'Obviously credibility is not the most important criteria in selecting a leader. What happened to all that lip service to clear the country of corruption and money politics?'

On Najib for No 1, Mat Taib for No 2

Respect?: Only in our glorious country Malaysia, do those who were caught red-handed and who are guilty of some kind of wrongdoing have the ‘dignity' of parading themselves and their humiliation for all to see again.

I just cannot understand how Mohd Isa Abdul Samad and Muhammad Muhammad Taib could still be allowed to run for office.

In any other country, anyone caught red-handed would have the dignity of removing themselves from the public sphere.

However in our country, obviously credibility is not the most important criteria in selecting a leader.

What happened to all that lip service to clear the country of corruption and money politics?

I can just see this country going down the drain when ‘some people' who don't have any grasp of the English language are among the influential figures for this country.

No wonder Najib is asking for respect for the leaders in the country. Unfortunately, you don't command for respect. You got to earn it.

Azman Hamed: Dear Private Investigator Mr P Balasubramaniam,

Now that the current DPM/finance minister has stated his intention to lead the country, I am now compelled to write to you, wherever you may be, to come out back in the open to declare to the whole nation, which of your SD is, in fact, the truth.

Not that I doubt your second SD but any sensible person could look at and make comparisons of your mannerisms when you first announced the SD and the second time when you retracted it.

I still hold you in high esteem. Being a law enforcer before, risking your life in the line of duty, you would have no ulterior motive when you first decided to go into the open, taking on people with great power, people who want to hang on to power and people who need the power to protect themselves.

You see, Mr Balasubramaniam, you, I and our fellow Malaysians and their children and the next generations surely have the right to assess first Najib Abdul Razak before we give him the mandate to lead the country to glory and not destruction.

I believe, simply, that good men ensure good things for the nation. Please, Mr Balasubramaniam, surely no one, no one, can make you lose your faith and your soul. Bless you Mr Balasubramaniam.

Meng:

I think it is reasonable that before Najib Abdul Razak takes over the reins of government, the questions surrounding the purchase of defence equipment from France and the involvement of Altantuya in the deal be exposed and cleared.

We, the rakyat , demand that the judiciary decide on the case of the murder of an innocent woman from Mongolia on Malaysian soil. Was Razak baginda involved and was he alone?

Were Najib and Rosmah involved? Is it true that Najib and Rosmah had never met Altantuya before?

Umno can choose Najib as president because they do not regard integrity highly but the rest of Malaysians do not want a possibly immoral and corrupt politician as the prime minister. We want the truth to be out.

In this sense, if Pak Lah truly loves Malaysia more than he does Umno, he must direct the courts to carry out justice and prosecute the murderers whoever they might be. Let's get to the bottom of this.

It is ridiculous that a murder of such high profile cannot be solved by our police and that we cannot close the case.

It makes a mockery of the Malaysian judicial system. It is the rule of the jungle.

Najib will never be accepted by the rakyat until all this is cleared.

Dian Abdullah: It has become a norm in this country to have sons of leaders going into politics. I strongly believe this would not be good for the country in the long run.

Reason being most of these sons have never had to struggle in their fight for survival.

Meaning these sons were fed with golden spoons from the time they were born. They have big mansions to live in, servants to order around, lavish parties and plenty of sinful money to spend.

Never in their days of growing up did they ever have to forgo or sacrifice or just be content with a plate of rice with kicap for a day.

Najib from young had been groomed and pampered with a golden spoon. He has never done any hard labour nor has he been unable to pay for his bills. He travels first class and lives in five-star hotels.

This country needs a leader who had been through the mill and back to understand what the majority of its citizens from the middle and lower income groups are facing.

The elite at the top are in their own fantasy world. They simply would not understand the economic downturn downfall and how disharmony affects us all.

On 'You respect us first Najib, not we you'

Derek: For a seasoned politician, Najib is talking a lot of nonsense. Why should the rakyat be courteous towards political leaders?

These so-called leaders should earn the respect and courtesy of the rakyat . They work for the rakyat - not us for them.

In the rough and tumble world of politics, a good politician (let alone a leader) should be able to absorb and deflect whatever ugliness is hurled at them.

We are making far too big an issue of the Hindraf presence at the ministerial open house.

Politicians themselves are not even courteous to each other, even when they are from the same party, so why expect the rakyat to kowtow and put political leaders on a pedestal? So much for leadership by example.

If Najib says that ‘politeness and mutual respect was the glue that held the nation together', then where was the courtesy when Ahmad Ismail labelled the Chinese community penumpang and his henchman tore up and stepped on the portrait of Koh Tsu Koon?

So Najib, please stop going on about politeness and come up with more constructive policies to improve the country's situation during these depressing times.

John Johnson: What I see here is a different circus but the same clowns. Come on, don't tell me we Malaysians are still going to vote for the same people.

We know some of them are as guilty as hell and it is only their high positions in power that have kept them from justice.

And now this report in the newspapers which says that the rakyat should ‘respect the politicians.' What rubbish. The politicians and ministers should instead fear the rakyat .

Do we need to go back to the times of kissing their hands and feet to get something done? I bet they sure enjoy the power we created for them.

Politicians are just mere mortals like you and me. Don't get swayed with their promises of useless reforms.

My opinion is get rid of the whole lot and have a new government for the people, of the people and by the people.

Kadayan Journal:

Najib may be no better than Abdullah what with his recent statement, ‘You respect us first'. Najib was referring to the visit of Hindraf members to PM's house during the Hari Raya.

I am damned sacred. Why? We might be facing an iron fist much worse than the hidden fist kind that Abdullah has.

Our constitution is supreme so there is no relevancy in saying, and it's not our budaya, that's not our ‘norm' or it is not our ‘culture'.

The real budaya should be is upholding justice and fairness for everyone. What recourse was available to the affected Hindraf's family members when all doors are shut?

Hindraf has a legitimate right. What would happen if it were Umno members who were affected?

Is this how the government deals with its citizens now? Najib can stand in front of an international audience and say our government is a democratic government, but every one of us should allow our minds to ponder on how democratic is our democracy.

The statement by our future PM above is not the language that we are familiar with. I wonder what's in the store for the future.