YOURSAY ‘This GE is for us to say loud and clear to all politicians - enough is enough, stop the nonsense or end up in prisons.'

Zaid urges Malays to vote Pakatan for more benefits

Ghkok: Wow. I think these are the most sensible words that poured out from anyone's mouth that I've heard over the last five years.

Former minister Zaid Ibrahim said it so plainly, so frankly, and so simply. Anyone can understand. It's a gift to be able to explain things this way.

To recap, he said that basically it's a win-win situation. If you vote for Pakatan Rakyat, and Pakatan wins and forms the next federal government, you have the chance to experience a better Malaysia with the necessary reforms and new policies in place.

However, if you vote for Pakatan and BN still wins (but with an even stronger Pakatan in place), you have the chance to get even more handouts from BN.

So voting Pakatan is a win-win proposition for the voter. You can't lose. Although Zaid was addressing Malay voters, I think this proposition applies to all voters, not just Malay voters.

Faz: Zaid, you were an enigma to me until you produced this article. A very well thought-out strategy of "Either way, you (the voters) win by supporting the opposition".

I love the reasoning, too. I hope all Malaysians will hear your appeal, and not only the educated Malays.

I see no problem with the thinking Malays but feel helpless with the 'educated' Malays who have sold their souls to Umno for a quick fix and the 'protected' kampung Malays who are kept ignorant by Umno through TV3, Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, New Straits Times and The Star .

Please translate what Zaid had said into Bahasa Malaysia and distribute them quickly to the Malay kampungs and I'm sure, most of the Malays will warm to it as it is compellingly logical. Only Umnoputras will despise it.

Quigonbond: It's very simple. Stop voting for Umno-BN so that we can cut out the middleman commission culture. All the businesses in Malaysia will flourish, and everyone will have more to take home - much more than the BR1M breadcrumbs.

There is no reason to be grateful for BR1M when RM200 billion of illicit funds - aka corruption money - left the country in 2010 alone.

The only people who will suffer when the middleman culture is cut out, are the middlemen themselves. But that's a small sacrifice in the grand order of things.

Most Malaysians toil and sweat on daily basis. It's time to reward the people where reward is due.

Anonymous #85701391: Zaid, well said. This general election (GE) has nothing to do with race or religion.

This GE is about abuses, malpractices, grand thefts and corruption on a massive scale and lately, treason by government ministers, political leaders and senior public servants.

This GE is about putting an end to all these abuses and malpractices and replace the Umno-BN culture with checks and balances along with accountability and transparency.

This GE is for us, Malaysians, to say loud and clear to all politicians - enough is enough, stop the nonsense or end up in prisons.

AngryBird: A vote for Umno is a vote for billions of ringgit in corruption. A vote for Umno is a vote for the millionaires and billionaire families living in sinful wealth, in massive mansions and palaces and properties and RM24 million diamond ring.

A vote for BN is a vote for continue destruction and corruption of every institution of our nation. A vote for Umno is a vote for the supremacist bigots, the racist and corrupt in power.

A vote for BN is a vote against the rakyat who want peace and unity. A vote for Umno is a vote for Perkasa and Utusan . A vote for Umno is a vote against my conscience and a vote against God.

P Dev Anand Pillai: This is the difference between the educated and the enslaved mind. The change lies in the hands of the Malays.

Hopefully the Malays will see the light. Even if you don't want to see Umno lose, believe in a two-coalition system and give Pakatan at least 100 seats in Parliament and at least five states to govern. You will be doing future Malays a great favour.

Aries46: Words of wisdom and coming from Zaid. It sounds so sincere and true, not only for the Malays but for all Malaysians.

How we all loved Zaid at one time when we alluded to him as PM material. All through his trials and tribulations, Zaid was always admired for speaking up for the oppressed, the underdogs and the man on the street.

Even as a law minister he fell out of favour for putting right the injustices caused by Mahathir Mohamad's greed to cling on to power.

In Pakatan too, he fell out of favour for voicing his views on the conduct of its elections and other improprieties. Similarly in Kita, he was betrayed by those who opposed his stand as the president.

Nevertheless, rightly or wrongly Zaid has paid dearly for his political indiscretions and it is time for the opposition to capitalise on his experience and popularity to spread his meaningful and powerful message to the masses, especially those in the kampungs.

Mahashitla: A Pakatan Rakyat rule is still a Malay-majority rule and Zaid is spot on. Malays will be the ones to benefit more, especially the poor and the working-class.

Civil servants will be the first to take a huge sigh of relief as they don't have to work against their conscience anymore - no need to delete immigration records or blow up a woman to pieces, no need to issue 'instant' ICs and no fear in carrying out investigations just because the accused is related to a minister or even the husband of a minister.

The Election Commission too will be able to sleep well as the heavily-tainted electoral records can be thoroughly cleansed. Without the unconscionable pressure, our civil service can be more efficient and productive.

Starr: Absolutely, only a change of government will bring us hopes after 56 years of one-party rule, continuity will surely bring us to dead-end road. If we don't try, we will never know what we miss having a Pakatan government.

Life is never a dress-rehearsal and we may not pass this way again. Life is indeed full of uncertainties, the only certainty in life is change. It makes life worth living.

The driver for change lies with the younger generations across the racial and religious divide for the future belongs to them. They will make a difference in this election, rightly or wrongly.

Apa nama: Without risk, life is meaningless. In fact there is no such thing as a "wrong vote". A vote is a vote. If the next government messes up, it is not end of the world. We could still survive and be able to change them.

Fifty-five years is long but five years is short. No pain, no gain, but why do we need to think about pain first before we know that we could gain without pain.

Dappy: Hope Zaid is true to his words and not make a 360-degrees turnaround.

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