It is a rather sad and depressing sight.

If our founding fathers, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra or Abdul Razak, our nation’s first and second prime ministers respectively, were alive, I wonder what they would say and feel at the manner of the political leadership of today, where no one actually believes the official version or government officials any longer.

Just look at the manner in which statements are politically twisted, how spins are positioned, how the vernacular press and certain electronic media manipulate headlines for a political agenda along racist lines with blatant lies and distortion.

All of us have, at one time or another, witnessed how ‘political choir boys and girls’ and others having a herd mentality replaced what used to be the silent yet commanding voice of truth and reason as was spoken by our founding fathers.

Politicians then were very respectful of one another despite being from different sides of the political divide. Those were respectable days where those wanting to be politicians were far and few between.

Many then were well-qualified, unlike today when some of these individuals have a track record of treachery, deceit and wrongdoing.

And the only common denominator between them all being that they are all eager to secure positions and political candidacy so that they can use their political power to accumulate more ill-gotten wealth.

So when this is the culture that is prevalent today, are we not being hypocrites in accusing Malaysian bloggers as mediums of ‘disinformation, slander, treachery, lies, distortion and chaos?’

Who started the slanders, the bickering, and the moral and spiritual decay? Who is to blame for the plunder, for the political abuse, unabated corruption, for the episodes of billion-ringgit scandals, bailouts and fiascos we have all witnessed?

As I write this letter, I am reliably informed there are banners being put up by those who were rejected by voters in Selangor giving the impression that Malays are being marginalised!

If this is not plain political lunacy and an attempt to create chaos between the various races in the country at a time when anxiety and tensions are high due to the fuel price hike and its snowballing effect on prices of goods and services, I wonder what is.

We must remember that Malaysians are looking at higher petrol prices, higher transport charges, higher food prices, an erosion of purchasing power and a cutback on spending and healthcare all making families vulnerable to all kinds of social disorientation and displacement.

It is easy to read idealistic and lofty speeches written by professional speech-writers and spin masters without really understanding what is written and what it all means in a country totally polarised by race, religion and now, various political divides.

Have we all pondered what it all means in a country now dominated by an on going war of words and ridicule between a former prime minister and his successor, resurrected allegations of sodomy or worse still, the alleged subversion of justice, lies, conspiracies and murder most foul that is making international headlines?

What does it all mean in a country where no one knows for sure if the various branches of government - the executive, the judiciary and the legislature - are actually separate and independent of each other as they should be?

The signs of disintegration are plainly there to see despite official denials. Where are we as compared to several of our South East Asian neighbors in view of development, economic progress, foreign development investments (FDI) and tourism?

Where are we to them in terms of inculcating nationalism, discouraging capital flight, reducing ‘brain drain’ and plans of action to address polarisation?

Even after over fifty years of independence as a nation, we still have racist politicians slandering minority races as ‘immigrants’.

Despite official denials, the plain truth today is that we are all very vulnerable and frightened. There is a sense of fear and anxiety that we did not have even during the economic gloom of yesteryears.

And as long as politicians and the nation’s leadership are caught up in their own political mind games and constant bickering, the situation will not change for the better.

These are simply distractions to strategic, sound and professional management of the country’s economic policies. The glaring truth is we are all fed-up and disgusted with policy flip-flops, glaring evidence of limited grasp of macroeconomic issues, cosmetic changes, and unrealised promises of proactive and accountable governance.

We are sick of allegations that politicians, their family members and cronies are raiding the national treasury and enriching themselves.

In the wake of this, what the nation needs is a leader who without any kind of political baggage, who is willing to address the nation’s many woes with wisdom, impeccable integrity and a plan of action.

One who will inject into the country, without fear nor favour, the kind of proactive reforms that will bring Malaysia back to her glory days.