VOXPOP 'I don't mind if Hishammuddin is using his own money to set up the panel, but this is the taxpayers' money they are meddling with.'

Hishammuddin: Hanif stays as panel chief, period

Cannon: An ex-IGP (inspector-general of police), who had been indoctrinated and conditioned by the baggage he's carrying of the Emergency, is appointed to head the panel of inquiry in violence at the Bersih 3.0 rally.

This ex-cop has shown the tendency to find a communist hiding behind every lamp pole and under his bed.

He has already made up his mind, having declared Bersih 3.0 as a communist plot to overthrow the government. He could not produce any evidence to back his allegation.

Now, he is appointed to investigate the street violence in the rally. Can anyone honestly believe the man is going to do a fair and impartial job? That he will conduct the probe to prove he is wrong?

Time and time again, the home minister has the habit of not using his brain when he speaks. This time, he has left his brain at home.

Magnus: Perhaps Home Minister Hishammuddin Hisham might increase public confidence in this pseudo-independent panel the public now believe he is setting up for them if he were to change the ex-IGP used.

Why not switch the current choice that has earned public affront and opprobrium with a more public confidence-inspiring paragon of police virtue?

Why not use world-renowned ex-IGP Abdul Rahim Noor instead? He is more likely to be the public's number one police hero and the current role model of the PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) since we know it was he who heroically tied up, blindfolded and brutalised then DPM Anwar Ibrahim inside the shady police hideaway of Bukit Aman.

Quigonbond: The results from any ordinarily impartial investigation will be so severe against the police that BN can only afford to use a biased, prejudging corporate personality to head a powerless and toothless panel.

Hisham cannot even provide a direct reply on the issue of Hanif Omar's biased state of mind. All the false bravados in BN-controlled press means zero if in reality the police cannot bear scrutiny.

Kee Thuan Chye: After all the criticism and scepticism expressed against his being the chairman of the panel, Hanif should have the self-respect to voluntarily withdraw.

If he continues, he's either being thick-skinned or possibly been instructed by the political masters to do what's needed.

We can't put it past Hishammuddin to want a suitable outcome from this, to the extent that he is willing to appear so blatant in putting in the wrong person and actually appear arrogant and stupid for doing so. He must surely know that he can't fool the people.

Dingy: In handling his opponents, PM Najib Razak's approach is diabolical and schematic. He entertained what the people want but purposely created a controversy so that the opponents would oppose it and it would appear that opponents want to create trouble.

With the help of mainstream media, the opponents would be viewed by the public as troublemakers. In Bersih 2.0 and 3.0, he purposely objected to what Bersih wanted so that it became a controversy that would give Bersih a bad image to the public.

When people asked for a panel to investigate the police brutality in Bersih 3.0, he agreed to set up an ‘independent' panel but purposely chose Hanif, who is already prejudiced with his negative remarks.

He knew that Bersih and Bar Council would oppose the panel and with the mainstream media's help, it would appear that these people are troublemakers to oppose whatever the government is trying to do.

Toffeesturn: Hisham, it is not for the "public to give a chance to the six-member panel".

The home minister is a lawyer. He should know better than anyone else that Hanif Omar had already prejudged Bersih 3.0. Before being appointed to head the panel, he has branded the protesters as communists and alleged that they were trying to overthrow the government.

How can Hishammuddin expect this man to be impartial in this case? Even if Hanif erases all those thoughts from his mind and starts afresh, whatever he does will still be looked upon as prejudiced.

United Nation special rapporteur Frank William La Rue is the best person for the job. Why is Hishammuddin so scared?

This is the surest evidence that the government is afraid of the truth, and any independent panel will expose that truth about this deceiving bunch of hooligans.

Keturunan Malaysia: Hishammuddin said : "The confiscation of memory cards and cameras belonging to journalists during Bersih 3.0 rally were part of the police's standard operating procedure (SOP)."

Inspector-general of police Ismail Omar said : "Confiscating memory cards and cameras belonging to journalists is not part of the police's SOP. There is no such thing. We act in accordance with the law."

So, of course, we know you are not only a dim-wit, you are a numb-skull as well.

Myop101: I don't mind if Hishammuddin is using his own money to set up the panel, but this is taxpayers' money you are meddling with.

If you want to waste it to come out with findings that no one has confidence in (except the police and BN hardcore supporters), do it with your own resources.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .