vox populi small thumbnail 'Problems like immigrants registered as voters, gerrymandering, the unfair use of the media, etc, still have to be tackled.'

Report: Cabinet agrees to use indelible ink in next GE

Tailek: If you want a proper legal opinion, don't ask the AG (attorney-general) because he is partial to the government. It doesn't need a legal genius to figure out that a constitutional amendment is not required for the use of indelible ink.

Otherwise, by the same token, you will also need an amendment for the use of the biometric system. The constitution does not stipulate the mechanisms by which the voters' votes are cast. Surely that is left up to the Election Commission.

The last time the AG sang a certain song was because it suited the BN. Now the same AG sings a different tune because that is what the BN now wants. Has there been a constitutional amendment in the meantime to warrant the change of tune?

Onyourtoes: First, did the constitution specifically say that indelible ink cannot be used in a general election? Did the constitution prohibit the EC from making rules governing the conduct of elections?

Second, the use of indelible ink is welcomed, but we still have not resolved the issue of immigrants (whether legal or illegal) who have been given blue ICs and now registered as the voters. The use of indelible ink cannot resolve this issue.

Third, we want the NRD (National Registration Department) and the Home Ministry to disclose the number of citizenships and blue ICs granted to foreigners in the past five to 10 years. We want the conditions under which these citizenships are given.

I have heard of situations where father and mother are both PRs (permanent residents) but the children are citizens enjoying full bumiputera status. Tell me how and why.

Pemerhati: If it is true that the cabinet has agreed to use indelible ink in the next general election, it means that BN is prepared to lose some of the votes which it previously got by getting its people to vote more than once.

But lately there have been very disturbing revelations that Umno is quietly giving MyKads and citizenships to a large number of illegal immigrants in Malaysia so that they will vote for BN.

This is in fact the replication of the treasonous ‘Project M' in Sabah by former PM Dr Mohamad Mahathir.

Hence the cabinet's decision might indicate that the votes BN is likely to lose as a result of their decision to use indelible ink would be more than made up by other fraudulent means.

MAS workers to picket if deal with AirAsia inked

Anonymous_208: MAS lost money because of bad management, not because of its staff. AirAsia is about cutting everything down to the minimum, which means everything is pretty much self-service. So I wouldn't be surprised if they lay off workers after the merger.

I'm sure if we compare the kinds of contracts AirAsia workers get as opposed to MAS workers, you'll see. Those flying AirAsia know they get what they pay for.

We should be cautious about the effects of the merger. I do think MAS workers have a point about union busting. Any monopoly is never good for customers in the long run.

Onyourtoes: I do not agree much with the AirAsia-MAS deal, but certainly it is not because the deal does not benefit MAS workers.

We know the MAS management is messed-up, but MAS workers are also too pampered. If you want higher pays and better perks, I am sure a well-managed company will make sure you earn every cent of it.

You have to work harder and smarter. I have seen AirAsia workers and MAS workers on the ground. They are just different.

Jedi_Who: So they inked a deal and became a monopoly. Many people are against it but what has it got to do with the employees. You still have jobs and get paid. Are you afraid that all your wasteful habits, luxuries and frills would be trimmed soon?

Please picket to remove your MAS management and to ask the government not to interfere because then you would start making profits.

TehTarik: If MAS was any other privately-owned airline, it would have trimmed its staff years ago.

Everyone knows that MAS is overstaffed with low productivity. It is taxpayers' money that is keeping MAS afloat. Minus the latter, and the owners of MAS would have been forced to retrench thousands of staff and transform MAS into a profitable airline.

It is also common knowledge that supplies and maintenance costs are much higher, compared with SIA or Cathay Pacific, because of skimming and leakages.

In many ways, MAS is similar to Air India, another loss-making and over-staffed airline that is dependent on taxpayers' money for its survival.

Tpn: One just has to take a look at the work commitment of the AirAsia staff and compare it with the MAS staff who work like government servants. I guess the MAS union are worried that they may be in for a tough time with the new agreement.

Tailek: MAS has already lost and is still losing billions of ringgit every year and yet this GLC is directed to settle its claim against Tajuddin Ramli.

MAS Employees Union president Alias Aziz, may I suggest you tell the government that your union will picket if MAS is forced to settle with Tajuddin. That would be a more noble cause to picket for.

84 percent of ETP projects implemented, says Najib

Wira: How does the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) correlate to Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) especially when programmes that are being implemented do not impact ordinary folks who merely see barang naik every day.

You might as well say the FDIs are increasing this year because last year was a bumper harvest year for durians, resulting in more foreigners wanting to visit this country for investments.

L Joy: Oh dear, 84 percent implemented? Gosh, what is happening to these ETP projects? I haven't felt or seen or heard them on the ground, neither has the Gross Domestic Product figures indicated the existence of such projects.

It should show, right? No? Why not? Who is putting in the money and where is that money coming from? There is no point in these ETP projects if after 84 percent of it being implemented, there is no net improvement in GDP, wages, employment and return of talent, etc.

SusahKes: Really? So how come my pocket still continues to shrink? ETP = Estimate tak boleh pakai .

 

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