vox populi small thumbnail 'The sports-betting episode is the incriminating evidence - the smoking gun - like the Lingam tape disclosure that confirmed what people had suspected all along about our judiciary that it's not independent and professional.'

A gamble which Najib lost badly

Mr Huang: Kee Thuan Chye has put it very appropriately about the flip-flop on sports betting. It does not reflect very well on the finance minister who also happens to be the prime minister. The writer put it nicely when he wrote that 'an approval is an approval'. Full stop.

If you go back on your word, then it does not look 'nice', to put it mildly. It appears that the government does not know how to go about doing things. It should first get the feedback, not after giving the approval.

Now, the company which was originally given the approval would be in a dilemma: it might already have ordered the machines from overseas to operate a sports betting operation. If this assumption is correct, then will the government pay compensation for its flip-flop?

DOC: My vision of Najib Razak is a person with a big bullseye painted on his back and running for his political life. He is being chased by his Umno party members armed with arrows and javelins and taking aim at the moving target, hoping to bring down the prize.

What goes around comes around. Such is karma! Najib hunted Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and brought him down. Now the hunter is being hunted.

Joe: MCA chief Chua Soi Lek was reported recently in the Star as saying the BN coalition is perceived by the public as an unequal partnership. We see through the retraction of the sports-betting licence to Vincent Tan, it's Umno that makes the call and is the real power behind government decisions, not the cabinet.

It confirms BN is more than just an unequal partnership. The concept of BN power-sharing is a fiction. This revelation is not new. The sports-betting episode is the incriminating evidence - the smoking gun - like the Lingam tape disclosure that confirmed what people had suspected all along about our judiciary that it's not independent and professional.

Beetle: I salute those who spoke and stood firm against the issue of the sporting licence. Finally it has been proven that when the rakyat is united they can force the government to back down when they are wrong. Let's stand together as one and fight against corruption of this present government.

Berjaya's shares dip following sports betting U-turn

Ferd Tan: Vincent Tan, if you are bitter with the majority of the people who were against sports gambling, do not cheaply invoke the good name of God.

Your statement "To all those who supported legalising sports betting... a true God-fearing devotee of a better Malaysia" is ridiculous to say the least. Does it mean, "true God-fearing devotee = supporters of legalised sports betting"?

Praveen: It is not surprising. What I and others wish to know is how much money many people made (through insider information) before and after Berjaya made the announcement to the Stock Exchange that it had the licence from the MOF (Ministry of Finance).

Subsequently, when the controversy and announcements from the company and Ministry of Finance and various ministers was going on, there was trading as well and the players must have made and lost money trading in Berjaya shares during the period following the announcements.

There is some sort of manipulation going on in this episode, that is for sure. Is there no law the Exchange can bring into play to investigate and prosecute those responsible - like Berjaya and its subsidiary Ascot Sports - to compensate those who lost in the process, or are the players themselves to blame for their losses? Something is not right here.

Piu Sheng: Even if "sports betting needs to be legalised in the country", why has it got to be legalised through Ascot Sports? And Vincent Tan, since when is a gambler "a true God-fearing devotee of a better Malaysia."? Is that a joke?

Ghkok: To all those who oppose legalised sports betting, this is a sweet victory. This is a victory for common sense. It doesn't matter what race or religion, or non-religion for that matter, the rising tide of gambling is threatening to consume the nation. It is a social problem. There are enough avenues for gambling already.

It appears that Vincent Tan would like to see more gambling, more people losing money, more Ah Long problems, more social problems, more crime problems. Does he care for the country?

The battle for Selangor within PKR

Clear Soul: If Azmin Ali wants to be menteri besar, give him a chance. Anyway, it's not those who are capable only of politicking who should be MB, but people who are good at administration and governance possess good character and moral background.

Khalid has proven his administration skills. Maybe his talents lie not in politics, but that's because he is not sly enough. In terms of experience in running a good corporation, MB has all the experience, while Azmin's credentials are still in doubt.

No one knows what is going on in Anwar's mind, but he certainly is trying hard to ensure that he doesn't end up in Kamunting again. Sadly, there aren't any true heroes like Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat, Saudara Lim Kit Siang and Syed Husin Ali any more.

Mike Chaics: I have always seen Azmin as nothing but another Umno has-been. He still thinks and operates like an Umno warlord and he has done nothing to show the publicotherwise.

Challenge Khalid or work with him - that's what an honest person with integrity would do. Don't undermine him through politicking - that goes for all those PKR MPs that support him. Otherwise we will throw the lot of you out at the next election.

KC Tan: You need to be a bit of a prima donna and a jackass to be an effective leader. Examples of nice guys not quite making the cut are foreign leaders such as Kevin Rudd, Yukio Hatoyama, Roh Moo-Hyun and Barack Obama.

My observation is that neither Khalid nor Azmin are strong enough to run a state and fend off jerks like Selangor ex-chief minister Mohd Khir Toyo at the same time. Any seconder for Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar?

 

 

 

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