can do their part.

Remember, when one door closes, a window of opportunity can open elsewhere.

As Michelle Yeoh once put it, "one can practically smell a fellow Malaysian anywhere when one is overseas".

The last time fellow Malaysians and I sang aloud and with much passion the Negaraku and to raise the Jalur Gemilang was when we sailed on the Sea of Galilee. We were on a Christian pilgrimage in Jerusalem and amidst the spirituality, it warmed our hearts tremendously when we were able to display our national identity in such a manner.

In the run-up to our National Day, it is good that a debate has started over the playing of the national anthem at public events.

We should have no reservations about making it a practice for the national anthem to be played at all major sports and political events, irrespective of whether they are organised by the Government  or private  sector.

There is no reason why the practice should be restricted to school assemblies, the television and radio stations, and the weekly gathering of civil servants at the various ministries.

The national flag should also be flown by motorists, not just during the National Day celebrations, but at all times.

For a start, our leaders should take the lead by encouraging such a practice.

They should display these little flags on their cars, not just their official Perdana black cars but also their private cars.

But having said that, I hope our leaders and civil servants do not get too carried away in their efforts to promote the anthem and the flag.

Standing at attention and singing the national anthem do not make anyone a patriotic person. For example, a corrupt politician, who has been putting his fingers into the public coffers, surely cannot be considered a patriotic person.

Likewise, a Malaysian who is prepared to sacrifice national interest for foreigners, either for monetary or political interests, cannot claim to be loyal to our beloved country even if he has the Jalur Gemilang flying in his garden.

To put it simply, we should not measure the patriotism of Malaysians by the flying of flags or how they respond to the Negaraku. It would be a shame if that is how we gauge the level of loyalty.

We cannot force patriotism down the people's throat. I dare say that almost all Malay- sians are loyal to the country.

As much as the opposition politicians are sometimes labelled as anti-national and disloyal, the fact is that loyalty to the country does not mean loyalty to the ruling party. It's two different things.

The current issue is the playing of the national anthem in cinemas.

Although there was some confusion initially, it is good that Information Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir has clarified that the singing of the national anthem before movie screenings would not be appropriate.

"Negaraku should only be sung at appropriate times and only when the occasion calls for it," he told reporters.

Many young Malaysians may not be aware of it but during the 1960s, the national anthem was played in cinemas.

And during those turbulent times, when the country was fighting communists and communalists, not everyone stood up when it was played. Some sat in defiance, ignoring the stares of other cinema-goers.

But in current day situations, I cannot imagine myself standing up, with my hands by my side, as the Negaraku is played before the movie comes on.

And as soon as it is over, it's back to business, watching Kungfu Hustle or the latest SenarioXX , with my hands in the popcorn packet this time.

But playing the national anthem at stadiums, particularly at sports event, is entirely different. We want to build up the passion, so to speak, before a game with another country.

Games involving fellow Malaysian teams should also include this ritual. Even in the United States and many European countries, the national anthem is played before a game starts.

On a trip to Thailand recently, I was surprised to find shoppers and traders standing in respect when the Thai national anthem was played at the closing time of Chatuchak market.

To put it in context, the current debate has helped many of us reflect on what it means to be a citizen of this blessed nation. I believe we should all be thankful and proud that we are Malaysians.

As we prepare to celebrate our 48th Merdeka Day on Aug 31, I believe all Malaysians already know how to stand up when the national anthem is played. We not only stand up for Negaraku, but we all truly stand up for our country.

Foreign newsmen attending the 58th World Newspaper Congress and 12th World Editors Forum in Seoul last week may not even have noticed what nationality kim chi they were being served but to the South Korean reporters and traders at the local markets, it was a hot issue indeed.

The South Koreans themselves, of course, are no strangers to making imitations of branded products like Louis Vuitton and Chanel. But even in this world of fakes, the traders at Itaewon, where one can buy such products, say that China-made imitations are also making their way there.

