The Government's tendency of putting itself into disrepute without the slightest provocation has been demonstrated once again by the saga surrounding the secret sale of Grand Regency Hotel.

Whatever actions are taken now, the damage has been done. We are again seeing a government prone to corrupt and underhand dealings, and officials who display incredible arrogance and utter contempt for the public mood.

Still, the Government must do the honourable thing. Without further delay, it must revoke the sale of the hotel and also take disciplinary action against those involved.

It will not fully redeem itself in the eyes of the public with such actions, but at least it will have shown that it is sensitive to the public mood.

One would have thought that with the outrage that greeted revelations of the Anglo Leasing scandal three years ago, the Government had learnt a big lesson.

It should have learnt from that episode that the era of impunity was over.

Indeed, at the time, the Government initially earned kudos for the steps it took in response to the public anger and disappointment that greeted the exposure of Anglo Leasing.

It announced that the contracts were cancelled and payments stopped. Cabinet ministers involved in the deals were made to step aside, and a clutch of senior public servants were charged in court.

It look a time, however, for the fact to sink in that these actions did not signal a renewed commitment to fighting corruption, but were only a meant to buy time and wait out the public anger to dissipate.

Still it might have been presumed that even if the constant talk about fighting corruption was mere lip-service, the lesson of Anglo Leasing would ensure that those in positions of responsibility would in future think twice before committing the Government to dealings that could not pass the test of probity, transparency and accountability.