As stubborn or as arrogant he is and has been, the public at large including all the races were more in harmony then it is today, laments a reader.



On Dr M: No trace of sand on declassified letters

Truly Malaysian: It is so true nothing in those letters vindicates the government's action and funny enough neither the public nor the critical malaysiakini writers had voiced it out.

Nevertheless, this man proves his mantle again, true enough during his time we have been subject to all that are existing today, but recently it has tripled and is not getting any better because the present government has lost its direction.

As stubborn or as arrogant he is and has been, the public at large including all the races were more in harmony then it is today. Anwar (probably the only one who comes close to Mahathir in terms of intelligence to govern) may sound like an excellent candidate but he does not have a track record, and served only as a follower. Mahathir has never been a follower but a true leader and continues to be one outside the circle and that personifies a true leader that he is.

Interesting observation on MV Agusta - why didn't the government offer the sale to Malaysians in a public tender? Isn't there such prerogative? If you are selling it for one euro, I am sure not one but many businessmen/women with links in Italy or elsewhere would be able to go into some kind of deal where at least a Malaysian (whoever it maybe) still having a stake. I could have done it, for argument sake. It's a pity, many Malaysian are doing very well (monetary or otherwise) and are very patriotic but unfortunately not provided with the right platform to do more for the public.

YSM: It is very clear that Tun Mahathir, in all his work and creations and legacy, seeks the approval and affirmation of other countries. Here is a man who is very insecure, and who had run the country for 22 years. It explained his zeal to build skyscrapers, and being first in this or that, even though it often brings little economic sense - so that he can prove to the West that Malaysians Boleh.

He must have gone through a lot of bitterness in his youth to carry so much resentment against the West. His whole life is spent on trying to prove a point to the West, and is so doing spent billions of ringgit on worthless assets.


On Student scuffles: UPM's damage control pathetic

A Malaysian: I had just viewed the video showing student scuffles at UPM. I was shocked that university students behaves in this way, bullying and acting like a bunch of gangsters. Very kurang ajar. First the Miri school girls, now this. The so-called 'pro-establishment' students which I am sad to see are mostly Malays, who pushed and scolded and yelled at the SPF students, which I see, are all Chinese.

If, the SPF students are Malays, would this scuffle has happened in the first place? And why is the guard ( in the video) seems to be helping the mob to push the SPF students and not helping to separate the two groups of students and stop the scuffling? As a guard, shouldn't the safety of students be his first priority instead of taking stands. Is it racially motivated? What's happening to Malaysia? Why are our youngsters behaving like this?

I am very concern about the racial unity in Malaysia right now. The university should send out harsh warnings and punishment to the students in the video who bullies and intimidate other students.

What is the university doing to prevent such things from happening again? It must send a message to other students that such behaviour will not be tolerated. To the university students, please act like mature persons and not resort to violence to solve problems. Please, think and act like humans, not like monkeys.


On Don't leave everything to me, ministers told

HJ Angus: It is definitely a tough job and sometimes you need to take tough actions against your own ministers. For instance, even weeks after the traffic offences were posted, not all the ministers have settled their fines. That is really a bad example for leaders.

The police have responded splendidly after the Forum 11 disruption fiasco in Penang. I attended the latest forum in JB and you can read my impression on www.malaysiawatch.blogspot.com.

The third example was the RM490 million sports complex. According to a poll, about 30 percent felt that there is an element of a "get rich" scheme.

So Dear PM, please don't just be frustrated. Some action is needed to buck up the team. Drop a few problem ministers and do a reshuffle if necessary.

4th Generation Malaysian: Malaysians have been telling the PM that some ministers are not fit to manage the country. When the PM was first appointed, he told Malaysians that each minister is required to submit a report card on their performance. So what has become of it? It's time that the PM gets tough and sack those who cannot perform as well as those who are found to be corrupt or misuse their positions. He should realise that some of his ministers have become a liability to him. They behave that way because they think he's weak. It's time he show them who is boss.

If he's worried that they will plot his downfall, he needn't worry. He can be assured that Malaysians will back him up all the way and I believe that he will also consolidate his position as the PM. The first one to recognise this will be his DPM.


On Calls get louder to suspend course on ethnic ties

PT Tan: The controversy over the stupid book is that it is only withdrawn, not banned outright and the culprits charged with sedition.

Also the PM did no favour when he says the actions of a few should not tarnish the whole - meaning that Kampung Medan was an Indian affair and May 13 a Chinese affair. He should say that the actions of a few should not tarnish or distort the fact that Malaysians in general are well-behaved.

Starlight-Starbright: All I say is that so long as we still propound public policies in the interest of agama, bangsa dan negara, and not in the name of truth and in the interest of the nation, we will keep on doing this sort of stupid thing and getting into this sort of stupid mess.

We have to begin to educate our own elected representatives some basic human values, the sort of thing they were supposed to educate us in the first place. First and foremost, someone must tell these people's representatives that they must earn the salary and generous allowances we the public pay them. This they are obliged to do by performing their duty and undertaking their responsibility with dedication, sincerity and honour.

One of their duties and responsibilities is to join the Malaysian peoples together and not to drive them apart. If they do not live up to this duty and responsibility, their salary is to be decreed haram by the ulama. May they then rot in Hell.


On M'sia mulls sending ME peacekeepers

Shufiyan: The international force would have to be mandated as a 'peace enforcement' force 'peacekeeping' would be a misnomer because there is no peace to keep. The force would have to be a full fighting unit, heavily armed and equipped to enforce whatever international resolutions that could result from the UN, even if it means clashing directly with Hezbollah's fighters and the Israeli army. Will the UN have the will to do this? Absolutely not.


On No more hiring of 'incompetent' foreign docs

JQ: First the new Private Hospitals Act which just about labels every private practitioner a crook, lumping them with the likes of murdererers, thieves and rapists unless proven otherwise and now incompetent foreign doctors. Is there a pattern to this?

Granted there are incompetent doctors in the system, is there not a more diplomatic way of handling this than coming out with press statements that by now as a result information technology would be up on screens from Soweto to Alaska. Whatever happened to professional courtesy. It is, after all, doctors we are dealing with - you know people with some education and generally trying to help heal the sick.

With this statement the Health Ministry will now have a tough time recruiting even our own doctors to return because they have implicitly suggested that the contract they offer is not worth the paper it is printed on as termination can take place anytime. Don't expect a flood of doctors to apply the next time Malaysia is going through a doctor shortage.

Most doctors including Malaysian doctors, for reasons almost everyone knows, still flock to the UK, Australia, USA, Canada and even the Middle East. It is generally for a reason known as "working conditions". Datuk Chua should really look at the so-called advisors around him and realise that he is top honcho of health professionals not a bunch of foreign workers putting up a condo.

Concerned: What about incompetent local doctors? While there is a need for doctors but should we close an eye to local incompetent doctors who are everyday playing with peoples lives.

I know of this one doctor who paid his way through in an Malaysian approved university abroad. He probably does not even know what the final-year subjects are but is now serving full-time treating patients in a local government hospital.

Who is to be blamed if something goes wrong? Can we as public come forward if we have such information or to just close an eye and wait for a disaster or death to happen? Barring incompetent foreign doctors is a good effort but if local incompetent doctors are allowed to continue to practise, well the death toll in our hospitals will tell the story....