vox populi big thumbnail 'He has his battle formations all lined-up but he cannot be absolutely sure his infantry will respond to his orders and be with him as he marches forward.'

 

Does Najib have the infantry to see him through?

Jiminy Qrikert: Even if Prime Minister Najib Razak had the infantry, he doesn't have the generals. His second-in-command has been saying the exact opposite to what he says from day 1 of his reign. The latest gem, 'I'm Malay first', from Muhyiddin Yassin has prodded Najib to quickly scramble to support his deputy instead of enjoying unquestioned support from his deputy.

Najib is definitely in a lousy position - he has his battle formations all lined-up but he cannot be absolutely sure his infantry will respond to his orders and be with him as he marches forward. Moreover, he doesn't really know if his generals are with him.

Najib's own field marshall walks behind him with a keris to his back, seemingly for Najib's protection but if Najib so much as goes further with his 1Malaysia ‘nonsense', he will be impaled with the keris.

As it is playing out, it does seem like Najib's 1Malaysia is being slowly moved into a checkmate position by his field marshal, who will then simply take over.

Ko Pi Ior Lah: We have to reckon that the problem of re-invention and change lies with Umno stalwarts - they are the rent seekers. Najib's own chair is dependent on their support.

It would take more than one generation to achieve what we want. If we think that he has shown enough commitment to do it within the next five years then we should give our support to him. We can always dump him at the 14 th GE (general elections).

Remember, we are talking about cultural and political change, and nation building , not growing papaya in the backyard.

Cala: Najib reads the trend well given that the BN suffered almost every by-election held since the March 2008 GE. His desperation to consolidate his hold shows up in many forms:

i) illegal grab of state power in Perak from Pakatan

ii) persistent intimidation of opposition MPs and state assembly representatives using state apparatuses

iii) introduction of 1 Malaysia motto, and

iv) depending on NEM (New Economic Model) to climb the ladder of high-income nation.

Still, as Terence Netto rightly pointed that nothing will change if our institutions, which are badly defaced and robbed of their professionalism and competency, are not resurrected.

Indeed, news of the jet engine theft, and the spontaneous outbursts from Umno members (Nasir Safar and Noh Omar) are signs of dissension against the change intended to rid the corrupted regime of rent-seekers and free-riders.

The only consolation for Najib is, some voters may sense a tint of sincerity of his reform agenda.

Ngng: No PM who himself is tainted will be able to practise what he preaches. Najib is waging a war on himself.

Sibu MP Robert Lau dies

Ong: In 2008, PKR's Lim Chin Chuang obtained 812 votes (a miserable 2.3%) out of the 35,853 votes cast. I find it impossible to imagine how he could have deluded himself into believing that he even had the remotest chance of getting elected.

Getting only 812 votes also mean that there were even his family members, friends and fellow PKR members who did not vote for him because I am sure they would have numbered more than 812.

Instead of volunteering to donate RM10,000 to the BN government (from the guaranteed loss of deposit), PKR should have donated the money to some needy charitable cause.

Also, the time and energy they had wasted on the election campaign could have been deployed to helping a fellow Pakatan Rakyat component party to defeat BN. I wonder if PKR, especially in Sarawak and Sabah, has learned anything from such episodes.

Urban Malaysian: PKR, let DAP's Wong Ho Leng fight one-to-one in this Sibu by-election. Wong deserves to be Sibu MP for the long, arduous fight he has taken on behalf of the people.

On another note, from the local Borneo Post , it seems the secretary of Sarawak PAS is stubborn in that he said PAS will contest in all 26 Malay-Melanau constituency in the coming state election.

Please lah , Sarawakians don't trust PAS. Furthermore, not all Melanaus are Muslims. PAS has not even won a single seat in Sarawak and yet now they want to invoke three-corner fights.

Anwar Hiro: Look carefully at the great and mighty Rejang River - it has turned brown and muddy. Not many years ago I could swim and fish in this river. Then it had clear water streaming down.

The Bakun project and the timber-cutting have turned it into a massive environmental disaster - the river is now dead and lifeless as a result of our monumental greed.

Pemerhati: In 2008, peninsular Malaysians finally woke up and sent a clear message to the Umno thieves that they had had enough of their plunder and rape of the country. This by-election will tell us if the Sarawakians have similarly woken up to send a similar message to Chief Minister Taib Mahmud and his fellow thieves.

Tony K: To the people of Sibu, a windfall has just come your way. All sorts of goodies will be offered and given to you by BN. Take them as they are ultimately the rakyat's money but please vote for Pakatan.

Voters on the offensive in Hulu Selangor polls

Ahmad Iqhbal: Is it any wonder that the politicians are looking out for themselves when their constituents are mostly doing the same - looking for a study loan, looking for hand-out to fix a leaking roof.

Why don't these people all band together and ask for a longer-term solution or they will have to wait for the next by-election to get any help.

Malaysian citizens deserve to be cared for by their government all the time . When the people are looked after, they will in turn become willing taxpayers. Why are the old folks not getting a better pension? Why are the students of low-income families not able to get a proper education?

All these issues should have been addressed a long time ago - health, education, welfare and public transport are the building blocks of a nation and should have been resolved 50 years ago.

LouisG: I agree, take the money and then give your vote for change. The reason all this people are in hardship is because of BN's corruption. They have stolen the money rightfully belonging to the taxpayers.

This money that they have stolen should have been used for social projects such as proper housing, schooling, welfare assistance for the needy, etc.

 

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