YOURSAY | ‘Have faith in people’s power. It is the people who must defeat useless politicians.’

Existential Turd: Perhaps to sum up this sombre article by former law minister Zaid Ibrahim, one can add a rhetorical question: "As we are celebrating yet another milestone in our independence-hood, we should reflect deeply and ask ourselves, what did we gain independence for?"

It seems gaining independence simply means exchanging different groups of people in oppressing the masses.

HaveAGreatDay: What a piece of bad news on a Monday. But, Zaid, I know you are speaking the facts as they are.

Sadly, most rakyat are not ready for the sort of sacrifice that will be required to bring about change in our homeland.

I bow my head in shame. But I continue to voice my disgust over what is happening in our country - I refuse to be intimidated into silence. Even though I use a pseudonym, I am under no illusion the Umnoputras can ID me if they so desire.

Many well-intention friends and relatives have advised against being so vocal as to the Umnoputras’ misrule of our country. They feel that voting against the Umnoputras is good enough.

Even if some may feel voicing these opinions are just for 'shiok sendiri', I beg to differ. To me, it is important to let the Umnoputras know there are rakyat who are full of contempt for their corrupt ways.

Yes, by all the means at their disposal, they may still retain political power but don't expect me to respect them as rightful leaders.

Kim Quek: Former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew once said that Malaysia could have achieved more than Singapore, if it had not marginalised the Chinese.

I would frame the idea in another way. It is the taboo of meritocracy that has done Malaysia in. It is unbridled racism which in turn breeds all kinds of evils including rampant corruption, immorality, indiscipline and pervasive mediocrity that has caused Malaysia to slip from leader to laggard in our region.

The 1MDB infamy, which is the climax of that rotten system of governance, signifies that such rule has exceeded its expiry date. Either we end such rule now, or we will plunge into a new phase of rapid degradation.

I have much hope that we can make it. Don’t forget that we had garnered 52 percent (vs 47 percent for BN) in GE13. We can do better now with the 1MDB scandal weighing down Najib Abdul Razak and Umno/BN like a tonne of lead.

Let us redouble our effort to forge a workable grand alliance and campaign relentlessly on 1MDB in the Malay heartland, like the recent rally in Kelantan, to awaken the Malay masses to the truth.

Politics is always full of surprises. It is the art of turning the seemingly impossible into reality. Keep our spirits up and do the best we can. The reward is well worth it.

Anticonmen: The only solution is to reinstate the original 1957 constitution which guaranteed equality, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, freedom of movement, separation of powers, independence of the institutions of government and respect for parliament.

Ban racism and all one-race parties. Recognise supremacy of the constitution. Reinstate the independence of the Election Commission (EC).

Reinstate English schools for all. Encourage Malay as well as other languages so that everyone is multi-lingual. Distribute wealth, development and opportunities to all equitably.

Reinstate all the financial checks and balances. Ensure nobody is above the law.

Clever Voter: Unlike most cases for change, there is no absolute poverty or high degree of hopelessness and alienation among the marginal classes. The middle class makes up almost 40 percent are relatively well-fed.

Most of the urban class have a job to go to. Many are beneficiaries of a patronage system thanks to largely resourceful nation and access to cheap labour. Political culture plays second fiddle to religious focus, a deliberate policy of the BN.

The change must be led by a courageous and clean character, not ex-Umno leaders. The elites won’t say a word for they, too, are beneficiaries of the system that promotes corruption and bribery.

The nation has sunk to an all-time low, yet business and community leaders have turned the other way. That leads to former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad who may not be the best and who can bring the difficult changes in the short term. Are we ready?

Sarawakian: The opposition's strength has always been a house of cards with PAS in it, and the subsequent fallout gave Malaysians political fatigue.

But don't belittle Bersatu, it is what PAS is not and I would not write off the Lim Kit Siang/Muhyiddin Yassin/Mahathir alliance. As true patriots, racist or not, I am sure they will forge a strong alliance to save Malaysia.

Vision2020: An arduous and treacherous journey starts with the first courageous step, and the ‘Tangkap MO1' rally on Aug 27, 2016 by our bold and youthful university students will become one of the meritorious chapters in this historic journey to build a better Malaysia and make our beloved Malaysia great again thereafter.

Fairman: Zaid, we must place faith in people's power. The people should decide their destiny and not leave it to politicians and political parties.

Public-spirited Malay citizens and Malay civil society members should lead such a movement.

It is the people who must defeat useless politicians. Don't underestimate the power of faceless individuals if all put their minds together.

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