VOXPOP Startling increases voter figures in a short time and other discrepancies indicate, yet again, that all is not well with the electoral roll.

'Balai Polis Kerinchi' a voter in PKR seat

vox populi small thumbnail Malaysian 53 : Voters in Lembah Pantai increased from 56,000 to 70,000? Where do all these increases come from? And within three years, too.

A roll call of the police apartments must be done at the least! Otherwise, its MP, Nurul Izzah Anwar of PKR, is doomed. With such names as Balai Polis Kerinchi, I wonder how many thousand new names have been added to ensure BN's victory.

Alan Goh: Winning by any means to defend Putrajaya is nothing surprising to Malaysian voters. Gerrymandering is one way, with Putrajaya having 7,000 voters and one MP's seat.

Bukit Bintang, Cheras, Kepong, Segambut, Lembah Pantai, etc, have over 50,000 voters each and also with one MP each.

Better still, Kapar has 115,000 voters and also one MP.

Phantom voters, postal voters with names like Balai Polis Kerinchi and lately, illegal immigrants from Indonesia and Bangladesh, have been given the right to vote. Election Commission, if there is no level playing field, just hand to Umno/BN the 222 MP seats and save rakyat the money spent on the general election.

Bender : This is indeed a serious problem. What if what Nurul says becomes reality? That the electoral roll remains tainted when the time for GE comes? Are we going to just accept all these cheating? Pakatan will lose for sure.

Seems to me the government is not doing anything about all the complaints (yes because it is neck-deep in it). The EC has admitted that there are discrepancies, but to what extent did it take action to correct them?

The fact is, we can't allow GE to take place with all these hanky panky business still going on!!

Blind freddo : I'm married to Encik Balai Polis Kerinchi and we have 18 children of voting age with the same name. So there.

Docs : I'm curious about the racial background of the voter "Balai Polis Kerinchi". Since he does not have a "bin" or a/l in his name, I think he's Chinese.

MCA lights fire under DAP over fund-raising dinner

2CTS WORTH : I would think seeking donations for a worthy cause is all right. Nevertheless, to name the amount is somewhat gross and out of place. A donor should be allowed to refuse or donate the amount he is comfortable with.

Quigonbond : I'm curious. You mean MCA has never solicited for donations before? And to twist the contents of the letter - how's setting a maximum amount any kind of coercion? Penang MCA Wanita head Tan Cheng Liang should learn how to read before criticising.

Swkdayaks : In Sarawak, all the big tycoons finance the BN campaigns in every election. BN solicits and collects the funds and then takes the money by helicopters to the voters in the longhouses and kampung on the eve and even on the morning of polling day.

This is a scourge which all, BN, Pakatan, etc, must be stopped from prostituting our elections and democracy.

Docs : Let me try to explain what MCA is trying to say on DAP soliciting donations. Taking bribes "CAN", asking for donation "CANNOT".

Marvin : It is a norm that most developers and main contractors ‘demand' donations/contributions from their suppliers and sub-contractors for their so-called annual dinners.

There are also instances when suppliers and sub-contractors collecting payments from developers/main contractors are required to treat the people from the relevant departments with meals or gifts.

I am sick of these kinds of practices. I feel DAP should stop this, if not, it will not be any different from its corrupt counterparts.

Reborn: So everything the DAP does wrong is explained away by accusing BN/Umno of worse things? Is this the free, fair and transparent government many want to get into power?

Is it about how much you steal and not that you steal is important? So corruption for the DAP on the small scale is okay, as long as it does do not exceed what the BN does?

So, whistleblowers who blow on DAP/PKR/PAS are not wanted, and those who blow on BN are called heroes.

Maplesyrup: This dissatisfied developer should not feel pressured. While DAP or Pakatan may be the ruling government in four states, the authority to approve building plans lies with the civil servants who are still loyal to the federal government.

Also, what the Pakatan government does, or does not do, is under the watchful eyes of MCA, Gerakan, Umno and also NGOs, which, while supposedly pro-opposition, often criticise the Penang government on several matters in the name of good governance.

So, if this developer were to use his brains and weigh the pros and cons, he shouldn't need to lose sleep over it. Just throw the letter in the waste bin. Just amazing that he bothers to bring the matter up.

