vox populi big thumbnail ‘All the restaurant owners, coffee shops and stalls are using cheap foreign labour and exploiting them. All because of greed and maximising profits.'

On Mini-budget falls short of expectations

John Johnson: Khazanah Nasional has been given RM1 billion for prawn farming. Syabas , now we can all eat cheap prawns and enjoy seafood once more. What a stimulus package!

Oh yes, we are also stimulating our work force. Now, the levies for foreign workers have increased. Instead of eradicating foreign labour, they're making huge bucks.

As long as we have minimum wage for our Malaysian workers, I don't think we need foreigners here.

Let's be frank - all the restaurant owners, coffee shops and stalls are using cheap foreign labour and exploiting them with three shifts and not even paying them salaries.

All because of greed and maximising profits. Put a stop to this. Let Malaysians work and if employers mess around with them, our Malaysian workers can take them to court.

It's about time these biz lords get a taste of justice. Enough of human greed.

On Royal insult: Bloggers to be charged

Kdsvision: It's a disgrace for the government to totally shut down our freedom. It's our freedom to comment on issues in relates to current political crisis in Perak.

What is the power-crazy BN government is trying to prove? That they will arrest anyone who voices out their comments?

Please, those who have the second chance to teach this BN government, exercise your right to teach them a good lesson.

People of Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang and Batang Ai, now it is your turn to show your support for Pakatan Rakyat.

On The photograph is out there

Sir Galahad: There are other ways to get to the bottom of the Scorpene submarines deal.

By way of background information, the Scorpene class diesel-electric attack submarines were jointly developed by DCNS (Direction des Constructions Navales Services - a French naval defence company) and Navantia (Spain's leading state-owned shipbuilding company).

Available public records show that a total of 14 Scorpene class submarines were ordered - two for the Chilean Navy, two for the Royal Malaysian Navy, six for the Indian Navy and four for the Brazilian Navy.

The contract prices for these orders are not readily available and may not be in the public domain.

Be that as it may. DCNS is a French company and Navantia is a Spanish company. France and Spain are members of the European Union (EU).

The European Commission, which is the administrative arm of the EU has put in place stringent rules against bribery and corruption in the awarding of contracts and projects. All EU member countries have pledged to strictly observe these rules.

Any interested party in Malaysia could file an official request with the European Commission for a full disclosure of all commissions paid by DCNS and Navantia to third parties (individuals or companies) in connection with the two Scorpene-class submarines ordered for the Royal Malaysian Navy.

DCNS and Navantia will have to provide this information to the European Commission who can then take further action as it sees fit.

It should be noted that DCNS and Navantia cannot arbitrarily refuse to provide this information to the European Commission.

If client confidentiality or national security is cited as reasons for non-disclosure, then the companies will have to make compelling arguments to the European Commission.

Perhaps the MACC should take the initiative in making this official request to the European Commission.

If not the MACC, then another interested Malaysian organisation should step forward to make the request.

Note also that the Malaysian government cannot demand that the European Commission ignore or reject such requests for information without giving reasons for doing so. Let all of these exchanges be given the maximum publicity.

The European Commission does not have any sympathy, I believe, for EU companies who pay bribes or commissions or give ‘kickbacks' in order to secure contracts and projects - even ‘sensitive' defence-related contracts.

On Perak speaker not allowed to represent himself

John Tan: I am a common Malaysian citizen and am certainly not well-versed in court proceedings.

But there is one phrase that has been often quoted with regards to court cases - ‘Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done'.

I would very much like to invite a learned member of the judiciary to explain to us common folks, does the current action being taken in Perak with regards to the speaker fulfill this criteria?

On Language march: Tear gas fired

Paul Warren: Some people say they are upset by all the disruptions caused by peaceful demonstrations.

I suppose any demonstration at all by people numbering in the hundreds, leave alone thousands, can be very disruptive.

I have myself participated in one such demonstration, that being the Bersih rally in 2007.

I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for all the inconvenience caused.

And while I am at it, I suppose having participated in Bersih, in a way I have tied myself to the chain that binds all those of us who have participated in such rallies not just here in Malaysia, but also all over the world and much throughout history.

So I would especially like to apologise for all the ‘disruption' caused by my fellow comrades who marched along with Martin Luther King Jr.

And in case Nelson Mandela is unable to, I would also like to apologise on his behalf for all the ‘disruption' and ‘inconvenience' he would have caused to ordinary citizens who were only trying so hard to put three square meals on the family table.

A little further along, it now occurs to me that Mahatma Gandhi, too, would have caused so much ‘disruption' and ‘inconvenience'.

I can see how ‘disruptive' he must have been to ordinary citizens.

Once again, on behalf of those who participate in demonstrations and rallies in Malaysia, I would like to ‘apologise' to all those in KL who complain of such events.