The world, including Malaysia, must wake up to the reality that China has become the world's largest producer of almost everything.

Many factories in Malaysia, including several in Penang, have relocated to China to take advantage of its cheaper labour.

Chinese workers are not merely the low-skilled ones but also well-trained personnel in science and engineering. It produces 250,000 engineering graduates each year. For comparison, India produces 150,000 a year.

One big news item last week was China's decision to scrap its concessions on textiles to avert a trade war with the United States and Europe.

The US and Europe, alarmed over the Chinese inroads, have taken steps to restrict imports of Chinese clothing and textiles. It's simply a protectionist action on the part of the West but China has correctly played down the issue, preferring not to fight a war it cannot win.

It is interesting to note that the focus on economic growth – with GDP expanding at more than 8% a year – remains the main agenda for the government and people of China. Instead of constantly patting themselves on the back and seeking attention, Chinese entrepreneurs have cleverly projected themselves as weak Third World players, even as they surge to become dominant global players at the same time.

All this is taking place in an increasingly competitive world where countries which cannot change will lag behind.

It is said that nations which build fortresses will remain stagnant while those prepared to move, change and adapt will become strong.

The question is whether Malaysia is ready for all these high-speed economic changes taking place around the world.

Our leaders, no doubt, are fully aware of the consequences of lagging behind.

The government intends to get rid of the subsidy mentality and dependence on crutches but there is obviously resistance. Such stubborn mindsets have to be tackled. But time waits for no one. The economic challenge to Malaysians no longer comes from a Malay, a Chinese or an Indian but from China, India and the rest of the world.

In an increasingly connected world, the entry of China and India would have a tremendous impact on Malaysia.

There is no way we can take them on but we can learn to gain from them and treat these two giants as partners rather than competitors.

Our Malaysian politicians need to lead the people, regardless of their race, to face these global changes. We have spent too much time on issues which benefit no one. Instead of playing to the gallery by bringing up issues of the past that smack of communalism, we need to move on.

In this context, the government must be commended for taking steps to make Mandarin and Tamil part of the curriculum in national schools.

There has been talk that the government is prepared to even hire teachers from China and India if there is a shortage.

We must not be afraid of learning Mandarin and Tamil because these two languages are international languages. It is to the advantage of our young ones, regardless of their race, to know these two and even more languages if we wish to do business with these two economic giants.

Malaysian businessmen, besides Singaporeans, enjoy an advantage in China and India because of the ethnic and linguistic links.

For that matter, Arabic too should be an elective subject in schools and universities as West Asia, especially Dubai, is also moving at a furious pace.

The emphasis on English needs to be further encouraged, not stifled, if we wish to move on.

Our leaders should not be cowed by those who, in the name of nationalism, selfishly limit the advancement of English in our education system.

Last week, a friend gave me a large copper-tooled scene of The Last Supper. It was made at a factory in Guangdong, China.

The statues of many Hindu deities on sale in Singapore, according to The Straits Times, are also from China.

Nothing seems sacred any more and Malaysia had better wake up to that fact.

He has lessened the opportunities for corrupt activities by improving the public service delivery system and increasing transparency and accountability in the public sector.

That is not all. Abdullah has set up institutions promoting national integrity to instil a culture that hates corruption. He has also pushed for the return of an open tender system, when previously selected companies only needed to submit their bids to the Economic Planning Unit which then makes its recommendations to the government.

Just two weeks ago, the public had their first detailed look at the level of corruption in the police force following the release of the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry.

Abdullah has taken the lead by heading a task force that would carry out the recommendations of the commission. His personal attention will certainly help to push the proposals through more effectively.

But Malaysians want to see more. They would like to see the Anti-Corruption Agency as truly independent and modelled after Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), to give our investigators more clout.

Giving the ACA a free hand to carry out its tasks is insufficient if the public have the perception that there is interference from powerful politicians, even if that is not true.

