vox populi big thumbnail 'What right does any politician have in a democracy to choose their successor? Is it not the right of the people to choose who will represent them?'

Bradley Clay: I would like to say, as an ongoing expatriate observer, that the mindset within this government is totally beyond reckoning.

To read now that Rafidah is finally stepping down is a relief - she really should have stepped down after all the AP incident issue.

But now I read that she is asking her fellow Wanita Umno people to not contest against her or her deputy in the upcoming Umno elections.

What right does any politician have in a democracy to choose their successor?

Is it not the right of the people to choose who will represent them? And in this case, should it not be the right of the party to choose who will lead them as well? Not the choice of the current outgoing leader.

The same thing is happening with Abdullah and his choice of Najib to take the position of PM.

This sort of behaviour by the leaders of any country would have me asking what has been promised or given to these outgoing leaders to pass the torch of leadership to a particular person.

After all, the positions these people are being ‘given' are powerful positions in government, positions controlling vast assets, public monies, and, of course, power.

I say the only way to stop the possibility of this sort of inherited leadership corruption is to outlaw it. If someone is stepping down, have a proper democratic election.

If someone dies, then the deputy temporarily holds the position and hold an election as soon as it is possible.

I have heard what it ‘costs' to get a government project, and as we all know, these projects are large sums of money in themselves, often mismanaged because they don't go to the right person for the job and often failing and having to be fixed with more money by another ‘project winner'.

Who or where is this money going? Now, I am not about to start making blind accusations, but someone somewhere is receiving this money for these government projects, and I blame this inherited leadership process.

I call on whomever has the power to pass law that all political positions, both within the government and within their respective parts, must be elected positions.

Nusantara:

Looks like all the top Umno leaders act as if Umno belongs to themselves. There's always no contest for the top post, blah blah blah.

Why are they ashamed to be put themselves to the test to see if the party members still need them?

Is it because of pride, or do they not have enough projects to cover their retirement?

It's always the lower-ranking members who need to fight like cats and dogs to get a post.

Shame on all top Umno leaders. Show you are leaders - put your ideas, talents and popularity to the test.

On Abdullah unperturbed by drop in popularity

Phoon Khar Yue:

In light of the unprecedented level of Abdullah 's unpopularity as prime minister, it is timely for him to take on Anwar to affirm that his leadership is still very much relevant amongst the rakyat.

However, instead of proving detractors wrong, Abdullah chooses to remain 'unperturbed' and merely dismiss the drastic drop in his popularity as a 'fate of all politicians'.

In this respect, I beg to differ with the head of the executive branch of the Malaysian government.

The course of history has countlessly illustrated that those who fail to pro-actively protect and assert their leadership more often than not are eventually defeated, as was the case of the following leaders: Shinzo Abe (2006-2007), Yoshiro Mori (2000-2001), Richard Nixon (1969-1974), Joe Clark (1979-1980), John Major (1990-1997), just to name a few.

I dearly hope that Abdullah does not intend to be part of that spectacular list of failed premiers. But if he does, I certainly would not feel a loss for someone who is not only unpopular, but passive and stoic.

Malaysian:

The prime minister must be incredibly naive to be unperturbed by his free fall drop in popularity.

Where in the world can you see the popularity of a ‘leader' drop by more than half in just three and a half years?

Abdullah Badawi, your time is up, you have overstayed your welcome. Leave immediately - not in two years time. The rakyat don't want you. Get the message?

On Students give Pak Lah tough time

Del Capo: This is only a forum of 500 local students - not even the business community or international arena - and he cannot handle himself.

This is our PM.- off-topic, unintelligent, unsophisticated, unconvincing, and sheerly incompetent. A joke.

This is our PM's Department, letting their weak boss go out unprepared and badly briefed, and letting a generation of students make a fool out of him.

This is our education minister sitting next to the lame and under attack PM. That's it - just sitting there.

Need I go on? Or should we get behind the forces determined to change this government to one that we can be less embarrassed about?

On Gov't set to announce fuel price cut

Rakyat Malaysia:

There is no way Barisan Nasional, which made the decision to sharply raise fuel prices, is going to make businesses lower prices, even if BN were to flip-flop its policy on domestic fuel prices.

Blaming it on businesses would be easy, but Barisan Nasional would need to assume full responsibility for what is happening on the inflation front.

Barisan Nasional should now seriously consider lowering personal income tax rates and raising the threshold for which income becomes taxable to alleviate the economic plight of Malaysians, especially those in the lower to lower-middle income groups.

On Mind schooling race

Dennis Madden: In between all his polysyllabic words, Azly Rahman does talk some sense when it comes to analysing the status of education in Malaysia.

Follow his statement, ‘If we are afraid to ask questions, our mind and consciousness will be owned and manipulated by those who think they have the right answers, or by those who want to use force to tell us what the right answers shall be' and you would be well on the way to solving the major problem of the Malaysian education system.

But that would require Malaysians to accept that brainwashing their children with Islamic dogma is not the best thing for the children, for their education or for Malaysia.

I was appalled to read that he wants to pit one state against another (and at the same time, sacrifice the children) to determine which is the most appropriate education system

Might I remind him that there are many countries out there beyond the Straits of Johor and the Thai border that have resolved the problem of the best way to educate children. Learn from them.

Think more of the children and what they can offer Malaysia, think more about what you can do to inspire and excite them to become creative, imaginative and productive members of society.