He should not be addressing the group who have made good under government's relentless special handouts. This elite bunch has long tasted the sweetness of being fearless.

On Stop being fearful, Malays told

Ibrahim Musa K: Pak Lah is certainly correct to advise Malays not to be fearful because we are not stupid or weak. Unfortunately, he should not be addressing the group who have made good under government's relentless special handouts in the past four decades. This smart elite bunch has long tasted the sweetness of being outright fearless in amassing their power and wealth.

It's not that the majority of our less-than-rich people are fearful of anything and that we have to live on government's handouts. It is because we want to lead an honest life that we are being penalised for our incorruptibility and integrity. For that, can we be stupid or weak?

Sadly, Pak lah, your words are rather empty, if not superfluous, and reverberating the often specious words of most politicians.

On Too many temples built on illegal land

Peter Ooi: I do agree with MP that many of the Hindu temples were built on illegal land. Yes, as the law stands, buildings on illegal have to be demolished.

But MP failed to understand the history of many Hindu temples. Many of the temples were built on former rubber estate when Indians had to toil and sweat for a meagre earning so that Malaya, then, could prosper. Suddenly, those estate were sold and thereby causing the land on which the temples stand to be illegal. Those temples may be more than 100 years old.

Granted that the temple had to be demolished because of the illegal site. But one must treasure its heritage values. For this very reason, the building should be preserved for posterity. These very buildings could be tourist attractions and thereby provided income for the country.

Also did MP ever ask why temples, be it Hindu or Taoist and churches have to be sited on illegal land or shophouses as in the case of the latter? To apply for a piece of land for building the said temples or churches would be next to impossible even though it is funded by private contribution. So what choice have the Hindus?

If MP could appreciate the difficulties faced by faithfuls of the Hindus, Taoist or Christians, he would empathise with the Hindus.

Jeevan: Tindakan kerajaan tempatan yang merobohkan kuil di Shah Alam baru baru ini telah mengguris hati masyarakat India di negara ini. Tindakan itu akan memberi impak yang lebih buruk pada pilihanraya akan datang. Perasaan marah di kalangan kaum India semakin membara bila dapat tahu presiden MIC Dato' Seri S Samy Vellu hampir mengalah dengan Menteri Besar Selangor untuk menangani masalah ini.

Sebagai Menteri paling kanan di dalam kabinet, sepatutnya beliau lebih berkuasa daripada Menteri Besar. Beliau juga meluahkan rasa marah terhadap kerajaan tempatan yang bertindak agresif untuk menyuraikan penghuni di situ. Kerajaan tempatan juga perlu memahami, setiap kaum memperolehi istiadat tersendiri. Mereka perlu rujuk pada persatuan Hindu sebelum mengambil tindakan.

On MIC retracts ban on Deepavali events

S Ramesh: There's only one national holiday afforded to Indian Malaysians - Deepavali. It allows fellow Malaysians of different colours to celebrate this holiday with the Indians of this country. The simplest way to respect this holiday is to observe Deepavali as a national holiday. Is Deepavali a Malaysian celebration or a celebration of the minority Indians? Is it a celebration of unity? And is the nation in celebration?

Happy Deepavali to all fellow Malaysians!

On Be ready to boycott judiciary, lawyers told

J Lau: The decision by the Bar Council to boycott judiciary is a huge step forward in the effort to stand against the oppressive politics in Malaysia. I truly applaud their courage.

However, I am a little concern about the support that they would get from their 13,000 members. Looking at the figure of 2,000 doing the Walk for Justice, and 5,000-odd for the petition by lawyer Haris Ibrahim calling for royal commission into the Lingam's video case, one would wander how many lawyers in this country would be prepared to risk their profession and livelihood to uphold the independence of the judicial system in this country.

Malaysians are mostly bystanders, standing in the background and see how things evolve first before taking actions. I do hope lawyers in this country are not 'ordinary Malaysians' and live up to their principles. We shall see.

On May the force be with you

JD Lovrenciear: The nation's health appears very precarious given the various episodes that have been emerging these past recent months.

From the corridors of the police force, to state assemblymen, to political parties, to the judiciary - these and many other instances speak volumes of abuse, corruption, and questionable deals that truly worries the caring citizen.

What is underlying all these is the absence of leadership. Leadership here is to be understood by the eternal principles of good governance, honour, selfless service and integrity. And if there is anyone who has stood tall among the bushes would be individuals like HRH Sultan Azlan Shah, Raja Muda of Perak Dr Nazrin Shah and some of the leaders of the various opposition parties and a few within the ruling government.

Hopelessly and prayerfully the rakyat count on anyone who will have what it takes to bring this nation back on course and rebuild the devastating confidence within and ashore. Sultan Azlan Shah alone have that differing advantage to make an equation right. God Bless.

On Astronaut to tour nation

Meng: I am no economist, neither am I a suave politician. I am however a humble consumer who reads the daily newspaper and frequents the neighbourhood 'kopitiam'. To me, everything is going up in price. My noodles, my Milo, flour, cooking gas, Tenaga tariffs, highway tolls - all are going up.

It appears that after our Angkasawan goes up, so does everything down here in Malaysia. I complained to my local grocer and he says in Cantonese, "What to do? We sent someone to space, and you and I will have to pay for it lah ".

As a humble consumer, I am not so concern whether Malaysia has conquered space. I am most concern of how I am going to make ends meet. To feed my children and to buy them the things they need.

Call me a lousy Malaysian if you will or a short-sighted, selfish citizen; but how much was spent on the Angkasawan and how many children will that put through school in rural Malaysia? How many additional policemen would that translate to in keeping crime at bay? How many extra teachers would that be able to train for our short-staffed schools?