On Syed Hamid's U-turn on ISA arrests

CH Siew: I am utterly disgusted with Syed Hamid. He is the home minister, he controls the country's security forces and he is not responsible for what just happened?

Syed Hamid now claims that it is not his decision to issue the ISA but the government. Which part of the government is the one responsible? Is it the home ministry? If it is, then certainly the authorisation has to come from him, unless he agrees that ministers from other departments can authorise on his behalf.

His shunning of responsibility only tells the world how spineless he or the likes of him are in the face of trouble. Now that things are going wrong, he tries to wash his hands off the issue, trying to confuse people on who was responsible. It is disturbing to know that the future of Malaysia is in the hands of these people.

Gloh: The ISA is supposedly used where acts of terrorism on home soil are anticipated (or so the government claims). We are talking about a serious situation where the home minister’s role is crucial.

I find it mind-boggling that the minister should claim to have a "hands-off" approach in such a situation. The police force ultimately comes under his jurisdiction and is accountable to him for their actions. He in turn is accountable to the government and ultimately the rakyat.

Does he know this or does he conveniently choose to ignore this fact? It is no good saying that he does not want to interfere or upset anyone. He is there to do a job in the interest of the nation.

As this "hands-off" claim clearly cannot be the case, it would suggest that Syed Hamid is either incompetent in his role as a minister or economical with the truth.

I am very gratified to read that Zaid Ibrahim has spoken out against the atrocity. It appears that his personal moral standing and principles will not allow him be associated with the government’s perpetuated insanity.

Shawn: The press reported the home minister as saying the arrests under the ISA were not on his instructions. Instead the police chose to act. Now he is saying, according to this report, that it was a government decision. Even if it was a decision by the government, was it a cabinet decision?

From the comments by various ministers in today's mainstream media, it is clear that the arrests were not a cabinet decision. If this is the case, it is perfectly acceptable for the cabinet minister who authorised or permitted the ISA arrests to be challenged on it, even by his fellow members of the cabinet.

CWL: Our home minister is so biased that his judgement has been totally impaired to the point of being incompetent. His action and explanation has put Malaysia to shame and will continue to embarrass Malaysians all over the world if he is allowed to stay in office. So let's petition for the removal of this incompetent minister. Any supporters?

On Anwar: We're ready to form new gov't

Joe: I am very sure Anwar Ibrahim has the numbers to form the new government and his approach of wanting to meet Pak Lah is the right one. We all know the current regime will not give up easily and will make sure the transition does not happen. But I am prepared for all this because I want to see a change in the Malaysian political landscape.

My big concern has always been the future of my children. I want to see change. As long as the current government is in power, they will follow the British style of divide and rule because they know that method will keep them in power.

However, this same tried and tested method is turning out to be harmful for Barisan Nasional. This is the 21st century, the age of the Internet. Racial politics will not work anymore. The new Pakatan Rakyat regime must carry out reform when it takes over the country to straighten things out because the rakyat want to see change.

On Abdullah under siege to quit

Viji Rajasundram: Abdullah has played right into the hands of PKR by using the ISA to arrested innocent civilians. He has incurred the wrath of a nation, and no matter what he does now, he is in the line of fire.

Would anyone want someone as naive as him to run their country and make the same sort of mistake at an international level? How many more mistakes are we going to allow him to make before he quits?

We want a leader who is firm, committed and above all - intelligent enough to make his own decisions. Not some lackey running scared at every turn and flip-flopping because he is trying to guess what everybody wants him to do. And all the while, because he is so removed and vague, he only hears from his small band of 4th floor boys.

It’s time to go, prime minister. You and your team have done enough damage to my country.

Khoo Hock Aun: It has become fashionable for politicians to promise change for their constituents.

While the incumbent politicians are struggling to offer change that is really more of the same, whether it be Tengku Razaleigh, Muhyiddin of any other of the "tried and tested" leadership of Umno, the country has changed beyond recognition.

Change is not what politicians bring to a country. Its population grows, matures, responds, sometimes because and sometimes in spite of their leaders and their policies. Change is what we individually and collectively choose to become.

Change has been happening to Malaysia since tyranny last exercised its talons to keep the populace caged in a pseudo-democracy.

We have new memos now, a distant generation from the dark days of 1969. We don’t need to take to the streets anymore because we can take to the Internet. We have all grown more affluent now and value our peace of mind and creature comforts.

Malaysians of all races are not likely to embrace violence of any kind now, we are not as gullible as before. Nor do we have the stomach for it, in this day of video games and instant gratification.

So no matter how they provoke us, we have better ways to deal with bullies now.

We pride ourselves as loyal citizens in a nation and pity those who still call the Malaysian born descendants of immigrants squatters; that they still belong to an archaic obsolete mindset.

The tyranny of race is losing its hold on Malaysia. We witnessed its last-gasp attempts at keeping us in the gilded cage with the arrests under ISA of RPK, Teresa Kok and Tan Hoon Cheng.

The country has changed as the beast now belatedly struggles to cope with the change. It tempts, cajoles, threatens and wails as it takes in its last gasps of breath.

When RPK and Teresa and the Hindraf 5 and the others emerge from the belly of the beast, we will all know that we are truly free at last.

