YOURSAY ‘Trust not any politician who makes noise to build temples, but vote for anyone who makes noise to build libraries and schools.'

your say Kgen: It is very simple. Indian leaders should decide which coalition they will have a better future with (either for themselves or their community and this may not always coincide) and sound the clarion call to their supporters accordingly.

Don't try to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. Not participating in voting is the stupidest thing to do.

If you don't want to have a say in choosing the government, other people will choose for you, and in that case, don't complain.

Opah: There is no way that Pakatan Rakyat can accept Hindraf's demands and still maintain it is fighting for a multi-racial Malaysia. If not working with Hindraf means losing Putrajaya, so be it.

Better to be principled and lose than sell out one's fundamental beliefs just to gain political power.

Just what is Hindraf fighting for? Google 'Hindraf 18 points' and look at some of its demands: (6) Extend and implement with immediate effect affirmative action plans as extended to Malay/Muslim citizens, (8) 20% of the government top-most level postings be reserved for Indians for the next 15 years. (13) Each and every Indian especially the Indian poor ... be paid compensation adjudicated and determined by the United Nations secretary-general for the aforesaid 50 years of constitutional violations, and (18) A minimum of 20 opposition members of parliament elected exclusively by the Indian community.

Despite all the sweet words used by writer S Thayaparan, Hindraf's own aims are clear - to divide Malaysia into racial and religious groupings and propose specific solutions for each group.

China Racist: Pakatan is too arrogant. Indians were short changed after the 12th general election (GE12). Look at what happened in Pakistan-ruled states. They now live in denial just like what Umno did.

The best option for Indians is to abstain. Just see the behaviour of Pakatan cybertroopers here. They behave like educated thugs. Abstain and teach them a lesson.

ACR: Notwithstanding the Hindraf debate which unfailingly evokes gutter racism even from those not supportive of Umno (surprise!), I am beginning to wonder what the agenda is vis-a-vis Pakatan's acceptance of PSM - a party grounded in support from disenfranchised, downtrodden and the marginalised people. PSM has a track record and is led by decent people.

There is no point talking of a 50-year track record - it would not guarantee your candidates are the best. DAP, too, suffered defections and that, too, from long-standing members.

It is not difficult: do a survey in those constituencies where there is a competing interest from two parties to stand and see which party is favoured.

Remember, Pakatan needs at least seven parties to be affiliated to it to enable them to register as an umbrella body and stand on a Pakatan ticket.

I feel those protective of the three-party Pakatan have their own agenda which may not be in the wider Pakatan interest.

LJC: Nothing good comes easy. As a minority group, the Indians need to unite to help one another and not care about the government and its actions.

Trust not any politician who makes noise to build temples, but vote for any politician who makes noise to build libraries and better schools without caring less whether he is from Umno, DAP, PSM, PAS or PKR. But vote!

Pemerhati: In its 18-point demands, Hindraf is mainly asking for an end to the apartheid system which the Umno-controlled government practises in order to get the support from the majority Malays.

PKR's leader Anwar Ibrahim, a former long-time Umno member who implemented and practised these apartheid-like policies, may now be willing to tinker with some of those policies and make them slightly less discriminatory.

But he and the other former Umno members, who are now the top leaders in PKR, would not now dare to announce that they are willing to forego all the discriminatory policies for fear of losing Malaly majority support already addicted to special privileges.

In view of this reality, the best strategy for Hindraf would be to fully support Pakatan and help it to form the next government and then make the necessary demands.

If Pakatan in power is just as bad as Umno, then Hindraf could rethink its strategy. But if Umno remains in power, nothing will change.

TingTing: S Thayaparan, why drag Universiti Utara Malaysia student KS Bawani in? What has she done other than that episode ?

The Indians have a problem brought upon by themselves for not being principled in voting. Their leaders let them down. As the saying goes, when there are two Indians there will be three political parties.

The Chinese, too, are being let down by MCA but when it comes to voting, the Chinese are disciplined. The bumiputera will also have a problem as the country will soon be full of bumiputeras of all colours and creeds.

So listen, listen, listen, the comunity must decide, not Pakatan or BN.

Wanderer: PSM must build on their own popularity with the electorate and not ride on the back of DAP's popularity in Perak's Jelapang state seat.

I would rather see them contest a seat with a 60/40 chance in favour of BN. If they can win, they would be justified in future to ask for more seats in the next GE.

As for Thayaparan's arguments to justify more support from the Pakatan alliance for Hindraf, it is simply a mischievous proposition.

The Indians have given BN their support over the last 55 years, what have they got in return? A few hundred thousand stateless Indians.

Pakatan may not be perfect, but it is the best we have got to forming an alternative government. So Hindraf followers, make up your mind.

Neutralgrounds: My hope is to see a Malaysia that is blind to skin colour and looks after one another. My vote goes to whoever can give us that.

Pakatan should bring PSM into its fold because they fought alongside them to stop Umno-BN's supermajority. Indeed, PSM has earned its stripes in fighting for a better Malaysia.

Azizi Khan: Hindraf is in a tough position. On one hand, do nothing and get nothing. On the other hand, sleep with one devil or another and maybe still get nothing.

With BN, Hindraf could become the replacement ‘mandore' that MIC was for BN and this would bring them the minister's posts (and money) that Hindraf yearns for.

On the other side of the fence is Pakatan, whose politics are reasonably non-racial - that is, when it suits PKR. Hindraf is convinced that Pakatan needs the Tamil-speaking ‘mandores' to better represent the Indians. This is why it is extremely unhappy with the Indian leaders in both PKR and DAP.

This reminds me of the movie ‘Speed': "Pop quiz hotshot, GE is coming around the corner! What are you going to do?"

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 .