your say 'Taib Mahmud is strangling press freedom in Sarawak. Isn't it a display of lack of confidence by Taib? Remember, the one who loses the hearts of the masses loses the kingdom.'

Agent99: There are 1,001 ways to interfere without being seen as the person who is interfering, and one way is to use your own daughter. The rakyat can't say anything nowadays. If you said something that a VIP dislikes, you may get fired, and once fired, others can't even discuss why you were fired.

I suppose if everyone disobeys, the whole Sarawak Tribune staff would be fired.

Not Confused: It's obvious that the Abdul Taib Mahmud feudal clan members are closing ranks. Touched a raw nerve, did they? Who is this Hanifah Abdul Taib, anyway? The Taib clan still treat Sarawak as their fiefdom and the rakyat as their serfs and slaves.

Urban Sarawakian: Taib's daughter, Hanifah directly interfering in the affairs of the Sarawak Tribune and board member James Ritchie says Taib is not involved? Does Ritchie need Taib to be physically scolding the Tribune staff to prove that he is involved? Ritchie, we Sarawakians know you are trying to save your rice bowl, lah .

Cala: One can say it in any way one likes to make it look good, but the fact remains that Taib and his cohorts are strangling freedom of press in Sarawak, alright. Is it not a display of lack of confidence by Taib?

Remember the old saying: One who loses the hearts of the masses loses the kingdom, too.

Lvbala: It seems Taib's daughter is testing the waters of Malaysians' stand on her father. How far and how long will it continue? Only Sarawakians will decide. Taib has swindled everything which belongs to this native land, and through his Canadian son-in-law ( Sean Murray ), he managed to build an empire in Canada.

What more shall be left for the people of Sarawak if Taib continues to be in charge? Who is behind Taib? What makes him so strong that no one seems above him? With all the gas, petroleum and timber, Sarawak is still the second poorest state after Kelantan.

Meranti Kepong: Taib Mahmud has ruled and plundered the wealth of Sarawak for decades and the time has come for him to be booted out of power. In dethroning Taib, efforts must be made to compel him to return all the ill-gotten money that he has amassed while in office.

Mohd Hazwan: After 53 years of independence, we the rakyat demand that the Taib syndicate be crippled. We can't afford to let a selected few to plunder our resources, enrich themselves and hold the country to ransom.

The Real Duke: Don't play-play with Sarawak's first family - Malaysia's richest and most powerful family.

A distant cry for help from the jungle

Roland Shen Loong:

The persecution of the Penans is a crime against humanity. The Penans are equal citizens of our nation. Their suffering deserves our national attention, especially when they are the weakest and the most marginalised group among our citizens.

Albert: The Penans have more right to stake their claims as bumiputeras as compared with some Indonesian immigrants and the ‘mamaks'. Why are they not provided affirmative action in the New Economic Policy?

They and many other Malays are so poor and have been disadvantaged for close to 40 miserable years since the introduction of NEP in 1970. Why are they left out? Yet, we have people from Perkasa who have the cheek to claim that they represent them.

Ida Bakar: The Penans have been the guardians of the rainforest. They know how to live sustainably with their environment. They know about the medicinal values of plants and the habits of the wild animals around them. For all their wisdom, we destroy their home, allow the rapists to go unpunished and care nothing for their future.

When they are gone their immense knowledge go with them and we, the savvy Malaysians, will be the poorer for it. A fight for the Penans is a fight for the soul of Malaysia.

Maitreya: In the end, that's what it all boils down to - it costs money to live like royalty and getting timber royalties can make you as obscenely rich as Taib Mahmud and family. It's a classic conflict between overweening arrogance (bureaucrats and businessmen) and authentic humility (the forest-dwelling, land-revering Penans).

James Cameron's blockbuster 'Avatar' starkly dramatises this conflict. The movie ends with the greedy invaders being booted off Pandora and sent home in shame. We can only pray that the same scenario will happen in Sarawak.

Concerned: SKY (Sim Kwang Yang), you've been an inspiration to many Malaysians. You're still fighting for the Penans in the face of all odds when the ‘mudstream' media keeps saying the Penans are living like animals and only the BN government knows best.

The Penans know best what is good for themselves, and it sure as hell isn't large-scale logging to feed Taib Mahmud's family and friends.

Dark Knight: All those who had a hand, directly or indirectly, in dispossessing the lands of the Penan and the rape and murder of these poor people would surely meet a fate far worse than that suffered by the Penans. Rest assured.

'S'wak-linked firms at epicentre of US subprime crisis'

Lim Chong Leong: All the big projects are built from Sarawakians' money from Sarawakian timber but profits are controlled by one man. Sarawakians, please wake up and take back what is yours.

Ibans and Penans and all alike, while the Sarawak government is busy encouraging you to exhibit your cultural dance and your blowpipes, that white haired ‘devil' is taking all your timber and selling it away for his own profit.

You should instead be getting fresh water and electricity and schooling and medical treatment.

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