VOXPOP 'Some feel they should have fought till the bitter end, others feel walking out denied the Assembly Bill recognition.'

Pakatan let us down on Assembly Bill, say activists

SusahKes: I believe what is important here is: did the Pakatan Rakyat do what its constituents wanted it to do, and not what their MPs wanted to do on their own accord?

Walking away - was that what your electorate wanted? Did you at least try to inform your electorate on the plan you had in mind?

This wouldn't have been difficult, because we know that in a Parliament controlled mainly by Umno, the outcome was inevitably stacked against Pakatan.

All Pakatan MPs had to do was blog or have a press conference to explain their possible responses and gauge the sentiments from there.

Pakatan mustn't assume voter disgust with Umno would turn into equal admiration for it. We have a common enemy, but I wouldn't want that factor alone to determine my vote.

Pakatan MPs must place their ears on the ground. There is also an angry middle-class out there. Pakatan would do well not to ignore them.

Disgusted: Activist Melissa Loovi, I can understand your disappointment and frustration. I feel the same.

But there was nothing Pakatan could do under those circumstances as BN has the simple majority needed to pass laws, unless it has to do with amendments to the constitution.

They were determined to bulldoze this restrictive law through. This is the height of their arrogance and indifference to the rakyat's wishes.

Put your energy and time into going out and getting youngsters of your generation to register as voters. No longer can they be indifferent to the government of the day as it is your generation's future which is at stake here.

Make it a mission and use all the resources at your disposal Facebook, Twitter, even face to face, to make young eligible voters to be more politically aware of the implications of BN's autocratic rule, corruption, wastage of resources and abuse of power.

Compass: Melissa, if Pakatan MPs had stayed to vote and lost (a foregone conclusion), the Bill would have become duly legislated law.

A bill which is bulldozed into law in such haste and circumstance ought not to be given such recognition. I am sure the Pakatan leaders had this in mind when they refused to participate in the charade of the parliamentary vote.

Kgen: Melissa is not a politician so she doesn't know that the impact created by an opposition walkout is much greater than staying inside and voting uselessly against it.

The international press has reported the opposition walkout which highlighted the evil of this anti-democratic bill. It's really academic to debate whether the opposition should have voted against it or not; let's not be pedantic when a better impact can be made.

Multi Racial: It was BN MPs who betrayed Malaysians. We did not want the Bill to be tabled, let alone passed. But BN MPs ignored the will of Malaysians and went ahead.

Thanks to Pakatan for staying with the people. We know you do not have the majority, which was our fault. We will amend this in the next general election.


Bishop has Umno's info chief in his crosshairs

David Dass: Umno information chief Ahmad Mazlan does not care where his rhetoric could take us. For too long, politicians have used racist and extremist religious rhetoric as a political strategy.

It is not feasible to structure a state where non-Malays and non-Muslims are secondary to the Malay/Muslims. That is not the constitutional scheme. That is not what the people of Sarawak and Sabah bargained for on entering Malaysia.

The 'fight' for Malay and Muslim survival cannot be built on a non-Malay/non-Muslim threat. Christians who number at most 10 percent of the population, cannot be made the bogeyman.

Why should non-Malay/non-Muslim expectations or demands constitute a threat to Malays/Muslims? Why should non-Malay/non-Muslim assertion of constitutional rights be a threat for Malays/Muslims?

The position of Islam and the Malay rulers can never be threatened by non-Malays. And no government in power, whatever its politics, can govern without majority Malay support. And any government must look after the poor.

Kim Quek: If there is any dignity left in him, Ahmad Maslan, must make a proper defence against such a scornful and categorical reprimand from the Catholic bishop. Failing which, he should resign straightaway to save the honour of his party.

Anonymous: Ahmad Maslan has nothing else to garner votes except through the use of fear tactics and blatant lies.

Umno is doomed to crumble and he knows he will go with the debris so he has to lie, lie and lie to safeguard his position. The good and educated Malays will not fall for his pack of lies.

Kyrios: Ahmad Maslan, what did the Christians and Catholics do to you? You seems so bitter. The Holy Prophet said in the Quran to respect and protect the minority.

The Christians are harmless in Malaysia. Please go and read the Quran.

 

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