Mahathir must be treated as an ex-PM and if he does not know what retirement is all about, then he should be duly informed, says a reader.

On Mahathir shunned by VIPs at Aidilfitri celebration

Sadirah K: Pak Lah has done the gracious thing by meeting up with his former boss. If one was expecting positive results then that may be asking too much. The leadership styles of both men differ. While one is arrogant, aggressive and autocratic, the other is more participative, open and inclusive to the extent that he was willing to meet with one who has not only accused him but also discredited his family.

Mahathir must be treated as an ex-PM and if he does not know what retirement is all about then he should be duly informed. One man who holds no mandate must not be allowed to dictate to a government in power for to do so would be to create a precedent that is unhealthy.

While he may have contributed much from an economic sense, we must never forget the damage that has been wrecked on the judiciary for which the bill has yet to be settled. No man is above the law and Mahathir must realise that during the sunset of his life.

On Khairy: Will Mahathir be satisfied?

Wee Kiong Ang: The government of the day is elected to govern the nation and in this connection, to decide for the good of the nation. What nonsense is it that Pak Lah has to meet his predecessor to make peace or explain his decisions?

It looks like Dr M is blind to his own failings. He has falsely believed in his own capabilities and foresight. Whatever it is, if Pak Lah is to follow his advice, doggone will be the future of Malaysia.

Dr M is very mean in his ways of doing things. He undertook social re-engineering to the extreme and in the process has undermined the credibility of the government of Malaysia. He doesn't seem to know that Malaysians, especially non Malay Malaysians are aware of his agenda.

He was desperate to accomplish his mission but God knows what is good for Malaysia and God frustrated his plan. Now, Dr M wants Pak Lah to continue with his mission.

On Mahathir meets Pak Lah in PM's residence

Political Fan: Tun Mahathir has gone too far, he cannot turn back anymore. The meeting was just another public relations exercise, raising false hope among all Malaysians.

It is just too bad this meeting came too late. It should have come earlier before so many true and false things, right or wrong, were committed.

On Mahathir says M'sia now a 'police state'

MO8: The former PM mentioned that Malaysia is now a 'police state' and that he was not allowed to speak to people or those who invited him to speak suddenly cancelled the meetings. It is regrettable if what he said is true. Every citizen should be free to speak; and every citizen has the right to attend meetings. Of course, there are laws governing free speech no libel, no lies, no half-truths; only whole truths.

But we should also remember that hundreds of people including some opposition politicians such as Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh, Dr Chandra Muzaffar, Dr Tan Seng Giaw etc were locked up under ISA during Mahathir's time.

What crimes did they commit, I ask you? So locking them up literally meant that they could not speak up or move freely about as citizens. Recently, Dr M said that he did not order their detention; the police did. But who was the Home Minister then? Without his order, the police would not act.

Even the former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, was lockedup. He was handcuffed, blindfolded and punched. He received a black eye. Was it not a 'police state' then?

I should say that there is more freedom now than before.

AntiPolice State: If I accept that AAB has turned Malaysia into a police state, then I would have to say that during the previous regime, it was, tyrannical dictatorship, if ever there was such a description.

How else does one reconcile the actions of the police in the following issues:

1. Arresting a third party and threatening him with life sentence in order to force him into implicating a political opponent on trumped up charges.

2. Coaching a witness into lying in court ie, fabricating evidence, for which the policeman did not even so much as receive a rap on the knuckle! Instead, the same policeman had been promoted to a position

beyond his wildest dream.

3. Bringing a stinking and soiled mattress in and out of court, just to get a conviction, at whatever cost. We know, of course, it was counterproductive, and;

4. Using the ISA and arresting political opponents and announcing to the world that these people had planned to bring in 'grenade launchers' to cause havoc in the country, knowing full well there was not an iota of evidence that this was so.

And I have not even begun to talk of the police's 'warm' treatment of anyone who had dared to gather in groups of more than four people! And all these, when this 'police state' accuser, was the numero uno of the country.

Discontented:

Mahathir does not seem to know when to give up the reins of the government. The style of government Abdullah is using is the very same that Mahathir set up. Now that he is at the receiving end, Mahathir is not happy.

