LETTER | I refer to the comment "Snap election not needed to change govt", by KK Tan and Azmi Anshar on Jan 7, 2021, and to the follow-up letter, "Fair and honest critique of some political analysts", by KK Tan on Jan 10, 2021.

KK Tan, I regret to note that despite your claims to be an independent corporate and political analyst for over 35 years, you write with such disgust and anger, chiding almost all the public, politicians and analysts and even the news media.

Let's review some of the assertions you made.

In the comment, you and your co-author said: "It seems strange and intriguing that many people are confused and so presumptuous …"; "Our advice to these politicians and analysts is to stop spreading false news ……".

You continued your tirade in the follow-up letter: "Malaysiakini, among other news media, should not allow or encourage such analysts to further confuse and cloud the "already confused public"; "allowing such false narratives may further confuse or mislead your readers, many who may be scratching their head…"; "the Malaysiakini editor concerned should … not use it at all if the analysts concerned are talking rubbish or saying things as though we live in "cloud cuckoo land".

And what was the Einstein brain wave you had, that no almost no one knows about: (i) that the majority can be determined outside Parliament, based on the Federal Court's judgement in the Perak constitutional crisis, and (ii) the Agong has the option to appoint an "interim" prime minister, or dissolve the Parliament on the advice of the PM.

But this is something that is so common knowledge, even to the masses; the taxi drivers, night-market traders, farmers etc.

As one of the many "confused public", who writes in, and is a subscriber of, Malaysiakini which you soundly disparage, let me calmly rebut your assertions.

From the above summary extracted from your two articles, do you now realise you are the only confused person living in "cloud cuckoo land"? You were so presumptuous yourself that Malaysians will cite this as a classic example of "syiok sendiri".

The moment someone makes all these sweeping self-glory presumptions without any basis, even a kid will know you have lost the plot. Where is the evidence for these presumptions? It's all cooked up in your mind, so that you can be seen as a hero and super analyst, and that only you can speak the gospel truth, nothing but the truth. This is the age-old trick-of-the-trade of biased consultants and analysts.

As a renowned corporate/political analyst, I am surprised you don't know that every politician/analyst with a vested interest will double speak to serve their interest, and bend/deny the truth. You have turned this double-speak to condemn people as confused and ignorant.

You chastise Malaysiakini for quoting other politicians/analysts, and publishing their views. I think you are the only one who should be chastised and your articles dumped. You know why Malaysiakini published your letter? I guess they wanted you to make a fool of yourself.

Oh, one more thing, you make a distinction between "interim" and "caretaker" prime minister, saying the "interim" prime minister has the full powers and authority of the prime minister. If so, why call it "interim". Show me where in the Federal Constitution, the words "interim prime minister" appear. And don't give me that crap about conventions.

You see, you yourself got conned by politicians and analysts who purposely and relentlessly used that term "interim" to harass Dr Mahathir Mohamad. And now you call them fakes and confusing the people.

You propose an involved system of vetting politicians and analysts by the news media. I guess you should be the first one to be discarded by your own rules. We the discerning public don't swallow wholesale what analysts say. You dare publish your thoughts in Malaysiakini, about the only news media where commenters can be ruthless with their independent reasoned views.

If you are the enlightened one, you should have your own news media. Why get angry at Malaysiakini and politicians/analysts, and waste my time?

Before you respond, I would like to know your full affiliations and positions, so I know where you are coming from. As of now, I can only say you want to promote yourself by condemning all other analysts and the general public.

RAMAN LETCHUMANAN was director, Environment/Conservation, Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (1993-2000), head of Environment/Haze/Disaster Management, Asean Secretariat, Jakarta (2000-2014), and senior fellow at S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (2014-2016). He is a subscriber of Malaysiakini. Email: [email protected].

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.