Enforcement of the laws must be carried out without fear and favour. The public should not be given the impression, rightly or wrongly, that selective prosecution is being practised.

Abdullah must be supported in his fight against graft because it must be accorded the highest priority. This sickness must not be allowed to become  deep-rooted, like in Indonesia and Thailand. Worse, Malaysians now complain about enforcement officers who openly demand for money because these officers no longer try to hide the fact that they are corrupt.

Our leaders only need to go down to the ground. Talk to the petty traders at markets, talk to people who have to seek approvals from government departments, talk to motorists who are stopped by traffic cops. The list is endless.

It is not a surprise that the commission found that next to the police, the municipal councils and Road Transport Department (JPJ) are perceived to be the most corrupt.

In fact, a commission should be set up to investigate these two bodies. Why should only the police be subject to a 15-month probe when their numbers, in proportion to the population, are much smaller than the councils and JPJ?

Last week, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said political parties must not allow corruption to exist, saying that they must be willing to take action against even the most prominent and highest official of the party.

There were indications, he said, that corruption might be getting to a point of no return and leaders were willing to pay money to get themselves elected. Although he did not specify Umno, he said that "everybody talks about money politics (in Umno)".

It is good that Dr Mahathir has come out strongly against corruption but personally, I wish he could have done more during his over 20 years in office, such as carrying out anti-corruption campaigns to create awareness of the debilitating impact of corruption.

With his strong leadership, authority and grip on Umno, he let slip the opportunity to introduce reforms including effective enforcement of laws against corruption.

Malaysians may remain grateful to Dr Mahathir for the economic boom they enjoyed during his tenure, but one source of unhappiness was the introduction of the negotiated tender, which lacked accountability and openness. In fact, for many, it was no tender at all.

Money politics in Umno did not rear its ugly head one year or two years ago but at least a decade ago, when we saw the big fights in Umno.  Leaders like then Umno deputy president Tun Ghafar Baba and present deputy minister Datuk Aziz Shamsuddin, who lost his divisional chief's post, were victims who openly tell their stories.

No fight against corruption can be meaningful unless there is a demonstration of political will and commitment from the public to reject all forms of corruption, not just in the public sector but also in the private sector.

The pressure from the Abdullah Administration and the public must continue if we are serious about the war against corruption. We are all waiting to see what the government intends to do next now that the commission's report is out.

More action, less rhetoric, please.

To be fair, such wastage of public funds by the local governments is not confined to the Penang Municipal Council. Malaysians who have travelled around the country would attest to similar fiascos in the name of art.

In Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur, one can find fountains that no longer function, presumably because it is just too expensive to repair them, or just a case of plain negligence.

The Subang Jaya Municipal Council, easily one of the richest councils, spent RM3mil more than three years ago to put up the Millennium Park in SS13 despite much criticism.

The council promised that it would be a top-class attraction but the park predictably became a top-class fiasco within two years after it was built in 2001.

A check by The Star in January found that the ponds had become stagnant, the Balinese-style cascades had run dry and the once-golden bird statue had turned drab grey. Worse, the toilets were filthy. The multi-purpose hall was littered with construction debris and looked more like an abandoned place.

The ratepayers have been proven right. Because of poor maintenance and the fact that residents largely ignored it, the park had to be closed down.

The council has handed the park to a private company with promises of turning it into a "happening place" which will also include a food court.

Well, as Subang Jaya assemblyman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng said, at least the council would be able to collect rental from the company but I have my reservations about the project.

But the damage has been done. The RM3mil could have been used for more useful projects including improving roads, pathways and installing more street lights.

The council did not get its priorities right and RM3mil has gone down the drain as a result of poor planning. I doubt whether any official has been hauled up to give an explanation for the dismal failure.

Over the past few years, local governments have come under scrutiny from ratepayers who know their rights better. They want to exercise their rights and they expect the councils to perform their duties effectively.

