VOXPOP 'How are the families of Muslims working in the private sector that has decided to keep the Saturday-Sunday weekend going to cope?'

'Johor sultan has power to change rest day'

Joker: The Johor sultan is the undisputed head of Islam in the state. The ambiguity is not in that but in the fact that it is the state that has the power to change the holidays to be observed by Johor. And the state refers to the governing body of the Dewan made up of representatives elected by the people.

This is logical because the announcement of such a change affects non-Muslims. Care must be taken that private versus public sector is different from non-Muslim versus Muslims as the public sector consists of non-Muslims.

Also, take the matter of schools for example. If non-Muslims are truly given the choice not to follow the decree, does that mean non-Muslim teachers and workers will have separate classes on Fridays when their Muslim friends are on holiday?

Does it also mean that non-Muslim civil servants can opt to work on Friday but take off on Sunday? If all government departments are closed on Friday, will it not affect non-Muslim Johoreans who need their services on Friday?

Society is now seamless and intertwined. Everything will affect everyone.

I Wonder?: I am rather perplexed and wondering how are the families of Muslims working in the private sector that has decided to keep the Saturday-Sunday weekend going to cope?

Mind you, there are 10 times more Muslims working in private sector than those in the government sector.

Economically, they cannot afford to be lackadaisical as their income is directly tied to their efficiency and output. Hence, it is not only the non-Muslims affected by this.

Can we visualise how life is going to be for them with the change of rest days? Can our "always have the people in the heart" sultan and the MB take this scenario into account before confirming the decision?

The Observer: No, constitutional law expert Abdul Aziz Bari, you are wrong. The sultan does not have the authority to act and decide unilaterally as he likes. He must consider the interest of everyone, including the non-Muslims who are also residents in the state.

He must also consider whether his actions will adversely affect the Muslims in the state too. The decision also affect the non-Muslims working in the civil service who may want a Sunday rest day.

EC secretariat claims it 'followed Rashid's orders'

Lim Chong Leong: So the EC chairperson gives the orders to the secretary who does the delineation, but who then is responsible for this treachery?

No one because the chief is not the numero uno according to one recent court decision , and the secretary is merely carrying out instructions, and Malaysians are no better off from before this admission.

It looks like once again, there is a crime without criminals.

Fair Play: In another Yoursay , most of those who commented condemned former EC chief Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman. But the question is this:

Why kill the messenger? He had done the rakyat more good than harm by disclosing the one and only purpose of a delineation exercise is to sustain the hegemony of the powers-that-be.

The Pakatan Rakyat coalition should use this revelation as a potent campaign tool and in the meantime, do their best to block any further delineation exercise in the pipeline. Otherwise, the journey to Putrajaya would be just a dream.

Mr KJ John: Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann also claimed the same, using the "following orders" argument, but he was found guilty of second degree murder for the killing of the Jews. If orders are wrong, please don't follow them.

Gggg: It looks like the EC doesn't know what EC is all about. If this is the agenda of the EC, then they might as as well let Umno draw the boundaries.

All elections now are becoming meaningless as the agenda is to retain one party in the name of one race in power.

Onyourtoes: EC deputy chief Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, there are so many things that you said that are not right. First, you said you merely followed order.

But you followed orders that were not right and then subsequently defended those orders vehemently as you did during the last general election. Second, Abdul Rashid has not denied what he said so far.

You can always confirm with him if you want. So why was there a need for you to be present when Abdul Rashid admitted to all the "past misdeeds", unless you too want to be a Perkasa member?

Thirdly, it is not true all the decisions and policies were made by the EC members. I think more correctly, it was made by one or two members who were errand boys of whoever. You and I know this.

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