Ramasamy: DAP should not have godfathers

SusahKes : Whether you are called the godfather, or dogfather, or warlord, or warlock, or Al Capone or Michael Corleone, or Tony Montana or Don Vito or Pakatan or Umno - here's the main message: none of you perform, then we - the rakyat, your bosses - will do wonders for your political careers at the ballot box. You can be warlords - just like Kayveas is a warlord in PPP - but what is the point when you lose the GE?

Tbala : A little secret I know: When Penang DAP deputy chief P Ramasamy won his state seat he had gone to see Karpal Singh in hospital (Karpal was hospitalised that time).

Ramasamy practically begged Karpal to have a word with Guan Eng to appoint him as deputy chief minister.

Today, Ramasamy's head has grown big and he is acting like a warlord. Let us remind him that Karpal is a giant in politics and Ramasamy is nowhere near to Karpal.

Your days as DCM may be numbered if you don't repent and start respecting veteran leaders who have sacrificed for the party for almost 40 years. Your use of words like 'godfather' (to refer to Karpal) is unsavoury.

Rick teo : In this matter, I thoroughly agree with Karpal. We don't need warlords to pick their friends and cronies to contest in the election.

The potential candidate must be properly vetted. If every DAP official wants to select his friends and cronies, then we will not have the best candidates.

Why should Ramasamy only choose Indian candidates to contest? Frankly, we must get away from BN's mould of choosing on a racial basis.

If there are capable Malays, then go ahead and choose them, but it must all be based on merit and ability. The old adage of choosing a white or black cat as long as it can catch the mice must be observed.

We are the victims, claims AirAsia

ProtectMsia : LCCT is supposed to be a low-cost air terminal. So how do you account for its RM4 billion cost?

I don't know how we are going to recoup this. The passengers are budget travellers, that's why we need a low-cost terminal.

Everything is supposed to be simple, cost-effective but efficient, but we are building five star facilities to cater for the budget travellers, to compete with KLIA with low airfare, but five star facilities.

Does this make sense? AirAsia defines itself as a low budget airline but nothing is low or cheap where its charges are concerned. A cup of coffee in the plane costs RM5! Please don't fool the consumers by using the term ‘budget'.

Md Yazid Atan : I hope AirAsia will change its operations HQ to Indonesia to teach MAHB and the Malaysians who are unhappy with it a good lesson. You people do not know how to appreciate a well-run low budget airline.

In fact, it was reported recently that even Singapore is trying to woo AirAsia to base its operations there.

Rick teo : Tony, you tried to squeeze as much as you can from the ordinary folk and now you come running to us for support? Look at your fares now.

You charge everything from seat selection to extra luggage, even senior citizens priority boarding was taken away, and now they have to pay.

Fuel surcharge should have been abolished because its price has remained below US$80, but you are still charging.

To be frank, we don't have any sympathy for you because you have never given us a fair deal. So now it's retribution time.

Kgen : AirAsia is just the pot calling the kettle black. It is not the pro-consumer body it tries to paint itself to be. AirAsia never stops thinking of creative ways to charge passengers.

The upshot is that after all the charges, it may be pretty pointless to fly AirAsia and suffer the inconvenience, inflexibility and insecurity of schedule for paltry savings.

It is also possible for AirAsia to be more expensive than regular airlines if you are not careful. If you want to change a date or a name, their charges are cut-throat. My sister had to pay RM450 just to change the date of her Melbourne-KL return flight.

If you have ever dealt with AirAsia to get a refund or compensation, you'll wish you've never heard of AirAsia in the first place.

Dark Knight : It is not that I condone MAHB's unilateral decisions, for it is a ruthless organisation run by little Napoleons for personal gains. AirAsia itself is equally ruthless, going by the many complaints of shoddy treatment and hidden charges incurred by passengers.

The real victims of both firms are the helpless passengers and citizens who yearn for fair treatment from such cronies.

AirAsia has deviated from its original goals of affordable and customer-friendly service by taking passengers for a ride through indiscriminate charges and a mindless attitude. This is a phenomenon that has taken root in state-sanctioned monopolies in Malaysia.

 

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .