your say 'We must never again take for granted that the political parties are looking out for our interests. It is we who must take care of our own interests by voting responsible and transparent governments into power.'

Kgan: Both BN and Pakatan Rakyat have their hardcore supporters, but the election will be determined by fence sitters (swing voters) who will vote based on who serves them best. With BN behaving as if they own the country, how do you think the fence sitters will vote? Here are some examples of issues that paint BN in extremely unfavourable light:

The BTN furore, the Bukit Antarabangsa report, private investigator Bala's videos, Matrade Convention Centre, inaction in the Lingam case, inaction on the PKFZ scandal, tainted court judgments, Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy charge.

The Rawang-Ipoh double-tracking and electrification project (RM1.4 billion overrun), the Perak power grab, police double standards, Negeri Sembilan menteri besar money transfer, Banggarma child conversion, the Auditorâ€‘General's report, the Tian Chua conviction, Seetha' s suicide, Teoh Beng Hock, Kugan... and there's many more.

Don't forget that political awakening has come to Sabah and Sarawak. The situation there cannot be predicted by a marginal swing in seats.

Thuraisingham Shun: The 13th general election is not yet in progress. Therefore, predictions now are merely speculations - to quote Shakespeare, "A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

In the meantime, there are much reform to be done. The damage done is being rectified. There is every possibility that Barisan will continue to hold the fort. The opposition has to consolidate itself. They have to represent and cater to the interests of the rakyat, and not their own selfish agendas.

Chipmunk: As long as BN is in control of the financial institutions (Bank Negara Malaysia), the judiciary, EC (Election Commission), MACC, Petronas, PDRM along with their cronies, we (in the opposition) stand a slim chance of getting a two-thirds majority.

But if the rakyat can stand together as 1Malaysia (and I mean truly 1Malaysia), then the chance of throwing out the clowns together with their master will be a fighting one.

Equaliser: Malaysia, it's time to give Pakatan an opportunity to govern and redress the wrongs that the BN government has implemented for their own benefit. If we perceive that the civil service, judiciary, police and other government agencies is rife with prejudice and biases, then this would be the right time to allow Pakatan to take over the federal government and make the necessary changes that would bring back checks and balances to the democratic system.

Forget about BN. Pakatan, stop fighting (political) fires and focus on winning the next general election so you can put a complete stop to the degradation and stagnation of the Malaysian economy, and the general negative perception of our country possessed by both locals and foreigners. In Malaysia, there should be no Malays, Chinese, Indians, or others; but only Malaysians standing side-by-side, building this country to even greater heights.

We can have shaky seats, but we must not have shaky and biased governments. Therefore, Malaysia must realise that the inequalities that the current administration has infused into all sectors of the government service and judiciary must end once and for all. The independence of these institutions must be upheld and no one party be allowed to dismantle them to serve their own ends.

Forget about party lines and think about what Malaysia needs of her people today, for democracy to flourish and give birth to a more vibrant and strong country. We must never again take for granted that the political parties are looking out for our interests.

It is we who must take care of our own interests by voting responsible and transparent governments into power. Let's stop talking about the past, and decide what we want to do about our future.

Hew Ming Foong: Change will come. But when change happens, many of us, Malaysians without regard to race, creed or religion, worry that Umno goons will create trouble and not hand over power easily. It may end in martial law. Then Umno will retake the government with force. The questions I ask here are:

1) Are the armed forces and police independent?

2) What about the civil service?

We hope that when Pakatan takes over, Umno members will be civil enough to transfer power in an orderly and peaceful manner.