BUG #3297: psql won't open

The following bug has been logged online:

Bug reference: 3297
Logged by: ;John D. Tiedeman
Email address: jdtiede(at)bellsouth(dot)net
PostgreSQL version: 8.4
Operating system: Linux (Kubuntu 7.4)
Description: psql won't open
Details:

Errer message says at least one client package must be installed. I had been
using it for several days when I tried to use pg_dump. I haven't been able
to find the dump output but perhaps I haven't looked in the right place. The
Find facility of the OS doesn't working normally when the user is postgres.

When I do
su - postgres
psql <any db>
I get the above error message. I tried removing and reinstalling the client
package and still get the error message.