‘What we want to change is the perception of the effectiveness of our police in carrying out their work to convince us that we indeed have a lower crime rate than other countries.'

On Our perception of crime must change: Najib

Peter Yew: Let's congratulate ourselves for having lower crime rates than Japan and Hong Kong, and why don't we give the police a raise for doing such a good job!

However, we don't agree with Najib's perception because he has bodyguards and lives in a secured residence.

He does not know the fear of the average rakyat has in having their homes burgled, cars stolen, handbags snatched, children kidnapped or daughters or wives raped or killed.

We don't need to change our perception of crime because crime is universal. What we want to change is the perception of the effectiveness of our police in carrying out their work, which really needs a helluva lot of change to convince us that we indeed have a lower crime rate than the other countries mentioned.

Yum: Omigosh. What an incredible statement from this fellow! Mr PM-to-be, born with a silver-spoon in your mouth, sir:

1.I bet you don't talk much about crime, since you live in a neighborhood with high walls and personal sentries.

2. I bet you don't need to go shopping in the parts of town where us lowly people go to.

3. I bet you don't know what it means to have a loved one accosted at knife-point to hand over her possessions.

4. I bet you have not seen policemen more interested in ambushing mostly law-abiding citizens than investigating the real crimes.

5. I bet you haven't been to a police station to make a report about some crime, and have the police-person chuckle at your misfortune.

Mr PM-To-Be, we don't have a perception problem. You, on the other hand, have an attitude problem.

Malaysian-Thru-And-Thru: Our dear deputy prime minister, Najib, has not only got his reputation linked to the murder of the Mongolian lady but now he's making ludicrous statements on the state of the crime in this country.

I wonder what does he see when he visits Japan and Hong Kong on his holiday trips. My Japanese friend nearly fell off his chair laughing when he read what Najib had to say when comparing Japan to Malaysia.

When he's managed self-composure, he remarked that, at least, in Japan, women are able to walk safely on the streets of Tokyo without having to worry about snatch thefts.

On Mukhriz: Close down vernacular schools

Anti-racist: Here we go again. Slowly but surely, Mukhriz is showing his true colours. He is definitely proving the bapak borek anak rintek terminology true.

Perhaps, without the vernacular schools, Umno can brainwash all schoolgoing children about Malay supremacy and all the other concepts which Umno wants to ‘impart' to the delicate minds of children.

We have to brace ourselves for more and more such racist statements from power-crazy Umno aspirants till their elections in March.

I'm waiting with bated breath to hear from Khairy, Khir Toyo, Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Ali Rustam, Syed Hamid and others who will be trying to outdo each other at the expense of the other races.

Not forgetting Mahathir ‘assisting' his son in his venture to gain the Umno Youth leadership.

Vijay: I refer to this statement by the latest cowboy to ride out of the Umno stables, Mukhriz, the son of you-know-who. I do not even want to comment on his demand, or rather ‘suggestion', that vernacular schools be shut down.

I merely await our other valiant cowboy, Syed Hamid Albar, to ride out on his horse and charge Mukhriz for sedition.

Even he, despite being from Umno, should know that calling for Tamil and Chinese schools to be closed is as much sedition as demanding an end to Malay special rights.

I am sure that our energetic attorney-general must be already drafting the appropriate charge. It should be a cinch even for him, after all, Mark Koding from Sabah was once prosecuted for the same offence.

Gani Patail certainly would want to display to the whole world that we do not have separate laws in Malaysia - one for Umno and another for mere mortals like us. Do we?

On Anwar refuses to admit defeat over Sept 16

Ibrahim Musa K: Politicians are still politicians. Their ability to twist and turn words or events must be beyond laymen's comprehension.

Since it has not been easy to give a convincing account on what happened over Sept 16, the best thing would be just to continue keeping mum.

Why form a shadow cabinet now when the details of the MPs to crossover from BN are not even disclosed? The number and nature of the cabinet posts allotted to them would have to be clearly spelt out. Otherwise, another round of reverse crossovers could take place at any time.

