I refer to the Malaysiakini report Name your enemies, Chua told.

I agree to former health minister Chua Soi Lek stepping down for a while to reflect as there are many issues to think through. I believe that after reflecting and if he truly repents and is prepared to turn over a new leaf, he should be forgiven and be given another chance to regain the moral ground to be a leader.

But really, what is the issue here? Is it a problem of morality or a problem of being caught on camera? Would it make a difference if say, he had an affair and then came out in the open after which his family still accepted him back?

Take another incident which happened to one very senior MCA leader in the 1980s. If I remember correctly, he was still legally married while having a 'companion' who accompanied him during ‘ceramahs’ etc. What happened? His ‘ceramahs’ were packed, he was popular and was given credit for getting the English-speaking Chinese to join the MCA. What morality? What ‘high ground’?

Morality and ethics cover more than just being faithful to your wife. Can all the senior civil servants swear on their respective Holy Books (assuming it is allowed by their religion) that they will abstain from immoral practices in order to continue to be on the ‘moral high ground'?

And what about premarital sex? I think all religions frown on it. So if someone is appointed a leader in a political party or a senior civil servant and if that person is single, will it be necessary for him or her to take a vow of abstinence?

All said and done, my hope is that with Chua's issue sort of settled, his legacy will be that he left behind a very high moral standard which must be observed by all. Certainly we hope there will be no practice of double standards by MCA or BN or the government.