Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin's stand that alleged memorials for the communist were being erected in Sarawak and Nilai shows how bankrupt of ideas he is, says a reader while another says it is about time that Gerakan and MCA come out with a clear stand of their own on the controversy. The devastating floods in Johor also have the attention of readers while other comments touch on government bailouts and snatch thefts.
Dhammika: With the latest being the information minister's outcry for the removal of the memorial structure, I am saddened that the government is not making a stand of this issue. As a minister, that does that mean that what he says represents the view of the government even though it is a racial slur?
What is the stand of the MCA and Gerakan on this issue? It is about time that all government leaders lead by example to enhance unity and withstand outside forces that may affect our sovereignty. Why is disciplinary action not taken against those who utter racist statements? Why is the ISA not being applied to those who cause unrest and fear amongst the ethnic populace.
No wonder we are not advancing in our progress and are being judged as a high-risk country by foreign investors. I appeal to the PM to stop all this nonsense before the safety valve pops.
Peter Ooi: Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin is trying to gain cheap publicity by purposely claiming that the monuments were meant for the communists who fought the Japanese. In doing so he is just showing how bankrupt of ideas that he is.
He is not aware that most ordinary folk no longer subscribe to his racist undertone. Ask any ordinary Malay folk on the street, none would be bothered by that simple piece of sculpture. They are too busy eking out a decent living to support his ideas.
H Lee: I refer to the statements by Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin and Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohd Hassan with regards to the above issue and suggest that they drop the matter. It is a non-issue. Why raise it? What are you trying to prove? Intelligent people exhibit empathy. Why not place yourself in the position of a Chinese Malaysian and see what we read into your actions and words?
The monument is for people who would like to remember the individual human beings who sacrificed their lives during the Japanese Occupation. Surely, all war dead deserve honour and respect. I have much respect for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Do not do him a disfavour by creating by what many perceive as a racial issue.
You condemn the British colonialists, yet you allow them to maintain war cemeteries and memorials all over the country in memory of their fallen dead. What is it that you have against your own fellow citizens? Or are we, by your action, to read, that we are actually less than 'fellow citizens'?
Loyar: Zam is totally clueless on history even though he claimed that he is an expert and that 'as the information minister, he is part of history and bears witness to history' (even Prof Khoo Kay Khim, the historian, is not so emboldened to claim that). He is more interested to play the racial card more than anything else. We should not ignore his blatant irresponsibility in the name of support. The sacrifice made by the MPAJ cannot be blemished in vain.
I, therefore, urge Pak Lah to replace Zam with a person more worthy. The racial card cannot be used forever. Wake up, Malaysians!
On PM condemns looting after floods
NK Khoo: The government should declare an emergency in those flooded areas and order policemen and soldiers to shot dead the mobs who break in and steal the belongings of flood victims.
These mobs are totally irresponsible citizens and should be punished as harshly as possible.
On Some 70 dead in Asia floods
Ahmad Kamal: It was not only Yusuf Kalla who blamed the Indonesian floods on illegal logging. Even the TNI made such pronouncements in the local papers in Aceh - they should know better.
Villagers will tell you that it is the TNI who are logging Aceh's forests. In remote villages, villagers who fell trees for local use such as for building their own decrepit houses or village bridges are allegedly tortured for 'illegal' activities.
Yet for some others who perhaps are well placed in the government administration, logging is not penalised.
On Floods: Klang Valley could be next
FF: No good drainage is the key word if floods recur in Shah Alam. The Shah Alam Municipal Council and the drainage and irrigation department don't do a good job. Whenever there is a dry season, I don't see the authorities cleaning and maintaining the drains.
Rubbish is everywhere in Jalan Kebun just waiting for another flood to happen. It has already happened twice this year. We're now waiting for the third time
On Vexed residents protest against toll hike
Tan Siok Yee: Nowadays, I really don't understand what the government of our country is thinking and doing. Since Works Minister S Samy Vellu has announced the rising of the toll rates, I think he should resign from his position right now.
Now, not only the toll rates have risen, but even the price of petrol. What is the government doing? They think that we are as rich as Europeans, our life is too good and can support all this stupid nonsense. Everything is getting higher but not our salaries. Our employers tell us is because our economy is doing badly. So why should we pay for all these toll rate hikes?
