'I've always thought that the level of selfishness in Malaysia has reached almost pathological levels... but this one really takes the cake.'

KL cabbies not looking forward to Bersih walk

Quigonbond: Kuala Lumpur cabbies should think smart. If they reject the Bersih rally, it's an excuse for the police to set up roadblocks throughout the city, making traffic congestion even worse, not just around the rally points but all roads around the city. If they support it, they could well be ferrying rally participants to the rally, increasing their income for the day.

Consider this also - the rally is for reform of the electoral system, one which most people will say if actually carried out, would favour Pakatan Rakyat. When Pakatan comes to power, they will be fairer to taxi drivers.

Right now, taxi companies are cronies of Umno. They impose a fee on cab drivers, leaving the rest of the costs like maintenance, etc, to the cabbies themselves. It's hard work and the returns are really miserable. KL cabbies, in going against the rally, is supporting their own misery.

Densemy: I've always thought that the level of selfishness in Malaysia has reached almost pathological levels, that is, it's a sickness. But this one really takes the cake.

So now the livelihood of a few taxi drivers for one day is of greater importance than the right to free and fair elections for all Malaysians.

What you are really reading is that a few easily manipulated taxi drivers have been stirred up by certain politicians to oppose changes to a corrupt system that keeps the politicians in positions of power and wealth.

Lim Chong Leong: For one day's income, the cabbies are willing to sell off their right to vote freely. They should be asking who is controlling all or most of their taxi licences and who they have to pay to subcontract those licences from.

Michael Ng 34f2: It's often that I hear from taxi drivers themselves complaining about the high charges of their licence and vehicle rental that come from certain sole taxi licence permit issuers that are crony companies.

Sacrifice just one day of work to join in the march to eradicate unjust voting and you all might have a better future in your work and own your own taxi permit.

Wira: KL cabbies do not realise that it is not the marchers that are causing the massive jams if the police had allowed the space for them to exercise their constitutional right of freedom of expression. No wonder they and their children will be cabbies for generations.

Ghkok: If the taxi drivers are screaming just because of one day's rally, then their entire income stream must be so vulnerable that they are being exploited by taxi companies and cronies who hold the licences.

By supporting the rally, they are doing themselves justice, they are helping themselves. They need to see that.

Voice: Dear taxi drivers, if the prices of goods and services keep on increasing, corruption is rampant, plundering of national resources continues, etc, it will make the regular rakyat poorer and our lives more difficult and at the end of the day, fewer people will take taxis as they can't afford it. One day, taxis may become a luxury. Think of the bigger picture.

Mahindar Singh: If changes are needed in the system, then there is a price to pay. Be proactive, and I am sure there will be a need for taxis after the rally. Think of the sacrifices the people in Tunisia and Egypt have made for change.

Mat Sabu in BB - a mission not impossible?

2cts Worth: It is an exciting thought - Mat Sabu standing in Bukit Bintang. It would be hilarious if the mindset of the rakyat has changed to the extent as to accept an MP regardless of skin colour. This would also mean Karpal Singh and Lim Kit Siang have equal opportunity to be PM. What a marvellous thought.

Dingy: Bukit Bintang is a safe seat under DAP. With Mat Sabu as a candidate, it'll be 50-50. Don't take the chance if Pakatan wants to march to Putrajaya.

20121221Disaster: Urban voters are mainly Chinese who are mostly open-minded and literate. So for the constituency of Bukit Bintang, race and religion are not important factors for voters support.

But in the rural areas where the majority of the voters are Malays who have been traditionally hypnotised by Umno, to open up their minds and lift up the 'tempurung' (coconut shell) to educate them is more important.

Rather than just sharing the harvests without much sweat in the urban constituencies; winning over the rural voter is a very tough and a difficult task but a very important one for the success of kicking out Umno from the government.

Docs: Frankly, I am so irritated with BN-Umno for acting like a party of racist idiots and MIC, MCA, PPP and the rest of the BN component parties for being Umno eunuchs to the point that if I had a choice of voting for a BN candidate in my area versus a cow in the coming election, I would certainly vote the cow.

It is a brilliant idea for Mat Sabu to think outside the box. A win for him in Bukit Bintang is an acid test whether the Chinese are racists or religious fanatics.

Sarawakian_3ff9: Had the idea been suggested two months ago, most of us would either laughed or thought that PAS had gone coo-coo. But with Mat Sabu being elected and the optimism shown by the public to the new line-up, it is now a distinct possibility that he might win handsomely.

Bukit Bintang is rather urban and less communal than the rest so the people would accept him quite readily. And it will be a coup for both PAS and Pakatan in that they can claim to be accepted by all races. I say go for it.

Yvoon: This is a very interesting proposition. If the Chinese elect Mat Sabu into Parliament, the Malays will reciprocate by electing a Chinese MP in a Malay area. I am sure of that. That's the Malaysian way.

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