vox populi big thumbnail 'Noh Omar, why are you worried about Mafrel being a mouthpiece for the opposition - which they are not - when the Election Commission itself openly sings and dances to Umno-BN's tune?'

Alexander Yuan: Noh Omar, if Mafrel is the opposition's mouthpiece, than what is the Elections Commission then? BN's personal jester?

Well, they do tell "jokes" (cannot do local council elections as they don't have authority to do it)... and provide "general entertainment" (not accepting resignations of MPs and state reps) for their masters.

Tan Kian Khim: Noh Omar, why are you worried about Mafrel being a mouthpiece for the opposition - which they are not - when the Election Commission itself openly sings and dances to Umno-BN's tune?

Dr Mahendran Markandoo: Noh, Now you know the meaning of level-playing field. We do not need Mafrel to tell Umnoputra/BN component parties this, as we all already know that the lot of you will do these in all elections.

PKR faces uphill task with rural Malays

Disgusted: It has always been BN's aim to keep the rural people poor and ignorant so that when elections and by-elections come, they can easily buy them with small gifts. A RM50 note to rural people is a lot compared to the same amount for city dwellers as their needs are small and not complicated.

Pakatan can use the strategy of using people in cities to go back and inform their folks in rural areas and kampongs about what is really happening in the country, as these people depend on TV and newspapers like Utusan Malaysia for their news.

The battle for the hearts of these people is in the proximity of the persons concerned, that is, the party people should be visible to them, not disappear after winning elections and resurface on elections or by-elections to try and win their votes by bribing them with development and with short-term goodies like cash, rice and other intrinsic stuff - which BN has been doing in the past.

Gem: It looks like politicians have to race through every little district in Malaysia in time to avoid people saying that they appear only during the election time. Even then, I doubt such a feat can be accomplished.

As it is, Anwar Ibrahim is already travelling extensively. There is always the local branch of PKR to attend to people's problems, but it is always the people's prerogative to complain that politicians never appear until election time.

Abdullah Badwi: Cerita sama , lah (old story). Don't you understand what they are trying to say? They want to hear how Pakatan Rakyat can upgrade their lifestyle which has been the same since the 70s - not Umno-bashing.

Rural folks are not the same anymore. They want to hear in your speeches how they can have a better life. How will it be different from the previous government. Pakatan has ruled Hulu Selangor for two years. They will make comparison and question, "Would I want to vote Pakatan again for the next three years? Has there been any changes since 2008?

Poser over BN candidate takes centre stage

Lim Chong Leong: Dr S Subramaniam's ministerial position is lost if G Palavinel wins. MIC will be split between Palanivel's supporters campaigning for, and Subra's supporters sabotaging, the election.

If Umno takes the nomination, all Indians will be sabotaging BN's campaign. So it's a no-win situation for the racist BN.

Kgen: "This is traditionally an MIC seat and moreover it has a mixed electorate, so there should be no change," said Palanivel.

Palanivel is behind the times. Mixed seats are no longer safe seats for BN since the 2008 general elections due to cross-ethnic voting. Update your information. Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau are mixed seats which BN lost.

MP questions RM6.5 billion army food bill

Arul Inthirarajah: Given that the size of the entire army is just under 100,000 men, that works out to a food bill of RM65,000 per head annually, or nearly RM 200 per day per head. Just what are they eating everyday? Caviar?

Xlaw: Go ask soldiers their estimates of the worth of their daily meals. My opinion is RM30 per soldier is extravagant. They must be monstrous to consume RM200 worth of food and drink per day. It just doesn't compute.

2genMalaysian: Not another scandal. Is there no end to all this wastage? As usual, there will be a standard denial by the Defence Ministry and life goes on as usual. Keep up the good work, Tony Pua. At least, there are some people in Parliament who care enough about the country.

Ramly Yussuff: Are we at war?

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