Keadilan's Dr Syed Husin Ali is that rare breed of politician. I have always admired him. He has refused to stand in the safe seat of Kota Baru when his beliefs were made out to be handicaps instead of the strengths that they really are.

These are the principles that have supported him in his long and lonely political battle to bring integrity to the Malaysian political scene. My regard for him has gone yet higher.

I hope that Keadilan will still be able to find him a seat that can realistically get him into Parliament. There's a dire shortage of people like him there.