With all the speculation over who would become Pak Lah's deputy in October, I had been one of those who favoured Najib Tun Razak.

Somehow I was misled into thinking that being British-educated and the son of a former prime minister who restored democracy in Malaysia in 1971, the defence minister would be the kind of leader who has a sense of justice and fair play, is progressive and liberal, and so on.

Not anymore. My views on Najib has changed after seeing his objections to the Election Commission's decision to allow public rallies during the campaign period.