Meantime, what the opposition should do is to try its best to contain the sheer arrogance and rampant corruption of the government that is tearing the nation into pieces.

This apart from a relentless monitoring to ensure a healthy economy during 2009 in view of the disastrous global financial turmoil. The rest is of secondary importance, if not inconsequential.

SH Huang: Firstly, Pakatan Rakyat should be registered as a coalition of three parties and a secretariat should be formed; a logo and a motto should also be decided among the three partners.

Secondly, PR should consolidate its position in the five states already under its control. These should be the foundation stones, firmly entrenched in their hands.

It should solidify its position, never losing sight of the fact that BN would try likewise to dislodge PR's position while PR tries to do the same with the other non-PR states.

Thirdly, PR should form a shadow cabinet and be ready to form the next federal government at the drop of the hat. As it is, PR leaders are not doing it. Once this is established, then it will be a credible opposition in parliament like in the UK.

Then it will be potent force and the people at large will know that PR is in business: it is serious to form the next federal government.

Threatening to form the government on Sept 16 and failing to do so makes people wonder whether PR is really ready to form one. It does not make sense to announce to the world that it has the numbers and then failing to show your hand in Parliament.

Millionth Citizen: These people in Barisan can only criticise Anwar about Sept 16 and they include the Sabah chief minister.

Funny BN can only criticise. Imagine if it was play on a level ground and no punching below the belt.

Pakatan Rakyat would have become the new government. So you BN fellows, you can keep your comments about Anwar's Sept 16 to yourself.

We will see you as the opposition soon.

On Azmin scotches rumours of rift with Khalid

Ahmad Kamal: If Azmin replaces Khalid, then it is downhill for PKR in Selangor. Frankly what credentials has Azmin got besides being a politician?

Unfortunately, most in PKR have no real working experience in running anything decent to date. The NGO-turned-PKR politicians have done a lot of demonstrations and perhaps a speech here and there but that is about it.

Khalid has turned around companies for Mahathir, for pete's sake. If his performance is ‘lacklustre', suely it must be a reflection of the Team PKR?

There a certainly a lot of improvements needed from PKR at this point. Les see if they can build something credible and do the talk.

I am unimpressed by the reports of their congress. I must say Wanita PKR looked quite hopeless. Let's see if they will pick up non-party professionals to run some jobs.

I believe if PKR lacks skills among its politicians, surely they should be smart enough to employ (non-party) professionals to do the jobs in Selangor.

On De puty Penang CM to be dropped?

Sang Kancil: This is the problem when you have immature guys as deputy CM or exco members.

They are not learning and not willing to learn as well. Just replace this guy. Don't see race as a criteria.

Appoint any Ah Chong or Thamby as long as they can perform. There are no two ways about it.

On MIC saddened by M'sian woman's death

Ron: It is a tragedy that innocent lives were lost in Mumbai. No doubt about that. What I found additionally aggravating was that our government's response had to be relayed by the party representing the victim's ethnic group.

This is the glaring flaw in the BN model; that component parties are to champion the plight of Malaysians according to ethnicity.

I was saddened on hearing the death of a Malaysian, and then annoyed that MIC needed to remind me that she also happened to be ethnically Indian. There are many among us who no longer wish to be identified and separated by ethnicity.

I for one would never want my death to be hijacked for political mileage, especially by a political system that reduces all I am to an ethnic group.

I would feel terribly insulted. So MCA can just lay off this ethnic Chinese Malaysian.

To the victim's husband and family, I'm sure the sympathies of all Malaysians go out to you and your family, not just MIC's.

Dr Kok Choong Seng: I am glad to read that the incoming station manager for MAS at Mumbai was unharmed by the violence at the Taj Hotel where he was staying since Nov 18.

Apparently he was there to do the handing/taking over of duties from the current station manager. One question that comes to my mind is why does it take so long to do so?

Handing over of duties of a station manager of an airline should not take more than a few days. What more for an airline that has only one flight a day.

The other point I was curious about was why does he need to stay at the ‘best' hotel in Mumbai. I am sure the cheapest room there cost at least RM1,000 a day.