Running a council is not an easy task, especially in major towns, but civil servants entrusted with the responsibilities have to implement good governance.

Instant beautification projects are seldom successful. According to those familiar with the approval of such projects, they are often the decisions of the executive officer, the landscaping committee or councillors who propose the ideas.

The ideas are seldom brought up at the full council meeting and, as a result, even the councillors may not be aware of such projects until it is known to the media, which may highlight it. Or worse, after they are implemented.

They could be projects recommended by landscape companies or ideas borrowed from overseas after a study tour by council officials, who assume they can be equally appealing here.

But in all fairness, there are also good ones. The two City Halls in Kuching have impressed many Malaysians who visited the state. The streets and even the alleys in Kuching North and South are clean and properly maintained.

Our councillors do not have to travel far to study good ideas. They can get basic ideas, with plenty of common sense, from Kuching.

That is why I was a little disheartened when a retired senior Kuala Lumpur City Hall official told me recently that he had never visited Kuching.

We expect our Datuk Bandar and council presidents to be sensitive to the needs of the people. Ratepayers are not stupid. They know how to appreciate a municipal or a city that is well run.

There were no further details on the subject but the
matter was even commented on by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun
Razak yesterday.

Some had pointed fingers at a retired Selangor officer and said he had been
bold enough to declare his assets to the authorities.

The allegations of graft, as contained in pages 278 to 287 of the report,
included officers wanting food from expensive hotels delivered to their rooms
on a regular basis to policemen returning arrested guest relations officers
from China to their station lock-ups with "love bites" on their necks after
they had been taken out.

The allegations also included police officers offering to switch urine samples
taken during raids for between RM200 and RM2,000. It was even alleged that
those who tested negative were asked to pay to avoid being framed as urine
samples could be switched easily.

One reader e-mailed her disgust after reading the report while a few senior
police officers expressed their unhappiness privately that the media had picked
up little bits of the report which made the force look bad instead of analysing
the entire context of the report, particularly its needs and shortage of
manpower and equipment.

For example, the commission said it was not convinced that granting salary
increases to policemen would reduce corruption but said it "believes that in
addition to examining critically their training and development needs, their
service conditions must be reviewed regularly to ensure those conditions
reflect fairly the special demands and nature of police service."

But the police as the most important enforcement agency needs to ensure that it
operates with the highest standard of professional integrity. It cannot expect
public support if its members cannot reject corrupt practices.

It must also be emphasised to Malaysians reading the report that some of the
allegations mentioned are just allegations – not substantiated by
evidence.

Obviously, there are weaknesses in our system that need to be rectified. The
commission reported that "bribe givers who had come forward to complain to the
commission were unwilling to make police reports because by doing so they would
incriminate themselves and feared that action would be taken against
them."

The commission said whistle blowers should be encouraged, as one of the
greatest barriers "is the reluctance or fear among subordinates to report
misconduct of their superiors and colleagues."

"In a clean police service, whistle blowers are regarded as heroes, but in a
corrupt service they are treated as traitors," it reported, adding that whistle
blowers should be recognised and rewarded.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar must be credited for
accepting the report in the right spirit, describing it as balanced. It was not
easy as the commission had not spared anyone or, as one analyst said, "did not
try to sugar coat any of its critical findings."

This is a chance for the police to reorganise and redirect itself. It will be a
massive exercise, no doubt, as it should even move police in administrative
duties to do more crime fighting work.

The unprecedented report has been released. The police force's weaknesses and
shortcomings have been outlined in an open and transparent manner. It is time
to move on, not dwell on the past.

Malaysians need the police. Our men, despite the criticism, have done a decent
job in ensuring our lives are safe and even critical Malaysians will agree that
they solve serious crime cases efficiently despite the handicaps.

In the interest of fairness, we must support the force as it is a vital and
indispensable institution of governance. It is important that the morale and spirit
of the police force must not be undermined as that would be detrimental to the
public and national interests.

