YOURSAY 'BMF, this is not a good advice. We fight our own battle. We don't ask for unnecessary sacrifice from a non-partisan girl like Pandalela.'

Pandelela urged to reject Sarawak CM's gift

your say Wira: Bruno Manser Fund (BMF), don't mix politics with the feat of the 19-year-old.

If the special prize is from the Sarawak state government, I would advise Olympic bronze medallist Pandelela Rinong Pamg to accept it.

FellowMalaysian: It is sad and unfortunate to read that a much respected human rights group has unwittingly ventured into unchartered waters.

This young athlete has just brought glory to the country and everyone here is very proud of her. Her unassuming demeanour and her ease in handling public attention has won her many admirers, including Malaysian parents.

She has worked hard the past years and she rightly deserves the adulation and reward being showered on her. To suggest that she shun any award from the Sarawak CM is to ask her to make a cruel compromise at the expense of political inclinations.

Let's not stop the young from achieving their dreams and influence them with selfish motives. We will deal with Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud another day but in the meantime, we rejoice with Pandelela.

Anonymous #18452573: I am sure Pandelela does not have any political agenda and is just a good athlete who deserves the recognition she is getting for what she has earned for herself and the country.

Nobody should make their political agenda hers. It is not for anyone to belittle her efforts but to respect her as an Olympian and individual.

Smalltowner: Pandelela should take the reward and enjoy it unless that ‘robber' makes it known it is from his bank account which therefore is blood money, which he openly and unashamedly continues to suck out from the people of Sarawak.

Odin: Actually, BMF is not being selfish. The story is too long to tell here. Suffice it to say that if Taib Mahmud gives a gift out of his own pocket, then Pandelela ought not to take it because it would be, as Smalltowner said, blood money.

If the gift is from the state government, meaning it is from public funds, then it should be all right, because then it would be a gift from Sarawakians and other Malaysians.

Disgusted: Can she say ‘no' to the Great White Haired Raja of Sarawak? BMF does not understand the situation on the ground in Sarawak. To reject it means cutting oneself to future scholarships, jobs and even discrimination.

To Pandalela, just take whatever is given for your own and family's sake as it rightfully belongs to the rakyat. However, don't be bought over by giving them your vote.

ONG: Here's a chance, although a very slim one, for Pandelela to do something good for her fellow Sarawakians. When she meets Taib, she should set a condition that she will only accept a reward with a minimum value of say, RM10 million, and tax-free.

After receiving the reward, if she realises and feels that the money was in the first place stolen from her fellow citizens, she can always return the money to the people it was stolen from in the form of charities and donations.

Queenie: Pandelala, the money means a lot to your family so take it, but you don't need to be grateful. You deserved it. As for the BMF, it should put its money where its mouth is.

Ferdtan: Bruno Manser Fund is asking too much of a young sports girl to forgo a reward that she truly deserves. It comes from the state, and even if the CM were to give her his personal gift, so what? It doesn't mean that she is on his side of politics and endorsing him.

Pandelela did not nor have to do any political deeds to get that reward. Political leaders everywhere in the world are always seizing opportunity to be seen with sport superstars to further their careers. Didn't the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown frequently seen to appear at events where Great Britain's teams were favourite to win medals to bask in the glory of his countrymen?

BMF, this is not a good advice. We fight our own battle. We don't ask for unnecessary sacrifice from a non-partisan girl like Pandalela.

Leave her alone and let her do what she is good at doing - to bring glory to her state and country by training hard in her sport. That is all we ask for, nothing more.

Unspin: Regardless of whether this gift is given by ‘tainted' hands, I am sure that the state government's reward for Pandelela will inspire thousands of young girls in Sarawak.

In the long term, that will be a really good thing because prior to this, the common perception is that there is no money in sports in this country. Now and in the future, there is. Anyway, congratulations Pandelela. You deserve every single sen.

Progressive: BMF, why ask a 19-year-old to mix politics with sports. The money is rakyat's money, not Taib's money. She has worked hard for it. She has sacrificed a lot for it. She deserves it.

However, the Bidayuhs and the other natives of Sarawak could do well to vote this corrupt government out at the next GE.

Anonymous #62163581: Pandelela should accept the gift as Sarawak's gift to her and contribute the sum to her native rights causes.

That way she will highlight their needs and be seen as not only a great athelete but also a Sarawakian like no other. Give, Pandalela and you will find more than the anything Taib can offer you.

Cannon: Pandelela should accept her well-deserved reward. She has done Malaysians proud and has created history for being the first athlete from East Malaysia to win an Olympic medal.

It's an official award from the state, not out of Taib's pocket. It is not a political event. She should be mindful not to engage in partisan politics when accepting the award so that Malaysians can come together to celebrate with her.

It's a happy, joyous occasion. It should be kept that way.

Plainly: BMF, it's the people or ' rakyat ' money that she'll be taking and not from that White Rajah-cum-thief 's pocket. This is fine, by any standards.

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