The defeat in the Permatang Pasir by-election is a blow to Najib Razak and BN. BN is a grieving coalition. BN is in pain. Does BN and its component parties have the political will to revamp and transform?

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the Penang Umno liaison committee chairman and BN's by-election director for the Permatang Pasir by-election said: "The voters themselves do not want change. There is no need to blame our candidate or the election machinery!"

This recalcitrant statement of passing the blame is a reflection of Umno/BN's continued ignorance and arrogance.

Ahmad Zahid must be reminded that the electorate has changed. They are better educated and more exposed to the issues affecting their lives. They have access to the printed and alternative media, especially the internet.

Even deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the results showed that the people were not interested in development.

Excuse me! Let me remind the deputy prime minister that bringing development to the people is the responsibility of the government and not a reward.

Mahathir said BN had shot itself in the foot by fielding such a tainted candidate. Tengku Razaleigh asked: "Is Umno short of candidates to choose from?"

The powers that be in Umno do not have the time and humility to listen to these two statesmen. They set out from day one to defend their choice. They blamed everyone including the Bar Council.

They were blind to the flawed vetting process and controversies in the candidate's professional and personal life. They campaigned and pleaded with the electorate not to look at the personal issues of their candidate Rohaizat, a disbarred lawyer with an alleged second wife at the side.

The tainted (DVD) sex scandal BN coordinator Chua Soi Lek was also seen accompanying the candidate to woo the Chinese votes. These two tainted personalities are a combination to obvious disaster and defeat for the BN.

And all this is coming at a time when the public is demanding high moral standards, transparency, accountability and integrity in their public officials. The Chief Minister of Penang must have been a very happy man.

The Permatang Pasir by-election should be a lesson to BN. The question is "Will BN ever learn from its mistakes?" BN need to move beyond a call for another investigation to study the causes of its defeat at Permatang Pasir.

Thanks to the public, the NGOs and the media for keeping such public issues alive, those who breach the laws - civil or criminal - must be identified, convicted and punished.

We need to ask, "Where are the Umno leaders?" They have remained docile and silent in this billion-ringgit PKFZ fiasco. After the lesson of Permatang Pasir, it is hoped that Umno will wake up and stand up for morality, transparency, accountability, integrity and good governance.

Chua Jui Ming of PKR is right in questioning Umno's stand on the PKFZ fiasco.

It is hoped that the prime minister with his new slogan of 1Malaysia will now take the lead to clean up the baggage that he has inherited.

He has to come out strongly and support Ong Tee Keat in the latter's effort to clean up the mess in the PKFZ fiasco.

If our prime minister fails to stand by his transport minister in this PKFZ financial debacle, it may mark the demise of BN at the next general election.