During his time, he was also after malaysiakini. Now he is getting free exposure because Abdullah is more liberal than he was and yet he is complaining! He probably wants to be like Lee Kuan Yew and become Senior Guru Minister and rule behind the throne. Malu lah!

About time he backed off and let Abdullah run the country.

On Zakaria to be grilled at state assembly meeting

Concerned Citizen: It isn`t only about not submitting plans for his mansion but his previous activities that have led him to acquire such wealth. He is now without credibility. Another one making a mockery of the Sultan`s goodwill (his datukship).

It is heartening the Malays are not taking this 'lying down' as they would have in the past. I hope it is not going to be a `ten day wonder` and then everything will be forgotten.

Klang Boy: We all disagree with Khir Toyo's view that it is okay for Zakaria to assume the councilor's post. That is nonsense to high heavens.

We have a state executive councillor putting up an illegal structure - it should be promptly torn down like the 'illegal temples' and renovations. Doesn't the Klang Clown Council have strict bylaws on this? There should be no exceptions. To allow it to stand is to send a message that there are two sets of laws in the land, one for the poor temple keeper and one for the high, mighty, rich and connected. Khir Toyo should not shield Zakaria one bit.

Zakaria should also be fined for illegally erecting a structure and charged in court for not following the rules that he swore to uphold and protect and whatever to his best of ability. Furthermore, since he has failed to uphold his own laws and brought the entire town of Klang into disrepute, he should be barred from office.

The people of Klang are already fed up. To continue this charade is to make them completely fed up with everything.

On 60-40 formula for civil service proposed

Kaisim: All right thinking Malaysians will be only too pleased to have a 60-40 government employment quota. This will go a long way to help solve the many problems in the government departments. One example is the long festive public holidays when even emergency services are affected.

If Umno still holds to the principle that this is a multi-racial country and that every citizen holds a stake in the country, then the employment ratio in the government service must be restructured to reflect this. Just like the Malaysian cabinet must reflect the racial composition of the country.

It is up to the model employer to set an example and so share the opportunities in this country according to racial composition.

Please don't give the excuse that the non-bumis or the Chinese do not like government jobs. Look back at the 60`s, the answers are there. The question is: Does the government have the guts to do it? The ball is at your feet.

Syed Imran: Malaysia is 49 years old and for a man, it is an age considered to be adult and matured. But is Malaysia the nation matured? Personally, I do not think so. We are still haunted by racial and fanatical thinking. Malaysians are not being treated fairly what more equally.

So the proposal to have a civil service comprising 60 percent bumiputeras (not Umnoputras) and 40 percent non-bumiputeras is very much appreciated by all rational thinking Malaysians.

Please stop referring to non-bumiputeras as 'bangsa asing' or 'kaum pendatang'. Please remember that a large number of Chinese-Malaysians and Indian-Malaysians were rooted in this country for more than 300 years whereas a substantial number of bumiputeras migrated from Indonesia just before Merdeka.

To me, these non-bumiputeras are more qualified to be bumiputeras than the recent migrants of whom one of their sons is now heading a state government. It is a bitter pill to swallow but a fact is a fact.

On Dailies give Jui Meng 'beauty' snub

Give to Charity Instead: Now that the Nanyang has entered another saga, the question of responsibility and accountability must come in. It is no secret and one does not need a fortune teller to forsee that Nanyang would suffer financially because no right thinking persons (assuming the ethnic Chinese in Malaysia fall into this category) would like to see a political party controlling the media.

Thus it should be obvious that the Chinese will want to show their annoyance simply by not reading Nanyang . Result? Financial loss. So either the MCA or the board of Huaren (of that time and tenure) must bear the responsibility.

Money has been lost and I call on all those who contribute funds to the MCA to voice their protest by stopping such contribution for at least a year. Instead, such funds should be given to charity organisations.

Anonymous: I think Tun Ling Liong Sik should apologise to the Chinese community and the MCA members on the Nanyang debacle. On hindsight, I would say that he was totally wrong and what a mess he created. Bear in mind that a million ringgit to Ling is nothing but for the poor Malaysians, every sen counts.