On Anwar seeks emergency House session
Meng: What Anwar is trying to do is to take over the government in a democratic way as provided for in the constitution. Unlike any other southeast Asian country, if he succeeds, it will be the first peaceful takeover in the region.
This would speak volumes for the maturity of Malaysians and the government. If and when it truly happens without a single shot fired or any blood shed, it will be a historical moment not only for Malaysia but for Asian nations.
Should I be pessimistic and cynical? Unfortunately Umno has never had a history of civility and respect for the rule of law. It would be highly unlikely that Umno and BN would walk down this path without a fight. That would be sad but it would be the main reason we should seek to oust this oppressive regime once and for all.
We must pray for Anwar to succeed.
Maniam Sankar: I agree with the PM that there is a clear and current threat to the nation. I am only not sure whether that threat is the BN or Anwar.
The BN government’s laughable sodomy allegations, the recent ISA detentions and the uncensored Ahmad Ismail outburst will surely cause any right thinking investor to delay if not cancel any plans for Malaysia.
Even if we believe Anwar is causing instability, surely it is only because the BN is so weak that it allows him to do so. If any government cannot counter the arguments of its citizens except by detaining them under ISA, surely it is the government that is at fault. The administration must make the case to be trusted.
Given the PM’s inability to do so, why not he call a session of Parliament to rule whether Anwar is a threat? Only then would we be able to gauge the level of support both men have in Parliament.
Are you man enough, Mr PM?
Faizul Zainol: Pak Lah should just convene Parliament so that both he and Anwar can lay their cards on the table, once and for all. This will put to rest the speculation about crossovers.
But it looks like Pak Lah is scared. This puts more weight in Anwar’s claim that he has the numbers. Threats of ISA are a coward’s excuse and only add to further uncertainty and anxiety in the country.
End the tension once and for all. Call the emergency session of Parliament and lets' have a really happy Hari Raya - one way or the other.
Rocky: The PM must be joking when he said Anwar is a threat to the country’s economy and security. If he is a threat, it is to those in power and their economical wealth and security because he has promised to bring about change that will rid of corruption and injustice .
The country’s economy is suffering not because of Anwar, but because the current government has closed one eye to corruption, abused the judiciary and played the racial card to gain political leverage. I dare say if Anwar comes to power, our economy will improve.
On the matter of security, it is the Umno racial bigots and Umno-controlled media who are causing racial tension so that they can remain in power with a divide and rule policy while disregarding the security of the nation and the well-being of the people.
So, the prime minister should not blame others for his inability to do a good job as we can see most often than not, he has been unable to deliver what he promised and has a tendency to either move the goalpost or remain elegantly silent, hoping the issue would go away.
Please do not assume Malaysians are stupid and unaware of what is going on around them.
Vimhal: The PM’s comment that Anwar Ibrahim is a threat to national security is absurd. He is the hope of the nation for a better Malaysia for now and generations to come.
We the rakyat congratulate him for his bravery and determination and will always stand by him regardless of whether he forms the new government in days, weeks, months or even years.
Nitha Malar: A call for an immediate change in the government is necessary to avoid further damage being done to the political stability and economic growth of the country. A change in government can instill confidence in foreign investments and boost economic prospects if the government is aware of its current actions.
Seems to me the government is more concerned about staying in power instead of reflecting the will of people which is ultimately the core idea of democracy. We certainly have voiced our choices by our votes and it is now the government's responsibility to mandate the people's wish.
Patriotic and Proud To Be Malaysian: Anwar is this country’s salvation and hope for a better Malaysia, free from racial prejudices and disunity.
Asking the PM to convene an emergency parliamentary sitting to debate a vote of no confidence in the present BN government is standard procedure in any parliamentary democracy, which this country claims to be.
If parliament convenes on September 23 and the vote of no confidence is taken, and if the final count does not show that Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat have the overall majority to bring down the BN government, then that’s it. It would all be over for him and the BN would be able to get on with governing the country. But Anwar should be given a chance in Parliament. It is the only democratic thing to do.
Melsteve: Anwar is seen by millions as the long awaited salvation, a cure to the ailing economy. It is Pak Lah who is a threat to the economy. Remember that it was the rakyat who put BN in power even though with a lesser majority. How did Pak Lah repay this gesture? He simply increased the price of petrol by 78 sens. Thank you Pak Lah. The rest is history.
The man on the street is crying because he has less money for his family. Syabas Pak Lah.
The longer he is in power, the bigger threat he is to our economy. I wonder what other surprises he has in store for the rakyat .
Concerned Malaysian: I am becoming increasingly concerned with the Malaysian version of the Bold and the Beautiful being replicated by our dear politicians in both the BN government and opposition.
The sad thing to all of this, we the Malaysian people are no longer the viewers of this soap opera. We are the affected bystanders.
We, are paying dearly and have been paying and will be paying more in times to come for this unwanted role that we partake as a nation.
The cost of living rockets upwards due to more inefficiencies in the economy (both private and public), our standard and quality of living begins to deteriorate, drop in the education system and standard, uncontrollable brain drain, a slump in the FDI and many more are the prices of this soap-opera.
We, Malaysians, are less human compared to the less of the world due to draconian ISA that curbs our freedom to express our rights and grievances. However, ISA is an exemption to BN racial inciters like Ahmad Ismail while an innocent reporter doing her job is detained.
Our once people friendly police are now against the people and are increasingly becoming like the watchdog of BN rather that the people.
I believe that millions of my Malaysian brothers and sisters want no role to play in this soap opera. We have families and loved ones to care for. All we want is peace, economic security and the right to co-exists in this beloved land of ours.
Kumar Ganesh: There is not a shred of evidence that the list of 31 defectors exists other than the fact that Anwar says so and he wouldn’t lie to us, would he? But why does he not go straight to the king with it? Why does he keep making demands of the prime minister, knowing that in the absence of concrete evidence, he will only be rejected?
If the list is no more than a wishlist, then never has so much political capital been squandered in one day. Not only has Anwar committed political suicide, he has also badly damaged the opposition. Anwar's only hope then is to get arrested under the ISA. Then he can at least preserve a modicum of credibility without having to show his hand.
Dr Jacob George: I appeal to all Malaysian politicians and more so, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, deputy premier Najib Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to meet and discuss a plan of action that serves the nation first and calls for a change that we can all believe in.
It is no longer about who wants to continue as prime minister or who hopes he will succeed as prime minister, let alone who feels he must be prime minister at any cost.
If of all persons, the notorious and brutal Robert Mugabe can finally allow a discourse for change and a unity government in Zimbabwe - can the above three not be statesmen and do the same for our beloved nation Malaysia?
Can we not have ‘politics of reconciliation?’
Can we all not think of the nation instead of our own political agendas and obsession?
