In spite of his busy schedule, Karpal Singh is willing to represent Marimuthu, a mere rubber tapper. At least, I know there are some who still care for the downtrodden, says a reader.
On Legal action to free Muslim woman, children
Peter Ooi: In this era of our fast-moving world, the poor and helpless are usually ignored by the public. More often than not their rights are trampled upon by the rich and powerful who don't even bat an eyelid. This really happened to P Marimuthu and his wife.
His children were taken away by the religious officials without a care for his feeling and rights as a father. I believe, being a rubber tapper, he would be resigned to his fate and face life without his children.
I can imagine how helpless and miserable Marimuthu must be. Without power and money, he really could do nothing in this dog-eat-dog world. How desperate he must have been for help. The very people whom he would hope to render aid did not deliver.
Yes, as I believe, help came from the quarter which you least expected. In this case, it came in the form of Karpal Singh and Lim Kit Siang.
In spite of his busy schedule, Karpal is willing to represent Marimuthu, a mere rubber tapper. At least, I know there are some who still care for the downtrodden.
To Karpal and company, I salute you.
On Integration in schools: Non-bumi students lost
LSL: This refers to myself and the non-bumiputeras during my SPM (Science Class) in 1985. After receiving my SPM result, I was among 11 students who scored Grade 1. Nine Grade 1 bumiputera students received JPA scholarship and they went overseas.
My friend, a non-bumiputera, and myself did not get any offer. Most of the Grade 2 bumiputeras entered local universities. I had no choice but to stay and study in Form Six with the remaining Grade 3 bumiputeras. What is this agenda that the government recently announced? Integration in the national schools?
Concerned Non-Economist: Over the last 50 years Malaysians have been crying for more openness in our approach vis-a-vis racial integration. But unfortunately, we have been fed with more hypocrisy.
The mainstream media hardly ever addresses the issue of race relations in this country. On the other hand, if one reads what is published by non-mainstream media, you will find that this issue is at the heart of the problems that face this country.
I hope that in the next 50 years, Malaysia will address this all important issues openly in the spirit of the Barisan Nasional. Policy guidelines that are so closely followed in the day-to-day operations of the BN must become second nature in all our activities.
Politicians should not think that they are safe if racial integration is limited to the political level. It must flow down lower and to every level of society if we are to maintain Malaysia in the form as envisaged by its founding fathers.
On Orangutan warnings aimed at palm oil industry
Ian Redmond: As a Malay-born naturalist, I would like to reassure Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak that there is no ulterior motive behind the concern expressed by conservationists over the conversion of biodiverse forests into oil-palm plantations.
The report which kicked off the controversy, 'The Oil for Ape Scandal' was commissioned by the Ape Alliance and Friends of the Earth. I chair the Ape Alliance and can state categorically that there is no interest in damaging the palm oil industry per se, just an urgent need to reform it to adopt better environmental standards.
Anyone who takes the trouble to read the report will see we specifically state that a boycott of palm oil is not the answer. Instead, we have been encouraging major UK palm oil users to join the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (as a result, most now have done so), and we continue to urge all plantation owners to abide by the principles and criteria already agreed by the roundtable.
If the industry would immediately cease all forest conversion, and adopt practices such as 'zero burning replanting' techniques pioneered by Golden Hope Plantations, I think you would see immediate support from the organisations and journalists currently criticising the palm oil industry.
Let the world see an end to burning peat swamps and destruction of forests, and we will be the first to promote 'orangutan friendly' palm oil.
On Prim says BN fairer, slams Anwar
PKR Supporter: Sad to say that Prim has forgotten all BN's discriminatory policies. Look at how many Hindu temples have they bulldozed flat.
What about the Maika issue, education, licences, etc? Please don't confuse your members.
Look at the estate workers. Remember the Lim Keng Yaik's disparaging comments on the Indian estate workers?
