VOXPOP 'This road has not been maintained for half a century and much work will need to be done to fix it before the rakyat can travel towards their rightful destination.'

Umno's last tango before its reckoning

Abasir: Sagely put, Mr S Thayaparan. The road to a better future for all is strewn with several obstacles, chief of which is this boulder called Umno.

Removing it with all the forces and energies available is the first and most immediate task, something which every right-thinking Malaysian would sign up for.

But removing that will not mean we are home free. We will only be confronted with other debris and potholes in the form of dysfunctional services and politicised institutions.

The road has not been maintained for half a century and much work will need to be done to fix it before the rakyat can travel towards their rightful destination.

Are Malaysians willing to put their shoulders to the wheel or will they take the easy way out with the 'devil they know', who are enticing them with BR1Ms, discounted smartphones and cheap powdered milk?

&Coo: After all is said and done, Malaysia is ready to dump Umno and its cohorts. Umno can only win through cheating on a gargantuan scale.

Umno has made a mockery of the laws and every institution that is supposed to keep it in check. Dr Mahathir Mohamad's sacking of the Lord President paved the way for such utter disregard for our laws.

Now they govern with their laws, Gangnam-style: kill, steal and plunder and slander others with impunity. That is why the rallying cry today is Anything But Umno (ABU).

Onyourtoes: I think Thayaparan is one of the most confused and incoherent writers I have ever come across.

On one hand, he complained why DAP apparatchiks and Pakatan Rakyat kool aid drinkers even bother about carpet trader Deepak Jaikishan, but the next minute he mourned about the lack of legal action taken against Deepak if those allegations are not true.

Obviously I think he can't hold more than two variables in his head. I shall read no further.

Anonymous #43051382: This is an articulate and at times witty piece of writing. Unfortunately, due to ‘Malaysian-level schooling', some people have got their knickers all in a knot for nothing.

Ngecui: Umno has been the one single biggest destroyer of all (good) principles and standards in this land and it can never change. It has certainly eroded the reading and writing skill of most of the younger set.

Vijay47: Without even commenting on the substance of Thayaparan's article, what is obvious is that this piece, lengthy as it may be, is a delight to read and a work understood by all.

If only others could write in the same manner.

Starr: In all fairness, Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim does deserve a chance to lead the nation for all his endurance shown since being unceremoniously dismissed by Mahathir through trumped-up charges and false allegations designed to 'finish-off' his political career, all of which have not been proven.

To able to forge an alliance between DAP and PAS, an unlikely partnership, shows his leadership traits and political skills which none of our leaders have the foresight and capacity to achieve.

Of course, Anwar is not without faults of his own, notably for his role in overthrowing the democratically-elected government in Sabah. But for the nation's greater interests, this shall be overlooked for Umno-BN have committed the far greater sin of legalising the illegals and enrolling them in the electoral roll in return for votes.

It's to be hoped that Anwar can redeem himself and engineer a similar feat in forging an opposition consensus in Sabah by recognising the local parties and unlocking the key to dispose Umno-BN.

Ghkok: I generally agree with Mr Thayaparan. I think that we must dig ourselves out of the hole that we led ourselves into by letting one party to rule for 55 years.

This is no way to vote. Democracy demands that we demonstrate enlightened responsibility in our voting.

We must cement the two-party system by voting Pakatan to form the next federal government in order to dismantle the one-party monopoly, liberate the press, reduce oppression, repression and suppression, put in place a free and fair election system, etc.

Then we can ensure a perpetual contest between Pakatan and BN - never again shall we allow one party to rule for 55 years. This is the better way.

Happy New Year from Malaysiakini

Kim Quek: May the year 2013 be carved in the annals of history of this great country as the first year of the New Malaysia - a new era that sees genuine national integration and growth of a hitherto divided and fractured multiracial society.

And congratulations to the founders and staff of Malaysiakini for having played the historical role as the most important media that has brought unprecedented political awareness to the masses at this critical juncture of our history.

Happy New Year, and see you in the New Malaysia.

Lone_star: Happy New Year to one and all. My resolution is to help, wherever possible, to see the end of BN misrule of this fair nation of ours.

JMC: The power to change is in our hands and let us make full use of that power to bring change to us, our society and nation.

Remember the words of Albert Einstein: "The world is a dangerous place to live not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."

Timothy: Well done, Malaysiakini . You have proven to be 'The Fearless One' in 2012. Happy New Year to Malaysiakini and its subscribers and readers.

Kingfisher: Compliments to Malaysiakini for its bold and commendable efforts in 2012 to promote and protect freedom to publish news without fear of persecution by powerful interests out to subvert truth and natural justice.

When knaves and crooks attempt to deceive the general public and plunder the country's wealth, those who are agnostic are in a tacit way made accomplices to the inequities.

Malaysiakini has been judgmental in calling a spade a spade and this characteristic is important for both institutions and individuals in nation building.

Keep up with your good work in 2013. You have many admirers and supporters among the ordinary, hardworking and decent Malaysians.

Abuminable: Happy new beginnings to the staff and readers of Malaysiakini - and thanks for leading the way in online news since 1999. Malaysiakini has played a significant role in the mass awakening rippling across Malaysia.

Abasir: We trust that Malaysiakini will, in 2013, continue to be the bulwark against the institutionalised forces of corruption and wrongdoing in Malaysia.

Anon: Thank you Malaysiakini , because of you Malaysia has hope.

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