'It wasn't for historical purposes nor tourist attraction when these buildings (Astaka Morocco and Monumen Alaf Baru) were first conceived. It was first and foremost to enrich some Umnoputras.'

RM41 million spent on 'white elephant' projects

Yuvan: This is what happens when monuments and structures are built, just to fulfil the ego and fantasies of some political leaders. As much as tourists want a place of peace and quiet to unwind and enjoy their hard-earned holidays, they cannot be impressed with a structure just because it is beautiful or it has some unique design.

Even a dilapidated building or monument will be visited time and again by tourists because of its rich history and the wealth of information it can offer. The Colosseum in Rome and the Pyramids in Egypt are good examples. These monuments are thousands of years old and mercilessly run down by the elements of nature but are magnificent structures steeped in history.

Outahere: Putrajaya is the nation's pride. Everything built on that parcel of land must be humongous and make your jaw drop at least, that is if it doesn't make you faint. But where are the visitors car parks? Some buildings there, for example Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (Ministry of Youth and Sports) and other government agency offices within precinct 4, does not seem to have any visitor parking.

I have known of visitors to that area who had no choice but to park by the roadside, only to be fined. Apparently the nearest legal visitor/public parking available is at the court house which is about 500 metres away. Now this may result in serious fainting if you walk under the hot sun.

They spend lots of money to build and maintain fine architecture, but car parks are left out. Our beloved nation's pride or embarrassment? I am truly embarrassed and angered. Perhaps, as S Samy Vellu would have said, ‘Kemaluan saya amat besar'.

Ng Seng Tong: No, it wasn't for historical purposes nor tourist attraction when these buildings were first conceived. It was first and foremost to enrich some Umnoputras. This nonsense have to stop. It is high time for somebody to hold them accountable for all these fiascos.

Lim Chong Leong: We are Malaysians and like it or not, Pudu jail is a part of our history. Structures like these are not a part of our history but merely white elephants built to serve no purpose except to bleed the nation and feed our leaders' egos.

These monuments (Astaka Morocco and Monumen Alaf Baru) are akin to the grand statues of Lenin, Stalin and Saddam during their respective tyrannical eras.

Dr Jacob George: Some individuals vision and purpose in life is just to bleed the nation so that their fantasies and psychotic tendencies and fears could be appeased. They do it even after 'retirement' and that is an effort in itself!

YF: Why is it that we are copying non-Malaysian architecture and designs into our major buildings and monuments? We use a Byzantian design for our Istana and a Babylonian design for the Astaka. So where is this so-called pride in our local culture?

If Menara Maybank was designed in a shape of a kris to portray our local culture then why can't our government do the same?

Mango Durian: Huh? I didn't even know such places existed - but then again, they are in this mirage place in the middle of nowhere called Putrajaya. As for the comments about all these Middle East copycat designs, what can I say, at least they realise the kampung house designs just don't scale up.

Joe: The government says it has no money for PSD (Public Service Department) scholarships. It says we're heading for bankruptcy if we don't accept the withdrawal of subsidies.

Now, the rakyat can see where their money has been going. It reflects the priority of the ruling clique that they would rather spend money on fancy monuments to feed their egos (and pockets) than to invest in people. People first, performance now? It is a hogwash.

Joe: This BN-Umno government is one big white elephant we can't afford. It is too costly for the rakyat to maintain. This beast has a voracious appetite for feeding on taxpayers' money and crapping all over the place.

Ablastine: Grand projects in Malaysia are conceptualised for one and only one reason and that is as a means to suck the country's coffers dry. Negotiated contracts for cronies, hyperinflated prices, borrowings from banks that will be written off with time and tons of middlemen to ‘parasitise' the national treasury.

Anonymous: What about the marina built in the muddy banks of the Muar river in Tanjung Agas, Johor? No yachts have ever docked there and it has never been operational.

Bakri MP files motion against Rosmah, Deepak

MD Imraz Muhammed Ikhbal: This is yet another occasion where every right-thinking Malaysian can just take out their respective magical crystal balls, wipe it shiny with a clean cloth and look straight into it in order to know with certainty the almost certain future to what will happen to that parliamentary motion by YB Er Teck Hwa.

Only in a land consumed by corruption - where every government agency and enforcement is subservient to the corrupt agenda of the ruling elite - will the nation be blessed with such magical crystal balls.

However, only idiotic outcomes may be expected. If there only were licences for political betting, I bet every right-thinking rakyat could make more than a decent living in this country.

Banz: YB Er Teck Hwa, you have done the Bakri constituency proud but we see that your motion will not be allowed just because you are an opposition member. It will be different when Pakatan Rakyat takes over Putrajaya. Work hard to regain your MP position in GE13.

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