vox populi small thumbnail 'Here's a high five to you, Edward and the rest of your small group who dared to make a statement by turning out at Kampar's McDonald's despite the strong police presence.'

Police join Utar students at McDonald's

VK Ling-a-Lingam: The Kampar OCPD (district police chief) and his men should be out there solving crime cases instead of wasting their time at McDonald's. How can Utar management say this is a political event, when what we see from the 250,000 people who signed up on Facebook to protest the 100-storey high tower are hardly political?

Does that mean we can no longer protest against anything? Since when has our country become a communist country where the voice of dissent is quashed?

Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia: Fourteen police officers? That must be a significant portion of the Kampar police force.

Once again, the police seem to have no problem deploying unlimited numbers of police to intimidate and suppress peaceful gatherings of citizens at the whim and fancy of their Umno-BN overlords; yet, when citizens criticise the police over the ever-increasing crime rate, the police complain of 'lack of personnel, lack of equipment, lack of pay' etc, etc, ad nauseam, and ask for the public's 'understanding'. Disgusting.

Pity Him: This is PDRM (Royal Police Force). The top gun was there to eat, while his officers were there to protect him. This is bully tactic of the highest order. Cheers to the bravery of Edward Chin and others who were not cowed by these uniformed guys.

Some people should send some cakes to the ‘balai' (police station).

Loyal Malaysian: Here's a high five to you, Edward and the rest of your small group who dared to make a statement by turning out at Kampar's McDonald's despite the strong police presence.

Kazakh: If I am one of those students at McDonald's, I would be struck with fear and the first impression I would have is that this country has gone crazy, and the next thing on my mind is, I want to get away from this madness ... study hard, aim for a scholarship from Singapore and say goodbye to Malaysia.

I guess this is what the Umno regime would really want anyway. The one with no brain is a lot more easier to control.

TKC: I am partial to cakes because they enlarge my waistline. But after this incident, I'm going eat cake whenever I can in solidarity with the Utar students from Kampar.

Not Confused Thomas Jefferson once said: "When the people fear their government there is TYRANNY; when the government fears the people, there is LIBERTY". John Adams said: "Fear is the foundation of most governments".

'Self-defence' no excuse, Suaram warns police

Wfworker: The crime rates in the country are so rampant that we can only conclude that we have lost the sense of direction. If the police have been strictly implementing the basic rules, many of these thugs would have been less daring and hence there is no need to shoot them outright.

The wanton and violent behaviour of some of these thugs in reality give the police no choice. The IGP (inspector-general of police) should nib the problem of crime rate in the bud and thus avoiding such incidents.

In the final analysis, the core issue is the corrupt practices in the nation that have transformed the social fabric of this nation to this level.

Mahindar Singh: We should all make Suaram the final authority on how to police. Maybe instead of just talking nonsense all the time, it should come up with ways on how crime can be reduced. And also maybe come up with ways on how families of the crime victims can find solace, instead of telling police all the time what they should be doing.

BernieBaby: How many bullets did they take to bring down Aminularasyid Amzah? These days I don't even acknowledge police officers unless stopped by them. Mat Bond as we used to call them years ago - licensed to kill. Want to change PDRM? Start with Najib Razak and the likes of him.

Pity Him: Suaram should also demand how many bullets were fired to kill the three guys. PDRM will probably tell you to shut up and let them do their job.

Federal Court told not to shirk conversion cases

Proarte: What is amazing is that the Conference of Rulers are apparently 'not happy' with the proposals which will prevent the abuse of Islam by converts who take advantage of the misguided notion Muslims must 'win' no matter even if the cause is unjust, evil or shames Islam.

Umno and the Conference of Rulers want to inculcate a sense that Muslims can do what they want even if it means harming, hurting or being blatantly unjust to non-Muslims. Umno has promoted a bastardised Islam which has made Malays and the Islamic institutions they run unable to recognise or administer justice.

The royals must ask themselves whether they want to be defenders of a bastardised Islam or defenders of Islam.

Loyal Malaysian: What's MCA, MIC, Gerakan and the rest of the Umnoputra's mosquito parties are doing about this issue? No cue from the political master, I supposed.

Norman Fernandez: There is no point to blame the former (and present) prime ministers or Barisan Nasional. The blame should be us and our parents before us whose support for the component parties, ie MCA and MIC, and also the wholehearted support for BN, meant that they could pass any legislation, never mind it is an affront to non-Muslims.

Had we shown BN our disapproval with our votes and voice, much of what is happening may not have occurred. Indians who usually give their full support to MIC/BN should remember that it's MIC that sold your rights, and you were ambivalent and indifferent to what took place.

Let's not blame BN. We nurtured the creature to become a menacing monster. Just a question to the Subashinis and the Indira Ghandis, who were you voting for before your predicament?

Council: Respect minority rights as in constitution

No Nuclear Nation: No law, no constitution can defend the rights of every human being if all of us only know how to preach but do not practice the true teachings of every religion in this world - respect and humility, compassion and empathy, love and sacrifice...

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