'I am surprised that we suddenly have a PM who is unable to stop protests when all this while the cops and FRU units are able to stand guard when it concerns the opposition parties.'

Najib: We can't stop people from protesting

Wira: ‘Can't stop'? Nonsense. The BN government stopped Bersih with a massive show of force when tens of thousands took to the streets in Kuala Lumpur. The same BN government stopped Hindraf with another massive show of force when tens of thousands of Hindus demonstrated against the government.

Umno is hoping to get tens, if not hundreds of thousands of Muslims to demonstrate today in a display of popularity aimed against Pakatan Rakyat. Dear Muslim brothers, don't fall into this trap that a corrupt Umno may gain from. Advise your brothers to refrain from staying behind after their Friday service.

Chipmunk: I am surprised that we suddenly have a prime minister who is unable to stop protests when all this while the cops and FRU units are able to stand guard when it concern the opposition parties?

What are you trying to say - ‘1Malaysia, 2Standards'? The answer to that is politics. Religion is, unfortunately, something as mixed up with politics as is race. Political parties unabashedly use religion as a tool to win debates with Umno often accused of trying to 'out-Islam' PAS.

The other thing, perhaps, is that Umno is using this issue to win back the hearts of Malays. Why? Perhaps the general election is coming around the corner and what better way to divert the attention from all other matters (which has so far given them a negative reaction and created unity amongst the opposition). Think about it.

Md Imraz Muhammed Ikhbal: So now gatherings, albeit illegal, can be held in mosques? Wow. What a drastic change from the government's earlier stand when PAS and Pakatan supporters gathered in a mosque.

Wasn't tear gas once fired into a mosque's compound? We, the rakyat, haven't forgetten that episode and we will surely remember it come the next general election. Wait, you Umno and BN. Your days are numbered.

Doc: When a protestor wears a PAS, PKR or DAP T-shirt and protests; the police and FRU will come will come down hard on them using excessive force to cart them off to jail. When one wears an Umno T-shirt and involves himself in a violent protest (eg, the ‘cow head' incident), the police will just stand by and will even assist them.

Umno, the next time, please get the police to hand out mineral water and nasi lemak to your protestors to ensure they are comfortable when they are running around stirring up trouble.

KeepYourHead: By this saying, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein are directly encouraging these people to demonstrate. He said, "We cannot stop them."

The appeal has already been filed and a stay of execution was given by the High Court and agreed to by The Herald . But the Umno government continues to fan this issue for their political benefit.

I still remember that if you hold a candlelight vigil outside a police station, you will be arrested. And if you report a racist remark made by an Umno racist, you will be ‘protected' under the ISA.

But go ahead, the government said, we cannot stop you from congregating to air your opinion against the court's ruling. Never mind that it will hurt the feelings of the Catholics, the Christians, the East Malaysian bumiputeras and all peace-loving, fair-minded Malaysians. Never mind, go ahead, they said.

Hovid: These are amazing comments from ‘Kerismudin' and the prime minister himself. If it is okay and they will not/cannot stop these groups from staging the protests, does it mean it is also okay for some groups of Christians to gather at church on the coming Sunday and stage another protest against the stay order granted by the High Court?

Of course, I don't think there are any Christian groups in West Malaysia who will fall into the trap to do this. It will be interesting to see if today's protests will stir the emotion of the bumiputera Christians in East Malaysia, most of them who have been supporting BN all this while (that is, if the news will ever get published in their local papers at all).

Rayfire: These ignorant people are willing to go against their own religious teachings on the pretext of defending their religion. To those in East Malaysia, these special protests are dedicated to all of you as a lesson of how irrational the present government can be. If you still continue to support BN after this, well...

Avatar: It looks like the BN government wants another May 13 incident to put the non-Malays in fear of their safety and force their obedience.

The home minister has indirectly approved the gatherings today and now the PM has endorsed it by saying the government can't do anything to stop them. A very good show of hypocrites at work. May Allah show you the rightful path to lead this good country.

Samasama: Dr Mahathir Mohamad must be very happy now that Najib has taken a cue from him. Mahathir had told us that the ‘Allah' issue could be resolved out of court and Muslims should flex their muscles.

The planned protest is muscle-flexing indeed. Najib has conveniently told us that the protests cannot be stopped. Possible reasons? That the police and other security forces are still having their New Year holidays and that they have run out of tear gas, water cannons, C4 and the like...?

KLeo: They may very well turn out to be peaceful protests but I wouldn't be surprised if some protestors try to recreate the ‘cow-head' incident.

If they do do silly things, just remember that these are Umno-cultivated people we're talking about. No point getting all riled up and angry at them. They know not what they do.