I refer to the Malaysiakini report Anwar free on police bail .

‘It’s yesterday once more’ - the evergreen song by Karen Carpenter captured the sentiment on the ground when the de facto leader of the opposition front was arrested for sodomy charges. Deja vu.

History has a funny way of repeating itself and one would think that the present regime would not resort to the same old trick of charging the presumed prime minister- in-waiting for an alleged sexual act with his young aide .

The brutish way the policemen arrested him is reminiscent of past events when the police had manhandled the former deputy premier.

It is a good thing that Anwar Ibrahim is out on bail as his ardent supporters would be on the streets if he remained in jail for this bailable offence.

I suppose the higher echelons of the police force have learned their lesson and would not give a black eye to their high-profile detainee while he is in custody.

The only ‘black eye’ of sorts has been given by the public on the present government as they know that the authorities will resort to any means to stop Anwar from achieving his dream of becoming our sixth prime minister.

It would seem that if you are currently holding a top position in this country, it is all right to be involved in corrupt practices, tell tall tales when scandals erupt under your watch, abuse your power for personal gain or be involved in a gruesome murder.

But if you happen to be an opposition leader, the authorities will hound you and bring criminal charges against you. What utter rubbish is this?

The government of the day need not resort to dirty tricks to remain in power. The recent general election results should have jolted them awake to reinvent themselves to be better in order to win the hearts and minds of the voters and win big at the next polls.

Public sentiment will always be for the underdog. The government has shot itself in the foot by arresting the former deputy premier on alleged sodomy charges while turning a blind eye to the misdeeds by their own kind which have caused the depletion of public coffers.

Whether this latest legal issue which Anwar’s faces will derail his ambition to become premier is anyone’s guess. But it will buy time for the beleaguered government to remain in power longer as their chief nemesis is busy clearing his name.

With the predicament faced by Anwar, it looks like his plan to contest one of the parliament seats as well as forming the next federal government will be on hold.

Many of his ardent supporters will be disappointed to see their hero being victimised again by the ruling parties and if history is any guide, one would not be so surprised if the former deputy premier languishes in jail again for the same crime he was alleged to have committed ten years ago.

But times are a-changing and the people are more educated and demanding. The old brutish way of jailing your political opponents under the notorious ISA or on trumped-up charges will only inflame the people against our inept government who seems unable to reverse the tide surging against them.

Dinosaurs are already extinct. A corrupt and autocrat government cannot impose their will as sooner or later, the people will revolt against them. In a modern and civilised society, the people expect leaders to have a high moral fabric and integrity when helming the nation.

Look likes this Anwar’s saga has opened a can of worms regarding the present regime’s lack of ethical values, a regime which will use government machinery to run down its political opponents.

Zimbabwe and Burma are considered rouge states by other nations. Are we heading in their direction as well?