vox populi small thumbnail'The delegates have spoken and S Samy Vellu's men have been elected. But that does not mean that the whole of Indian community is behind Samy Vellu and his men.'

Palanivel retains No 2, Samy's men romp home

Yuvan: The delegates have spoken and S Samy Vellu's men have been elected. But that does not mean that the whole of Indian community is behind Samy Vellu and his men. This was just a party election and not a general election. The Indian community is deeply divided. Samy Vellu and his men should admit the fact that they were the main cause for the 'mess' the community is in today.

MIC has become a big liability to the community today and that is the truth. Many BN component party leaders are fully aware of this. It will be a monumental task for Samy Vellu to unite the community again and it is not going to happen as long as he wants to remain the MIC president and keep behaving like a warlord.

And Palanivel will have to clean up the mess created by his boss and unite the community again if he really expects the Indian community to support BN again. It will be a race against time.

Rocky: This is the end of this party. They had a chance to change. yet they stick to Samy Vellu, who has led the party to no where. Samy Vellu blames everyone but himself. He does not get it that most Malaysian outside of MIC members do not like him. He thinks he is indispensable and will stay one till 2015.

Even PM Najib Razak's hints was not received by majority. Indians are better off with a multiracial party. As for Pakatan Rakyat, this is good news. Samy Vellu appearing at election campaign means, he will remind voters not to vote for BN.

SDC: Indian votes at next general election for BN will depend how Umno-led BN is going to address many Indian pressing issues. These are as follows:

1. Indian represent at least 8 percent at all levels in the civil service, the police, the army and GLCs (government-linked companies).

2. Scholarships for deserving Indian students at university level.

3. Provide poor ignorant stateless Indians with birth certificates and citizenship.

4. Provide decent housing for those displaced from estates.

Failing the above no Malaysian Indian will ever vote for BN or MIC at the next GE.

KayKay: MIC lost in the last GE because the other BN component parties could not deliver the non-Indian votes to the party because of their declining support from the voters.

Indian votes by themselves are not enough because there's not even one Indian-majority seat in Malaysia. Indian voters themselves deserted the MIC because they realised after 52 years that the party does not have a share of the political power although BN claims it is a power-sharing formula.

BN has since degenerated into a work-sharing formula while all the political power is held by Umno. The process was begun during Mahathir's time and he must be blamed for the demise of BN and MIC in Malaysian politics.

The Indian community is not going to support a political party and a coalition which could not prevent the decline of Indian representation in the civil service, the denial of opportunities and scholarships to them and being at the receiving end of police brutality when most of the big crooks are non-Indians.

Ikmal: Samy Vellu has failed miserably to do anything substantial for the Indians. Now he is talking this way in order to try to win them back. Way too late. He is a has-been and should be replaced at the earliest possible opportunity if MIC is serious in wanting to help the Indians. He has also made MIC an " exclusive" party. Notice how not all Indians are allowed in.


Public back Malaysiakini videos

Guarnangka: The action of the small group of protestors of the cow-head incident displayed the ugliest side of some minority Muslims in their most holy month of ramadan.

During this month, they should have displayed the best of behaviours and restrained themselves from acts that can be viewed negatively towards their own religion. Yet they did the exact opposite of what their religion propagates.

They should have controlled their tongues from uttering foul language like referring to the MB of Selangor as a 'babi' - an animal that is forbidden for Muslim consumption. I do not know where they learned about their own religion - which religious teacher taught the things they did during the demonstration.

I don't think they were following any religious teacher. They did what they think was right - and it was all wrong. Shame on them for not being able to practise what they have learned.

Kengan: Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has taken upon itself to protect the police and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein from embarrassment by asking Malaysiakini to take down the two videos. This is a back-handed attempt at censorship under the guise of "offensive" and "intention to annoy".

If Malaysiakini complies, this means anything inconvenient to BN can be pulled off by invoking the above, even a minister's press conference. Well, MCMC must prove in court that the videos were offensive and intended to annoy or anything is fair game for censorship. Malaysiakini is doing the right thing to fight off MCMC's attempt.

Mike: The MCA is right to be concerned that the authorities are seen to be efficient when pursuing innocent parties trying to do an honest day's work in reporting facts but sloth-like when acting against others who deliberately fan racial divisions. Double-standards by any definition.

Of course, the MACC and MCMC will say that they are taking the necessary action, but in fact do nothing and hope that Malaysians’ memory is bad and such issues will be forgotten in time.

The Therapist: This is real madness! I think they do not want Hishammuddin's video to be on the net as it will reflect how stupid he has been on the whole issue. I for one will support Malaysiakini if the needs ever arise. My respect goes to Malaysiakini for a job well done!