Is MAS so rich that it could afford to have a mid-level manager stay in a room costing more than RM1,000 for almost two weeks?

On Namewee in a new video controversy

Law: When I reade the above report, I thought to myself ‘The ISA is going to operate again'! The yesterday issue of ‘Negarakuku' must be settled now, once and for all, by using the ever so familiar ISA.

But this time around, to my dismay, it is not what I think it to be. Suddenly, he has become the centre of criticism by Chinese community, not like the last time when most of them, especially the younger generations, stood behind him.

What's went wrong? Is it necessary for him to come up with all that vulgar and obscene ‘creativity' for something we are all familiar with it? He said that he was highlighting the unfairness in Chinese education.

No matter what is his intention, I personally feel that he is doing it the wrong way. Maybe, the last time, he found the right formula and became an instant hero. But not this time.

Please have some respect not only for other people but for yourself too. He is just making excuses to promote himself - not for the benefit of the Chinese community.

Namewee. A name that is surely to be remembered for a long time. But will he be remembered as a hero or a weakling?

On In dian home minister quits over terror attack

Malaysian Dreamer: Hmm...just wondering whether this will happen in our country if any of our ministers are found to be incompetent.

On Maid abuse: Housewife gets 18 years

Milton Yap:

Finally justice is done. I feel that Yim was lucky to get away with 18 years. She deserves more.

The pain and suffering for Nirmala is unspeakable, not to mention the mental scar on her for the rest of her life. It is reported Yim claims to be a staunch Christian and showed no remorse at all, even seeking to appeal the sentence.

One writer suggested that Yim should only be fined RM30,000 and bound over for good behaviour. I think that to even think about this suggestion is outrageous and inhuman.

How about I give you RM30,000 and you let me torture you as what happened to Nirmala? Money cannot repay Nirmala for the pain she has suffered.

If justice is just about money, then the rich can get away with many things. Nirmala is a maid. But, first she is a human being and deserves to be treated like one.

Karoya: Humans will be humans. Put anyone of us in a position of power without any checks and balances in place, and it's 99.9% guarantee that abuse of power will take place.

So, the next time we have the urge to tease a kitten, kick a dog or bully our younger sibling - let us remember the Golden Rule stressed by all the great teachers of mankind: Treat others how you want them to treat you.

The cruelty of this case is beyond shocking; it is inhuman, inhumane and unacceptable in any day or age. Let us all say a silent prayer of healing for both Nirmala and Yim.

Interestingly, something wonderful is happening today. We are now starting to see a massive paradigm shift: people all around the world today, armed with new technological tools like the Internet, are becoming the change they want to see.

By becoming more politically and spiritually aware, by becoming more knowledgeable about the issues that really matter, they are finding the courage to voice out their opposition to evil. The Gandhis, Martin Luther King Jrs. and Mother Teresas of today are each and everyone of us.

We all have power. How we use it - for better or worse - is up to us.

On The case for reporting religion fairly

Global Citizen: If we are perspective setting here, first, let's get one thing straight. India has a minority group Sikh prime minister, a Tamil minority finance minister now home minister, a former Tamil Muslim president who was loved by all Indians.

Can one offer the same spectrum in leadership for Pakistan or any other Muslim country?

Second, as US former secretary of defence Colin Powell said, poverty isn't the root cause for terrorism. There are poor Indians period. But Islamic terrorism is global and not just in India.

Christian and Hindus are oppressed in Pakistan. Bangladesh has 10-15 million refugees in India with many suspected as insurgents. Every country bordering with India has refugees in India from Tibet, Nepal, Myanmar and so on.

China is happily the largest supplier of arms to all them with nukes to Pakistan. Mumbai was India's financial center with its Sensex being one of the best performing bourse in the world.

It's only weakness was the global market. Yet India's economy is dynamic. This places it in a an invidious position by others in the region. Give India a break .

Historically, millions of Hindus have been killed by the Muslim invasions of India. Is there a Muslim country that has been so forgiving and integrative?