In every by-election there will always be news of disgruntled opposition party members jumping ship just before polling day to join Barisan Nasional.

The timing would lead one to believe that it is an election gimmick pure and simple, but sadly stale and well past its shelf life.

It does not impress the majority of us and the only people who stand to gain anything from such ship-jumping are the 'jumpers' themselves.

Sadly, our future prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi still believes that we the electorate will be impressed by such 'shows' and has hence taken it upon himself to play the starring role by accepting these people into BN.