Waited for 11 days, Ahmad Ismail was finally back.

This is the Ahmad who sent the entire nation, irrespective of political affiliations, into unprecedented agitation, as he led a sports delegation to turbulent Bangkok.

He must have not anticipated that the public outcry has stemmed from his penumpang remarks. He definitely has not expected that someone like him, a previously unknown divisional chief of a political party, could send ripples across millions of hearts across the nation.

Ahmad was finally back. But his denial of wrongdoing and refusal to say sorry have further infuriated the public, showing that some politicians are indeed seriously lacking the mindset of coming face to face with the people sincerely.

He was obviously not aware that the public were looking forward to his apology.

Although his boss has apologised to non-Malays in the country on behalf of UMNO, the wrath has yet to be calmed down. In the end, the police have but to cite the Sedition Act, while UMNO contemplates freezing his party membership. But all these only serve to further aggravate public indignation.

The SMS we receive from the public have been demanding Ahmad to offer a sincere word of apology. The reasons why he could not be forgiven or accepted are because he disappeared, failed to see the hurt feelings of the public, and was totally indifferent. The damage wrought upon the public, who have been waiting anxiously for him to say sorry but yet to hear a sincere word of apology from him, has been deepened by his recalcitrance.

But even as he has returned now, he put the blame on the media, and wanted the media to shoulder all the responsibility. He showed no signs of remorse.

His recalcitrant attitude has inevitably made people think of former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian, who is being charged for suspected money laundering, and who has impressed the world with his "I'll admit as far as the evidence goes" attitude.

Actually, Chen has refused to openly admit that his wife remitted overseas more than US$700 million of balance from election funds. Nevertheless, with more and more evidences being exposed and turned against him, he has but to hastily admit what he has done. But, if there were any slightest deficiency in the evidences provided by his prosecutors, Chen will instantly deny, often dragging along with him some of his former allies.

Former DPP president Hsu Hsin-liang has put it very straightforward that Chen has two major character problems: he is too greedy for money, and is a master in evading responsibilities. The philosophy that he has been upholding in the money laundering scandal is that "if other people can be corrupt, why can't I?"

Even as many die-hard supporters still believe that all the charges against him have been politically motivated, Chen has obviously overlooked the Locard's exchange principle that physical evidences can never be wrong.

Fighting reality with ever changing lies is like crashing an egg against the rock. Consequently, most Taiwanese don't believe in Chen Shui-bian any more.

On the other hand, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao has chosen a completely different political pathway: He rushed to the disaster zone immediately after the Sichuan quake, offering his consolation to the victims. He comforted millions of injured souls, and allowed the disaster-stricken victims to once again see the hopes of life.

Soon afterward, he had to personally reply the letters sent by school children in the disaster zone, and attend the autumn re-opening of the provisional campus of Beichuan secondary school.

As the head of government of 1.3 billion people, premier Wen could have enjoyed the comfort of his air-conditioned office in Beijing, listening to the briefings by his subordinates. However, he chose to travel thousands of kilometres to the "Ground Zero" to offer a hand.

This is because he was well aware that face-to-face contacts could effectuate priceless spiritual dialogues. He knew that nothing came more important than to appease the victims' souls in a disaster.

Sincerity has been the oldest core value upheld by Man, and the most fundamental strength that brings about social harmony.

We don't want sweet promises from politicians, but at least when they have said something wrong, or made some wrong decisions, they are sincere enough to apologise. And this is good enough, really, instead of pointing the finger at the media for misquoting them.

Finally, if our political parties and laws fail to censure Ahmad Ismail for his ethnically inspired remarks, his arrogance and indifference will be etched deep inside the hearts of Malaysians, forever and ever. (By CHEN HUIJIAO/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)