'If Guan Eng wanted to be popular, he would have closed an eye to all the wrongdoings by state development officer Nik Ali Mat Yunus.'

Guan Eng wants SDO to explain arches fiasco

Joe: The Botanic Garden arches did not spring up from the ground. It is part of the BN-Umno's mentality of wasting scarce national resources on building monuments. The Botanic fiasco has cost the people RM150,000. It is right and proper for Lim Guan Eng to hold Nik Ali Mat Yunus responsible as the officer-in-charge in supervising the project.

This episode shows the arrogance and high-handedness of the federal government in ramming its agenda down the throats of the people without any prior consultation, and then disclaiming responsibility and blaming others for the problems.

Nik Ali deserves to be publicly reprimanded for his unbecoming conduct as a civil servant siding with Umno.

Ng Seng Tong: If LGE (Lim Guan Eng) wanted to be popular, he would have closed an eye to all the wrongdoings by Nik Ali. Nobody likes confronting others and making enemies. But LGE did the right thing, though not the easy thing, by calling Nik Ali to be accountable. This way, LGE chooses respectability over popularity. For this, LGE has earned my respect.

Anonymous: What has BN done for Penang over the last 50 years? Now at least there is transparency and equality with this new Pakatan Rakyat government. The BN can dream till kingdom come, as they will never live to govern Penang again after the awakening of the rakyat.

Pakatan has finally given back our rights, so you can bet a million we will never let the old regime rule again. The most important thing that Pakatan gave us was hope and change, which we never had.

Moses: Lim Guan Eng has always been a responsible chief minister for the people of Penang. I need not mention the good he has done to date, while the bad is none. This clown, Nik Ali, was planted there by Umno to destroy the good name of Lim Guan Eng.

Nik Ali, your plans won't work because the Penangites are as solid as a rock behind the chief minister.

Arul Inthirarajah: If Nik Ali was appointed by the state, he should have been given the boot a long time ago. He clearly finds that his calling is playing the BN tune to sabotage the state government.

Beetle: How could an ordinary government officer refuse to cooperate and undermine the CM of a state? If Penang was ruled by Gerakan or Umno, this incompetent officer would have had to pack his bag and leave.

But alas, with the backing of Umno, this little Napolean thinks his position is higher than the CM of a state. That's right, the chief secretary should step in and reprimand Nik Ali for being disrespectful to the CM and hold him accountable for all the losses under his watch.

Free: LGE has earned our respect. LGE has every right to hold Nik Ali responsible. He must given a warning letter to those responsible for all the losses incurred. Put Nik Ali in cold storage. Promote someone else capable of taking his place.

Alan Goh Soo Meng: LGE, please reveal the name of the pea‑brained person who came up with the idea of building the two arches at Botanic Garden, Penang. A botanic garden should be about trees, plants, flowers, etc. But here, two concrete arches were built. I bet you it comes from none other than little Napoleons from Umno/BN.

Hulu S'gor petition: Round 1 to Kamalanathan

Bene: Go Zaid Ibrahim, show that you are not intimidated. All those civil servants think it is better to serve only BN. They must realise it is the nation that is more important, and that ultimately it is the rakyat who will triumph.

As long as you are fighting corruption, cronyism, favouritism, one-sidedness, leakages, we are behind you.

Moses: The evidence in YouTube is more than sufficient to force a new by-election for Hulu Selangor. The evidence is not the 'cut and paste' kind. It is for real.

Dr M: I'm glad we decided not to censor Internet

Tan Kian Khim: Dr Mahathir Mohamad's myth of greatness falls apart like a house of cards once placed under closer scrutiny. Mahathir's comments are disingenuous, politically expedient and insincere - as usual. He is a ruthless egomaniac who has no regard for any rules but his own.

Taking credit for not censoring the Internet? He is probably kicking himself for having missed the chance. He would have had no hesitation in shutting down the entire Malaysian Internet if it suited his purposes - just as he had no compunction in launching the repressive Ops Lalang in order to consolidate his hold on power in 1987, or in engineering the first sodomy trial to discredit and persecute Anwar Ibrahim.

Mahathir is the man most responsible for breaking Malaysia's once respected judiciary and civil service. Because of him, it will take many years of hard work to rebuild the constitutional and institutional safeguards he single-handedly destroyed.

Aku Melayu: Mahathir, your extraordinary vision has made Malaysia into what it is today. Malaysians is indebted to you for all the success in bringing the world into the comfort of our living rooms, i.e. the Internet. Allow me the honour to congratulate you on behalf of all Malaysians.

Danny LoH: Regardless of my personal opinion of Dr M, he is a brilliant spin doctor, a master of deceit, and definitely a cunning politician. He said it himself - he was thinking that it would be impossible to censor the Internet, so he might as well be generous and give assurances that he (read: the government) won't censor the Internet. The rest is history.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only Malaysiakini subscribers can post comments. Over the past six months, Malaysiakinians have posted 50,000 comments. Be part of the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .