The top leadership is under test on posterity. Old style politics will not sustain the parties on charismatic props. There is nothing called negative production. There are two sides: the survival of the party; and its public performance. There is no point in being obsessed with the former and neglecting the other. Sustainability is self-propelled; as is leadership. No props, no trimmings.

Today's leaders take more than what they give voluntarily. Acts of sacrifice are very much visible; however indirect. Now the dissenters are at the very top of the society, and these grumbling cannot be ignored by the isolated and the insulated leaders.

Another form of insulation is to be surrounded by rings of sycophants, who lack weight, anchoring, and direction. Sustainability at the top is daunting (as Saddam and Bush have realised). The people cannot be short-changed.

These thoughts after the recent Victory Day exuberance follow naturally, realising the sad plight of the local political culture today. The point of concern is that whether the very foundation of politics needs to be replaced it would be disastrous to build the new structure over the old and corrupt foundation. The founders are in short supply, while the demand for revitalised and clean politics is echoing around. Today the ordinary routine lives are not safe, and the political masters look so helpless in their ranting.

We need silent dedicated workers working behind the scene. The front stage is too crowded.