On Law Minister Zaid 'tenders resignation'

Dr Collin Abraham: All Malaysians must unreservedly regret very much that Zaid Ibrahim has had to resign as the de facto law minister. That his dynamic short six month leadership spearheaded attempts at legal and constitutional reforms never attempted before, in the spirit of total commitment to the integrity of the legal and constitutional concerns involved, is something that, without doubt, will go down in the historical record.

It has been clear however that Zaid’s appointment from the beginning was in fact nothing more than ‘putting the cat amongst the pigeons’. In his well thought through reform briefs, Zaid was consistently confronted at every turn by the elitist political groups in the class-based ethnic and racial power structure of government, that had systematically entrenched themselves in protecting their own interests against those of the rakyat in our ethnic-race stratified society.

On this basis I feel certain that Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi will therefore see Zaid’s resignation in the more positive context of the reform agenda that YAB has repeatedly asserted is ‘on course’ and recommend to His Majesty the Yang-Di-Pertuan Agong that Zaid be appointed ombudsman for legal, constitutional and socio-economic reforms across the board now.

APPLAUSE: Here is a minister who practices what he preaches. Bravo! It takes a strong, principled person who dares to stand up against any wrong doing by his fellow ministers. This puts Syed Hamid Albar to shame for he too once held the law minister portfolio.

Never mind, Zaid, you may not be popular among the government but you are popular with the people. Your move will definitely be a wake-up call of sorts for those fence-sitter MPs who have long felt their irrelevance in the BN but who need that push, or someone to lead them, to make the decision to leave the sinking ship. Once again, bravo!

Raptor 22: Zaid did a fantastic job by tendering his resignation from his post. It shows that he can't stand the injustice of the BN goverment anymore and his role as a law minister in the PM's office has no function.

It clearly shows that Syed Hamid Albar didn't consult him before any ISA action was taken against the three innocent people. How could the ISA protect someone whose life is under threat? Thank God Zaid has disassociated himself from the likes of Syed Hamid who are out to make a mockery of the rule of law and justice.

On 'My 18 hours under the ISA'

HKC: Although I do not reside in Malaysia, I have been following the political events in the country very avidly. I have been touched by the plight of Sin Chew Daily journalist Tan Hoon Cheng.

For such a petite and gentle person, humiliated and bullied by the invocation of the draconian ISA on her, she has shown dignity and stood tall under oppression. To her friends and supporters who kept vigil for her and gave her strength, let me say bravo. You are all honourable and admirable people.

I look at this ‘giant monster’ of a government who did this to her and wonder what manner of a mind is behind such cowardly and shameful behaviour. This so called "protector" of the rakyat seems at ease to wield a stick to beat down his enemies who dare stand in the way of his own flawed agenda. But then, in exacting revenge on the rakyat with such brutal force, the government has but dug its own grave.

Peter Ooi: Tan Hoon Cheng, reading the account of your ordeal made me feel humbled and at the same time very proud to know you are such courageous girl. Your parents must be even prouder to have such a wonderful daughter.

I believe, all sane people are with me in welcoming you home safely.

But at the same time, your poignant ordeal reminded me of the press conference by Syed Hamid Albar. Syed Hamid Albar defended your detention as a measure to protect you from harms way.

But reading your story showed otherwise.

If you were in for the said purpose, why were your fingerprints taken? I thought that procedure was only for criminals. At the same time, you were put in a police lock-up instead of a proper house with a police guard outside. Is this Syed Hamid's way of providing protection for a threatened individual?

From this episode, I have strong admiration for you and Syed Hamid.

I admire you for your courage in standing up to the truth, come what may. Under such threat, any lesser person would have given in to the pressure.

I admire Syed Hamid too. I admire his ability to tell beautiful fairy tales, an expertise I want to learn from him as it would come in handy when dealing with my grandchildren.

On Another minister questions ISA dragnet

BobbyS: It is good to hear Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam objecting to the misuse of the ISA. There are enough laws to handle the issues raised through normal application of the law. ISA is not the tool to be used in these matters.

I agree that the use of derogatory and rude personal remarks in blogs by writers is absolutely unacceptable and should be removed by the webmaster immediately.

I do not agree with his comment that politicians switching allegiance to another political party is illegal. I agree that it may be unethical and immoral but it is certainly not unlawful.

I would suggest he look at Barisan Nasional's own track record in Sabah and see how many times BN has "bought over" opposition party politicians to take over the state government.

Remember that when you point one finger at someone else, there are three pointing back at you. You cannot have one law/rule for BN and another for the rest of the parties.

I would recommend that all those who want to clean up Malaysia swing over and assist Pakatan Rakyat in its noble efforts to reform the country.

On M'sian shares dive on ISA scare

Tim Finian: The police should seriously consider arresting the home minister and detaining him without trial for posing as a threat to the national economy by his callous actions which saw Malaysian shares taking a nosedive.

His recent callous actions can be likened to a man who opted for his M-16 instead of the aerosol-can to rid of the mosquitoes in his home.

A constant source of embarrassment to BN, Umno, and the country, in the face of the international community, the PM should seriously consider advising him to take a long break.