'The admission by the three women who were caned under syariah law smacks of coercion and intimidation. It's like a forced confession of sorts.'

Women say caning 'good' for them

Abd Jalil: The admission by these three women smacks of coercion and intimidation. It's like a forced confession of sorts and akin to a woman who has just been violated saying that she deserves it because of some reason.

The Atheist: ‘Three Malaysians who became the first women to be caned under the country's Islamic laws said they ‘deserved' their punishment and that it would help stem sex outside marriage.'

What does one expect these three caned women to say in the light of their predicament? That they are angry, that they have brought shame on their respective families and that they are emotionally scarred for being brought into ridicule before the whole country and the whole world at large?

One can rest assured that whatever their genuine feelings are, these feelings will never see the light of day - especially with the syariah laws hovering over them. It's a matter of survival; they do not wish to tangle with these laws again, period. And can you blame them?

Caning women, Muslims or otherwise, is simply counter-productive.

Watchman: I wonder if foreign Muslim women would also be caned if they were caught drinking and having sex out of wedlock. Would they be arrested and caned? The caning has opened a can of worms and would make Malaysia a country to be shunned by foreign visitors.

Why Malays vote with their feet

Daniel Collin Lazaroo: There seem to be many obstacles - across racial, religious, political, discriminatory, practical and legal lines - which either prevents or discourages one to stay in or return to Malaysia.

As long as the policies and mindset of Malaysia continues to be based on unfair criteria, small and narrow-mindedness, and immature perspectives on legal rights, human rights as well as religiosity, the trends described will likely continue.

What we need are the necessary things in place to foster a mature and intelligent nation - it starts with a constitution that makes logical sense, streams straight through an education system marked by equality and quality and which is up-to-date with education policies of advanced nations.

A system which touches upon a political system devoid of discriminatory practices and ends with the liberation and freeing of the media, which as it stands, is unable to provide the check-and- balance that a democracy thrives on and requires.

Myop101: I know of many friends who left this country for various reasons though most left due to economic and racial discrimination reasons. I don't fault them and of late, a number of friends also asked me if I planned to leave.

It is a dilemma really; leaving this home called Malaysia. But what choice do people like me have when we are made to feel alien in the only home I felt belonging too? But there are many as well who asked if they should return.

I told them that if they have already established their roots in their new land, then forget about uprooting again for the sake of their children. Why let the children grow up in a discriminatory environment? Better to watch from the outside and pity those inside than to come inside and become embroiled in discrimination that never ceases.

SameSame: I won't leave Malaysia. Yes, everything seems bad from education to the tension of racism and what not. But no country is free from this. All of them have it from corruption to racists and bigots. For me, I will stay.

However, I won't stand for the corrupt practices and I will show my discontent during the general elections. Hopefully, we get to change the current corrupt government. There is hope if people use their brains when they go for voting. It all starts with you and if you want change, then go out and do it.

Storm clouds over Najib

Jiminy Qrikert: Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will not be able to tame the warlords - there are too many and all of them expect to be able to build million-ringgit palaces. Immediately below them are the marshals who expect significant financial rewards as well; at least an all- expense paid annual trip to Disneyland for their family and maids.

Then come the sheriffs who provide the 300 that always turn up on cue for those well- orchestrated, demonstrations where placards and banners are waved in a frenzied dance with a truly ethnic flavour.

And finally all the Umnoputras who believe that they are privileged and it is within their right to demand discounts on housing, exclusive places in tertiary institutions, reserved senior positions in public and private companies, exclusive quotas, twisted implementation of showcase meritocracy... the list goes on. There are just too many for Najib or indeed Umno to pay off. The wealth of the nation is fast depleting and there isn't much left to plunder.

Disgusted: I agree that all of Najib's problems are caused by the Umno ultras supported by puppet master the ‘Great Dictator' (now retired). He has been spewing racist comments and encouraging the extremist right-wing NGO led by Ibrahim Ali and other Umno-related NGOs to stir up trouble and short-circuit Najib's attempts to unify the country.

Najib is no better than Pak Lah as he has not done anything to improve the economy nor the image of the country. Islamists are riding roughshod over his attempts to downplay extremism. The Islamic institutions and NGOs are doing just the opposite of what he wants them to do. Najib's enemies are mostly within and not outside of Umno.

High-powered charm offensive in Washington

Changeagent: They should try explaining to the Americans how they found semen in Mohd Saiful Bukhary's anus but without signs of penetration, how caning was 'good' for three women and how Teoh Beng Hock 'killed himself' while under MACC custody for misappropriating a mere RM2,400 ringgit.

Let's see if they will buy your story and not try to rip your spins to shreds.

SusahKes: Here's what the brochure revealed. Ambassador Jamaludin Jarjis will talk about ‘How You Can Improve Your Finger Muscles By Using My Pinching Techniques'. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz will talk about ‘My Experience - How You Too Can Live With Foot-In-The-Mouth Disease' and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail will deliver a talk on ‘Why It Is Important To Change Your Mattress Often'.

During the coffee break, the trio will be doing a slide presentation explaining how Sept 11 was created using ‘Avatar' technology. At night, the trio will be test reading the script for the sequel to Brokeback Mountain, entitled ‘Sodomy 2: How We Finally Broke Anwar's Back'.

And on their last day, a seminar will be conducted addressing the Republicans, entitled ‘Watergate - Why Nixon Should Have Let Umno Handle It'.