COMMENT Whatever your prediction of when the general election will be held - variously estimated as likely to happen in three months' time (June 2011), or eight months' time (November 2011), or 11 months' time (February 2012), the precise dates don't matter now.

This is because the gloves have come off and the battle of invective has been joined. Observe how the wife of the prime minister has become a legitimate target even as pressure is mounted by the Umno-BN claque to get opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to submit his DNA.

When invective flies, then you not only know that polls are imminent; you can infer something of the desperation with which it will be fought...