The government should reconsider that statement of theirs that: 'We are paying the lowest toll rates compared to others'. This is really stupid. If we really want to compare, then what about the other things? Like the price of cars? Or even our currency rates? As you can see, not many foreigners in Malaysia will buy imported cars because of the nonsensical 100% import tax or sometimes even more than that.
At the same time, Malaysia is a very good country in terms of a lot of things such as oil and petroleum. We are the country that exports out our oil but we are now facing a shortage of petroleum and because of that, we have face price increases every few months.
In conclusion, I think we should be consider very deeply the next time the general elections comes. And the most important thing is that Samy Vellu should resign.
On Johari's 'brainless' remark draws flak
Sam Simon: In any part of the world, visitors are given advice on personal safety. For example, don't walk certain streets at night. Governments issue safety advisories to citizens visiting certain overseas locations. These are well- meant advice.
So a deputy minister said women should take greater care to avoid snatch thefts. There will always be the brainless few who bray about such advice being brainless. I hope to see less of such brainless reporting from Malaysiakini. If you are short of news items tell us some jokes instead.
On Seven failed privatised projects RM11b bailout
Angry Malaysian: If all the money wasted on corruption and failed projects are added up and divided equally to all Malaysians, each one of us will become an instant multi-millionaire.
The civil servants will not need salary revisions and poverty will become history. We can proudly proclaim that Malaysia is a land of millionaires. The recent admission in Parliament of RM11 billion in government bailouts alone, if distributed, will make each one of us half-millionaires.
On Khairy told to emulate father-in-law
Krishnan Narasamah: It is said we get the government we deserve. That is the root to all our current problems. Khairy is talking for the government and no one seems to be able to rein him in. It appears he has been given the right to speak as he chooses.
It is high that Malaysians stand up and be counted.
Veloo: 'Umno Youth will come down hard on those who breach the limits and ignore the boundaries of law and racial sensitivities,' so said UmnoYouth deputy head Khairy Jamaluddin when opening the PPP Youth wing's convention in Kuala Lumpur recently.
The whole world knows who in this country breaches the limits and ignores the boundaries for law and racial sensitivities.
Khairy should start taking action against those who did this at the last Umno AGM.
On Pak Lah's sinking credibility
FF: In the first place he shouldn't have got his son and especially son-in-law involve in politics and business. Was his son in Scomi before Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became PM? How come the PM did not ask the ACA to check in his family's finances? If he is really clean, why not? He can declare it publicly. If he does that, he can rest assured that he will get our vote.
The second thing he can do is to sue that Turkish newspaper to prove his innocence over the yacht business. This again can win the hearts of all Malaysian.
Next is the AP mess. Why allow a minister to in the cabinet to be involved in the AP controversy? Everybody is disappointed
I am getting impatient now. Incidents like kris waving, KJ's comments, the government failing to help the bumiputeras, the rich getting richer. All this while nobody helps the non-bumis. How to be patriotic? I can't help feelling like a second-class citizen.
On Local fishermen in troubled waters
Kaisim: Fish was the chief and main source of protein for the poor many years ago. Today, this food is expensive and quite beyond the reach of a big section of the population. It is a fact that fish today is more expensive than meat or chicken.
Malaysia is almost surrounded by the sea and our neighbors are enjoying a thriving fishing business. But our fishermen are facing difficulties in earning a decent living. Why? Are the authorities on our side not doing much to help them? There are complaints that these people are working hand in glove with others to the detriment of the interests of the locals.
Our officials here must visit markets around the region and make a comparison with ours. The good fish have gone elsewhere except to the Malaysian markets. Even the small fish are priced higher here and yet our fishermen are complaining of poor catch and income. There must be something wrong with our system.
On Minister raps Chinese media over negative reports
Meng: Tengku Adnan's goal is noble and in the right direction. However he is barking up the wrong tree. Tengku Adnan should speak with his colleagues in Umno, ie, the minister of (mis)information who insists on playing the racial card.
Newspapers merely report and yes, they may sensationalise to sell their papers but what is the source of the news and who are the newsmakers? Are they not the bigots and racists who make the news as a result of their racial statements and commentaries?
If Malaysia is to be a decent tourist destination, then make it welcoming, make it friendly. Umno's racial remarks will not help the economy nor the tourism industry.
