While some, including our deputy prime minister, have rushed to rebut the Readers' Digest survey which places Malaysia as being the third most rude city in the world, one reader says that may be some truth in the allegation what with our taxi drivers, members of parliament and even ministers. Other topics that draw in readers' comments include those on the speeding cabiment members, the Perdana Peace Forum, the IPPs, the dwindling number of foreign students and our motley crew of politicians.

On Najib Objects to KL's third-rudest' status

Kris: Though subject of 'rudeness' can be subjective, I would like to quote a rudeness list though it is not exhaustive:

1. When Malaysians are guests in 5-star hotels , most of the time the receptionist plus other hotel staff hardly smile and take our complaints seriously. If foreigners are their guests, they treat them like dukes!

2. City taxi drivers (not all of them ) argue with and threaten passengers for asking them to use meter instead charging them unreasonable flat rates to their destinations within the city

3. In Parliament, if MPs/ministers/members of the administration cannot debate and give reasonable answers to the questions put forward by their fellow colleagues, they call them: 'Biawak', 'Bai balik', 'Keling', 'Tak suka boleh keluar Malaysia. If MPs are not only rude and crude, what about the public?

If parliamentary debates are to be telecast 'live' in Malaysia perhaps Malaysians will get the true meaning of "rudeness" and "being rude " in letter and spirit!

On Speed Queen: Shahrizat is runner-up

Thai Eng: It is incredible that the PDRM can chalk up so many, many unpaid summons. What surprises even more is the fact that they are unaware of where to locate our VVIPs to get them to pay up their summonses. Imagine summons backdated to 2001! Something must be very wrong with the manner the PDRM delivers the summons and collects payment.

One cannot imagine how the system is going to finally collect all the dues. What with the PDRM now confessing that there maybe bugs in their computer system which tracks traffic summonses, offenders would just wait and wait. Come "Ops Warta XXX" and not all offenders would have paid up.

The funny thing is also that with each "Ops Warta" the offenders are given discounts. The PDRM is now into "Ops Warta IV". The PM had 11 summonses amounting to RM3,300 but reportedly had to cough out only RM1,000 because of generous discounts.

Politely request for a discount when one pays promptly and one is lucky to get a flat "tidak boleh", though often it is a polite "gila kah, you pandu laju, you bayar". But if one is patient and waits till "Ops Warta XXX" there might be a 120% discount and one will then find that one is getting paid for having XXX summonses!

On Gore of war at peace forum's fore

Thai Eng: There he goes again trying to command centre stage on the international scene. Why is he so concerned about war on the international scene. Aren't they aware of those tiny wars and bullying that are happening in their own little backyard? Aren't they aware of the beatings and torture, mental and physical, meted out by their little SB boys in those safe buildings only those boys in blue on Peace Hill are too familiar with? Aren't they aware of the mental and social tortures bestowed upon the family members of those detained in Pusat Perlindungan Kamunting for two years and then four and then forevermore?

Imagine showing to an international audience video footage of "soldiers dragging civilians and beating them up". These are said to have had a visible impact on the audience. Shocking footage showed "a number of soldiers beating up three teenage boys". Many in the audience were said to have been seen shifting uncomfortably in their seats as they listened to the disturbing commentary. All these happening with that man speaking about the inhumanity of man against fellow humans.

I wonder why footage of what happened in our very own local Bloody Sunday was not shown by this man. Aren't they aware of what our uniformed, fully-armoured and baton-swinging and shield-wielding riot-squad boys did to their fellow humans in our own backyard?

They should stop playing the hero on the international stage if they aren't ready to ensure that there is peace and no inhumanity in their very own backyard. International peace hero? Humbug!

On Politician fears 'reverse takeover' of Sabah

Billy: Two questions came to mind:

1. With so many illegal immigrants now residing in Sabah, how sure are we that some of them are not members of the MNLF group and may be using the state as a launching pad to attack Filipino armed forces?

We already have problem with the Thais at our northern border. Do we need another one now from the eastern side?

2. Are our leaders aware that if the influx of illegal immigrants is not checked, there may just come a day when the Philippines lays a claim again on the state. What then? Are we going to caught sleeping with this reverse take-over?

On Husam: No support for Pak Lah to sack Mahathir

Anonymous: Though I agree that Dr M has made vast contributions to the growth of Malaysia, I feel he lacks tact in his critcisms of Abdullah Ahamd Badawi's administration.One right doesn't mend a wrong. He risks causing friction within his own party.

Surely anything against party unity cannot be viewed as a positive move and would have people guessing on whether there's an ulterior motive behind it.

Further on the subject of Proton. It is in my opinion that Proton is a commercial venture and should be treated as such. Let's set aside the aspect of selling Proton's interest in Augusta for a mere second. Instead look at Proton's initial move of purchasing Augusta.

Ask yourself the question what Proton seeks to achieve from the investment then measure that objective against a timeline. If it does not yield the desired result, shouldn't we be fair to criticise the rationale of purchasing the company for X amount of ringgit? The same goes if it does not provide positive yield to the company. Shouldn't it then be sold.

Now that it has been sold, we ask why for one euro? My, isn't that the popular question. People would generally look at the direction to which the finger is pointing. Very few would ask if not one euro, what do you reckon I should sell it for?

Why isn't anyone asking Proton how the one euro came about? What model did they use to derive this? Proton is a public-listed company, what do the auditors concerned have to say on this? If the government has a interest in the car maker, has the AG looked into this transaction?

These are rational questions pointing to the direction of accountability. They have no wrong or right answers. They're just questions leading the public along the path of transparency, no more, no less.

On Malaysia losing shine as education hub

Mathew Jacob: The solution to the loss of students would be to target India and the Middle East, particularly the GCC Countries more seriously.

On Umno S'ban: Pak Lah lacks respect for Dr M

Mohamad Zain Bin Musa: After reading the above report, only then I realised that Dr Mahathir was not smart enough, according to En Ishak Ismail, to appoint Syed Hamid Albar, Najib Abdul Razak and Hishamuddin Hussein as minsiters.

Until this minute, I had a lot of respect for them as to me they are all capable ministers.

Come on En Ishak Ismail, please have some respect for Dr Mahathir ...

On Badrul: I was quoted out of context

Thai Eng: Why do our 'politikus' so very often fail to make good use of their "God-given computer" before working their vocal cords? Is it possible that our 'politikus' often do not carry their heads around with them?

Having said that the ISA should be used on Article 11 coalition members because they were dangerous and could threaten the faith of Muslims, Badrul is now claiming that he has been taken out of context. Can we believe him again? But he isn't the first nor will he be the last former ISA detainee to call for the use of the ISA on others. In the past others have done the same and there is no need to name names. Each of them have their own reasons to do so. But what is Badrul's?

Does his party, of which he is a supreme council member, accept his explanation for this outburst of his? His party better come out with a statement or it would only give credence to the belief by some that that party is beyond resuscitation.