vox populi small thumbnail 'With the support of the timber tycoons, money and logistics support - the opposition will have no chance at all in the interior. The longhouses are BN's fixed deposits.'

Sarawak ripe for political transformation

Anonymous: The writer, being a Sarawakian, may have the pulse on the ground; and thus may be able to gauge the undercurrent that is stirring in the Iban community.

Once the Iban, the majority of all racial groups in the state, rises as one, then the writing on the wall is evident in the coming polls - not only in the state election but also at the federal level. Once the Iban community starts moving, there is no stopping the juggernaut.

The state election is due soon - the latest by July next year. Hence, there isn't much time for the regrouping of forces among Pakatan Rakyat and the Iban community. The shifting of the fault-lines will send tremulous signals, and unfix the so-called ‘fixed deposits'. Once the fixed deposit is broken, the position of BN at the federal level becomes shaky.

Zimbobwe: Sim Kwang Yang said: "The concept of race has no ontological basis."

You are absolutely correct. Alas, I can't think of any Umno politician who might understand the word "ontological." However, everyone of them is probably familiar with "bontotological." No wonder under Umno/BN the country has been sliding backwards intellectually and morally - indeed we seem to have regressed beyond even the basic baboon level of politics.

Patriot: Good analysis. In Sarawak, politics is all about pure money. Money talks and more money talks louder. Weeks before elections, all the helicopters, river boats and heavy trucks are all booked by BN.

With the support of the timber tycoons, money and logistics support - the opposition will have no chance at all in the interior. The longhouses are BN's fixed deposits - with crates of whiskey and beer plus some ‘duit kopi', they help to smoothen down the deal.

Education makes people easy to lead, difficult to drive; easy to govern and impossible to enslave. Too bad the natives are not urbanised and educated enough.

Loyal Malaysian: Of course, whether Sarawak's political transformation will benefit Pakatan remains to be seen. Nonetheless, at the very least, I hope it shall be the end of the Pek Moh's (Abdul Taib Mahmud's) reign, given all the exposes on his abuse of power and corruption.

PSM welcomes 3rd force to 'kick BN out'

1Malaysiakuku: It is way too early for a ‘third force'. We haven't even established a two-party system yet. Talking about a third force now serves to confuse the people and if Pakatan Rakyat does not give way to the third force, it will serve only to divide the people.

Proarte: The third force would have presented a better candidate for Jelapang than Hee Yit Foong, formerly of DAP, who jumped ship and contributed to the fall of the Perak government. I remember how Lim Guan Eng fought a bitter battle with PSM to claim 'ownership' of Jelapang. It is a no brainer now that this seat for starters will have to go to PSM.

Fairplayer: It's better to watch out for the ‘force' from the jungles of Borneo. All this while, the last 40-odd years, it's this force that has kept BN in power and nobody seemed to see or care. Unless a definite/positive wind of change takes place in the hearts and minds of our jungle folks, we are going to see further demise of democracy and greater rise in corruption.

SusahKes: I think while many are paying attention to national-level politics, such as this third force, we must ask a very pressing question: are the present Pakatan office bearers performing? Other than Lim Guan Eng's Penang, I do not see how the other Pakatan states have proven their service level efficiency?

What is the point of Pakatan moaning and groaning on this third force? Hulu Selangor, Galas and Batu Sapi showed us one thing: Pakatan is weak in attending to local matters. And that is their biggest peril. Not the MCLM (Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement). Not even Umno.

Rolls-Royce: All these third force people are nothing more than soldiers of fortune thinking that the time is ripe for them to get into action.

What people's power and check and balances they are talking about when the existing Pakatan MPs are being thrown out of the Dewan Rakyat like bowling pins? If you fellows have any grey matter in your heads, you should have helped reinforce Pakatan in all fronts.

"Feudal and pro-corporate elements" are everywhere, including those in the third force. So cut the nonsense. There is no neutrality in politics. The reason why Perkasa is getting stronger is because we have too many third force nincompoops around.

You fellows are criticising and making noises even before Pakatan is given sufficient opportunity to prove themselves. All these disgruntled people can't wait to see the opposition further divided even before it (the opposition) can stand on its own feet.

MRT to kick off with Sg Buloh-Kajang route

AkuMelayu: What is the point of having MRT connecting Damansara, Puchong, Kajang... they have left out the two most important cities in the Klang valley - Klang and Shah Alam. There are no LRT, monorail or the MRT linking these towns.

Such poor planning that these two places are not yet linked with any kind of such system. The people concerned must look into it and respond to the public on what plans they have for these two cities. I am fed-up.

ACR: I suppose tunnelling work would be the 'meat' in the MRT project since this is an underground rail transit system.

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