vox populi small thumbnail 'I appreciate what Bala's lawyers are trying to do. But I wonder who's footing the bill? Anyway, let's see what excuse the MACC will come up with this time.'

 

MACC gets all-expense paid London date with Bala

Sulaiman Hikmat: Over to you, MACC. Are you sincere? If you are, show it by accepting the offer. Or else accept the offer at your own cost which should be your priority as members of the general public are now footing the bill for you.

Chipmunk: MACC is now caught in the corner. I can't wait to hear their response to this offer. The following may happen:

1) MACC takes the offer and interview private investigator P Balasubramaniam in London;

2) MACC will turn down the offer, as this can be seen as a form of bribe;

3) MACC will come out with unreasonable reasons to say that this is not their standard operating procedure;

4) MACC will find other avenues to extradite PI Bala back to Malaysia where Bala will be at their beck and call;

5) MACC will have to check with Najib if they can proceed to interview Bala which may open up a can of bad worms.

Multi-Racial: If MACC does its job, there will be billion of dollars saved in the long run. In fact, this case alone, beside the murder, also involves kickbacks of half billion ringgit to Abdul Razak Baginda's company as reported by the French investigator. That alone, will save a lot of money for the country if MACC can recover it.

How is MACC going to expect the public to trust them? They should act without fear and favour. The only thing they should fear is God and that also if they do not do their job. They should fear no one if they are pursuing the right path. Based on MACC performance so far, they are miles behind ICAC of Hong Kong.

Loyal Malaysian I think I appreciate what Bala's lawyers are trying to do. But I wonder who's footing the bill? Anyway, let's see what excuse the MACC will come up with this time.

The Saint: This is another futile effort. I really don't know what Bala and his lawyers are expecting to achieve. The slightest hint that Najib Abdul Razak would be implicated would ensure that the entire government would step in. Why waste money and send these bums on a holiday?

Michael Ng: I don't agree with the MACC flight and expenses being paid by Bala's lawyers. If the goverment is really keen to get to bottom of all these accusations, these expenses are just peanuts to the BN goverment.

Louis: I don't mind chipping in a few dollars so that MACC can fly there. Money is not a problem to Bala's lawyers. All they want is that the truth be told and justice be seen to be carried out.

But it looks like MACC is dragging its feet. I suspect that it is fearful of the truth - the truth that might implicate some powerful people in the case. Faced with such situation, it is a forgone conclusion that no action will be taken for fear of grave consequences befalling them. Justice is dead and buried.

Mahathir: Politics is money, that's the reality

Susah Kes: "You see, without money you just cannot move". You don't say, doc. Say, how come Singapore - that little red dot - doesn't have such problems? Didn't you preside over a period where Umno was transformed from a party of school teachers to a party of high-flying business men?

You failed, Mahathir. You may have been big on your vision; you may have taken the risks necessary to support that vision.

But just like Victor Frankenstein (who was also consumed by his vision), you ended in creating a deformed monster in Umno. One in which there is no hope of redemption until they are out of power, and politicians like you and Mohd Khir Toyo have to answer.

That is accountability for which I don't think you have the guts to face. You only remember too well what happened to Indonesia's Suharto.

The Saint: In the 60s and 70s politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties had used their own money to fund their campaigns. My late father dug into all his savings to stand for election under the BN flag. He got very little from his party for his banners and posters. Most of the election workers also worked for free. Such was the spirit and loyalty to the party.

Today standing for election is an investment. If you invest RM500,00, you would expect to make 10 times within your term as a minister or an MP. Corruption breeds corruption. It’s a cancer which eats away at the nation. There is no way to justify it.

Wira: I have seen stacks of RM100 notes in a single bundle, totaling more than RM10,000, being collected at major DAP ceramahs. Political parties do not, and should not, need dirty money to be voted into power.

TDM (Tun Dr Mahathir) cultivated a corrupt culture and should rightly be called the father of corruption in this country.

Anonymous: In Western countries, you must be rich in order to partake in politics. But in Malaysia, it’s the other round. You are guaranteed to make your millions or even billions once in power, and the reason why they are so keen to get involved in politics is to serve themselves.

Look how Umno politicians got upset and angry when they lost their seats. They will do anything to get back into power like what they did to Perak. They even threaten the people by saying that if the opposition comes into power, there would be another May 13.

Dood: Didn't the Sarawak CM just say that there's no corruption in BN?

EC 'will not take chances' with voter registration

Voice: Automatic or compulsory voter registration is a very good idea. Is just compulsory to register and not compulsory to vote. With this compulsory registration, most likely voters turnout will be improved. Election Commission and the government should seriously consider this.

Urban Malaysian: Who is our BN government trying to kid when they rejected automatic registration of voters by saying they cannot force people to vote? In case they're really that bodoh (stupid), let us explain to them that automatic registration means that as soon as one turns 21, one is automatically registered to vote; whether or not one actually invokes that right is another matter.

Nathan M: It seems to me that EC is not willing to take chances with the possibility of new voters voting out the current regime in the next GE.

 

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