Kuala Lampur, Aug. 14 -- One of the greatest dangers in Malaysian politics is the temptation to convert institutional wrongdoing into collective political guilt.

This is particularly important when Pakatan Harapan (PH) discusses Umno and the controversies associated with previous Barisan Nasional administrations.

The principle should be straightforward: not all of Umno can be guilty simply because some Umno leaders, office-holders or political appointees may have been implicated in wrongdoing.

If Malaysia is serious about becoming a mature constitutional democracy, responsibility must be compartmentalised. Investigations must identify particular decisions, particular offices, particular individuals and particular periods. Evidence must...