It has even tackled minor details, like suggesting that the police should
change its motto of Mesra, Cepat dan Betul (Friendly, Fast and Correct) to
Mesra, Cekap dan Beramanah (Friendly, Efficient and Trustworthy).

It's simple – Malaysians cannot be expected to trust the
police unless it is efficient and corruption-free. That is the general concern
of Malaysians, cutting across all races and religions.

The setting up of the panel was part of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi's pledge to improve delivery of services, reduce corruption and
enhance accountability in government.

Transparency and accountability, the cornerstones of the administration, have
certainly been reflected in the report and, as Inspector-General of Police Tan
Sri Mohd Bakri Omar admitted, it is a balanced report.

The report is comprehensive, covering almost every aspect of the force – from
the management of the organisation to raising awareness of women and children's
rights – but it would be the chapter on corruption that is likely to interest
the readers.

A corruption-free police service is crucial – the police force would be harmful
to the country, jeopardising the carriage of justice, if it is not
trustworthy.

There are plenty of juicy allegations in the report, from guest relations
officers from China who were taken out from police cells to a senior officer
with declared assets of RM34mil.

Then there is an allegation by a complainant that a promotion for his brother,
a superintendent, was possible for RM40,000. Yet another complainant told the
commission that "the traffic division is a lucrative branch".

Corruption can be an emotional issue, but finding the evidence has always been
the frustrating part, as the Anti-Corruption Agency is aware, because the
complainants are often the accomplices, too. Poison-pen letters can hardly be
regarded as evidence.

In the force, it is even more painful for whistle blowers because the reporting
procedure requires reports to be made through a chain of command, which may
include the superior officers complained of.

But it should be noted that the commission also reported that "there are many
police personnel in all ranks of PDRM who serve with dedication and integrity.
They do not engage in corrupt practices of whatever kind".

These dedicated officers, it said, "deserve our admiration," adding that
"corruption in PDRM is part of a larger problem of corruption in government
enforcement agencies".

The commission has correctly pointed out that "the drive against corruption
cannot be targeted at the police alone. It must be targeted at the entire
public service". Besides the police, public complaints against the local
councils and the Road Transport Department are among the highest.

The question of human rights, especially the Internal Security Act, has also
been deliberated at great length by the commission. It has cited the existence
of a range of "preventive" legislation that places restrictions upon
fundamental liberties.

The position taken by the commission is that preventive laws are undesirable
because they deny the individual his personal liberty without a right to an
open trial, but "special measures may be necessary to preserve the security and
well being of the people and the nation".

But its stand is that certain provisions need to be reviewed, such as the
period of remand. It also raised its concern over the use of the Police Act to
regulate assemblies and meetings, saying this was biased against opposition
parties.

While civil liberties in Hong Kong and Australia are often used as references,
we must be cautious that in Malaysia, with its multi-religious and multi-racial
make-up, a different approach needs to be used.

Religious, cultural and racial bigots continue to exist and even terrorists
with links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network have been traced. In fact,
even before the Sept 11 attacks, the Malaysian police had tracked down these
extremists – long before the United States saw the dangers of the terrorism
network.

The police, which has a proven record in fighting terrorism, must be given a
certain flexibility as it would be naive to expect extremists to operate
openly. The police must not fight with one hand tied in the name of civil
liberty.

Sensitive files relating to the information of agents and sources of
intelligence should not be revealed to any agency, as suggested by the proposed
Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission. No police in the world
allows that.

The police, on its own, has already taken several measures and implemented several
recommendations of the commission even as the members were doing their
work.

They included measures to strengthen discipline, reduce corruption, increase
police presence in crime-prone areas, expand community policing and shore up
its commercial crimes investigation unit.

The Government must support the police by beefing up the force, which needs
40,000 more policemen, and improving their wages, allowances and housing needs
so our policemen can operate with pride and dignity.

