VOXPOP 'Whatever the issue and opinion, it should be seen only as Pakatan's and not individually as that of PKR, DAP and PAS.'

Infighting, media assault weigh Pakatan down

vox populi small thumbnail LittleGiant: These surveys cannot be taken seriously. Even as a general indicator of people's sentiment and mood, the margin of error could be quite large as it is difficult to gauge if the respondents to the survey were really serious about their answers.

As for Pakatan Rakyat, while it is true that the coalition is facing a huge media assault, especially in the mainstream media, its leaders have very little time left to put a permanent end to their differences and their 'personality' clashes.

People want to hear Pakatan leaders speak with 'one voice' on all key issues. Whatever the issue and opinion, it should be seen only as Pakatan's and not individually as that of PKR, DAP and PAS.

If the leaders of these parties cannot stand together on a common ground and continue to have their own ideologies, their 'variety of voices' will never be heard by the electorate and their journey to Putrajaya will never begin.

Gerard Lourdesamy: My bet is that Umno-BN will struggle to get a simple majority to form the government but MPs from Sabah and Sarawak will ditch the ruling coalition to become independents aligned to Pakatan.

This will allow Pakatan to form the government and once Anwar Ibrahim delivers on his promises to East Malaysia, these MPs will formally join the Pakatan parties. Umno, of course, will implode because it is a party that cannot survive without government patronage.

The pivotal question is whether PKR and PAS will take in these Umno deserters. The last thing we need is a Pakatan government in an Umno mold.

But I trust that PAS and PKR have enough credible and clean leaders to see through this ploy and convince Anwar and deputy leader Azmin Ali that they must leave Umno behind for good. The Malays need to think and move beyond Umno.

Unspin: I cannot believe that 48% of respondents think that the Election Commission is independent and fair. Where have they been? Mars?

Onyourtoes: Without having to do any research, this is how I look at the outcome of the 13 th general election.

It has nothing to do with issues or policies anymore for they are all against Umno-BN. It has nothing to do with media spinning for all know they are doing it to the hilt.

It has everything to do with how the Malays, the dominant race in this country, choose to look at the future of this country. It is whether they want to see themselves as Malaysians and share their future with other races or they still prefer to stick to ‘ketuanan Melayu'.

It is whether the Umno-BN propaganda machine, which is dishing out all the garbage, is to be believed. It is whether the vested interest groups (the lapdogs of Umno) are still able to influence and indoctrinate the many nincompoops around.

Jiminy Qrikert: Najib believes it. So did Pak Lah (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) in 2008. It was very accurate, until election day.

Chinese see value in hudud, finds poll

Jstom: According to Star report recently, there were 18,652 teenage births in 2011 and of these at least 4,222 were unmarried cases - so many to be stoned if hudud is implemented.

Then there would have to be a Jabatan Hudud which specialises in cutting hands and throats and stoning young girls. Is that what we want?

Odin: All this time, I've heard of only hudud. What of diyya, qisas and tazir ?

The punishments stipulated for the various offences are suitable for the 7th Century, whereas most of them are not compatible with the concept of human rights.

Who is going to decide what punishments are appropriate and what need to be revised to suit the modern society? Has a consensus among the various Islamic judicial schools been reached?

Who is going to determine, say, what constitute petty thefts and what are considered serious crimes?

Just Sp: Who will be administering the hudud laws? Will the same guys who are in charge of the syariah court? Jawi? Oops, I don't think so. Going by the hudud requirements, most of them either would have lost their hands or legs.

It's not the question of hudud, it's who and how it's going to be implemented. With our corruption, those with the money and resources will get away scot-free and the poor ones will be made an example.

Let me put it to you, I have never met a cop I could not bribe. I hope the police are not going to froth in their mouth. It's a fact, ask anyone in the street.

Geronimo: Remember what Shakespeare said, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"?

So whether it is a secular law or hudud law, so long as it acts as deterent to society to commit crime and that justice is dispensed with fairness, I am all for hudud law.

Oh, by the way, this is for MCA leader Chua Soi Lek. I am a Malaysian of Chinese descent.

Vgeorgemy: Failure of BN in keeping the country safe has resulted in such yearnings for a system to reduce crimes.

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