your say 'The stakes are high for BN top politicians. When they lose, they will lose almost everything, including perhaps their freedom.'

Electoral reform: How does M'sia fare?

Nik V: There are many Malaysians who appreciate what former US ambassador to Malaysia John Malott has put forth in defence of our rights and not to be trampled by the current corrupt and pseudo-democratic Umno-BN regime.

Please continue to write in our defence as we need heroes like you. Many Malaysians may not respond with comments in Malaysiakini but we're all nevertheless grateful for your sincere words of political wisdom.

We hope more eyes will gradually be opened after so many years of indoctrination and propaganda by the BN regime, which have enriched themselves and their cronies while pitting the rakyat against one another using racism and religion.

We, the rakyat, are as much to blame for why the BN is still robbing our nation.

Loyal Malaysian: Thank you, Mr Malott for giving us the benefit of your wisdom and experience.

Yet, the bottom line remains that electoral reforms must be forced upon the Umnoputras, for it is inconceivable they will be willing to give up the imbalanced playing field, which is to their advantage.

Blind Freddo: This is a truly sad article. It's honest, it's unbiased and it's analytical. The sad thing is that it has to be written by a foreigner because Malaysians are too afraid to stand up for their rights.

Emulate India's code of conduct for GE13

Anonymous_40f4: In 1975, India's then PM Indira Gandhi was disqualified from her parliamentary seat because one of her election workers was caught using a government vehicle when campaigning.

Well, that's India but here in Malaysia, we have hypocrites who claim to be pious Muslims and pray five times a day but everything they do is haram .

Ben-ghazi: During a visit to Kerala early this year, I found out that the Indians have three months to campaign. But do you think the BN will allow fair and clean elections?

It will mean they might lose the GE, which was not the case in all past elections, with the BN using RTM as if it belongs to the BN instead of the people.

Will the police be liberal in giving permits for cerama h to non-BN-affiliated parties? Not a chance.

The stakes are high for BN politicians. When they lose, they will lose almost everything, including perhaps their freedom, if any of them are found to be involved in crimes during their reign.

Sita-ram Sivapragasam: As far as our Election Commission (EC) is concerned, it is completely controlled by the BN government and is still in an infancy stage.

Tamil Nadu in India shows a very good example how the election campaign is monitored. No posters/billboard are allowed, politicians can use only a maximum of three vehicles for canvassing, no cash is involved, all the name lists are controlled electronically and so on.

Ksn: Folks, there is one very prominent common denominator between Malaysian politicians and Indian politicians - corruption.

Probably the Indians will beat us in this respect, but at least the people there are doing something about it.

Democrat: If the EC chairperson and deputy were to give statements in India like they do here, they will be beaten to pulp and made into pappadam .

'Drastic' leap of postal voters in Ipoh seats

Disgusted: More police officers and army personnel with their families are being sent to Ipoh Timor? Is BN expecting it to be a war zone?

Why should army and police personnel and their families be allowed to vote via the postal vote? Their residences are all near the polling stations and not stationed in some jungle area far away.

Postal votes should only be applied to army personnel who are in remote areas on duty or overseas on duty such as UN missions. The rest should go to polling stations and vote like everyone else.

In that way, they are free to vote without some being appointed by their chiefs to mark the ballots for them. That is pure cheating and depriving the individual from making their independent decision as to who they want to vote for.

This sort of cheating should be put to an end by EC. But then do they dare?

S Vellu: They must be planting votes in the army camps in Ashby Road and police votes in Sungai Senam. I am a voter there and my vote goes to the opposition, whoever the candidate.

 

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