It must be made worthwhile – financially and professionally – for our men and
women in the force, especially when the report has recorded cases of "serious
deficiencies" in its fleet of patrol cars; and even as we talk about the force
fighting crime in the 21st century, the police still have to use "dysfunctional
typewriters" and "bulky walkie-talkies that have long since been
discarded".

Worse, it said the bomb disposal unit still used equipment that was "obsolete
and insufficient for coverage throughout the country" and that "it has no
protective devices against chemical or biological weapons."

Shocking as it may seem, the commission said that the force only has "400
bullet-proof vests" nationwide and that the present loudspeaker devices used by
the Federal Reserve Unit were found to be "not loud enough to be heard above
the din" at demonstrations and "expose the police to allegations of not issuing
warnings before dispersal action is taken".

Besides the poor conditions of many police stations, of which 107 were built
between 1906 and 1992, the housing needs of the lower-ranking officers have
continued to be a major problem. Many constables, especially those in major
towns, have to live in squatter areas, which is not good for their morale and
image.

The question is where do we go from here. The commission has carried out a
credible task and Abdullah has promised to implement the recommendations under
a task force that he personally heads.

Equally important, Malaysians must remember that the strengths and
contributions of the police must not be overlooked as we read about its
weaknesses and shortcomings, as contained in the report.

It all started with presenter Stephen Sackur asking Anwar about his control of TV3 and a fleet of newspapers, suggesting that Anwar had used his political influence to control the media when he was deputy prime minister.

The point made was simple – despite talking about press freedom and civil society, Anwar, like many politicians, had used the media for his own political interest.

But Anwar refuted the allegations, pointing the finger instead at Dr Mahathir at least twice during the interview.

In turn, Dr Mahathir said he was merely a joint trustee together with the Umno deputy president and treasurer to assets and shares owned by the party.

The BBC interview, which was aired four times over Astro, has generated some interest among Malaysians, especially on political websites, but perhaps only among the politically-conscious.

The reality is that Malaysians are more interested in the increasing cost of living. The allegations and rebuttals by Anwar and Dr Mahathir may be a good read but much has taken place over the past years.

Dr Mahathir has retired, Anwar has been released from jail, the Keadilan party was badly defeated in the elections and Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has firmly settled in as prime minister.

Malaysians now talk about what the new administration has done or not done since the general election when the Barisan Nasional scored its biggest electoral success.

While not many people are prepared to write off Anwar from the political scene as he is relatively young at 57, it would be very difficult for him to make a comeback.

As a blogger wrote on his website, he has difficulty placing trust in what Anwar says and practises politically because Anwar was part of the political establishment for more than a decade.

Anwar, he argued, was not much different from many politicians, playing the Islamic image to conservative Muslims and the liberal, civil society leader to the non-governmental organisations.

Some would even blame Anwar for making Malaysia become more Middle Eastern, in the name of Islam, during  the time when he was in power.

But the blogger, echoing the sentiments of many Malaysians, also said that he had nothing but despise over the way Anwar was treated by the police and media when he was arrested.

Most Malaysians who watched the show felt that it harmed Anwar's image. He was unsure, hesitant and, on several instances, made reversals to his statements.

He looked like a jaded politician who has had his time and opportunity. His attempt to project a new look did not appear convincing.

But Westerners, who may not be too familiar with the Malaysian political scene, and those who still harbour anger against Dr Mahathir, could possibly sympathise with the statements made by Anwar.

Topics like civil society, a free society, reforms and the fight against corruption are issues that go down well with the people, regardless of where they come from, and Anwar has understandably used them as his platform.

But all politics is local, as the saying goes. That would be Anwar's predicament, now that he has been released from jail.

Reforms in government and the fight against corruption are no longer issues which are the monopoly of Anwar. They are also the agenda of Abdullah, who has made much progress in these areas.

All that the prime minister must do is to make sure that he continues to pursue these issues passionately. That is the hardest part for Anwar.