'Confusing the end-user on paying a 10% sales and service tax versus the 4% GST is like saying the ‘chilli padi' cannot be as hot as the normal chilli because it is smaller.'

Tax consultant: GST good for business

Doc: Please explain to me how am I to feel better when I am one of the minority 12% who actually pays tax in this country, gets called a ‘pendatang' and now has to pay more tax under the GST scheme knowing that this cash is going towards making some Umnoputra's rich while the cost of living is going up and my purchasing power is getting smaller.

Yum: When GST is applied across the components making up the final end-product or service, the end-user price will increase. Confusing the end-user on paying a 10% sales and service tax versus the 4% GST is like saying the ‘chilli padi' cannot be as hot as the normal chilli because it is smaller.

Josephine: Whether GST will work out to be cheaper than sales tax or not, that is still open to debate. However, what is certain is that companies will pay hefty penalties if they make mistakes. To prepare for GST, companies will have to ensure they have a proper system and processes and for this, the tax consultants and IT guys will benefit.

There are good reasons for introducing GST. But what remedy do we propose for people who are in debt because they spend more than they earn?

Well, one side of the coin is to earn more but ultimately, what will solve the problem is a lifestyle change to spend less to balance the budget. In short, GST is good, but fix the leakages first.

Police warn against participating in Parliament demo

Tan Kian Khim: Unarmed civil protestors are a 'threat to national security'? Let me tell you what is a threat to national security: a thoroughly corrupt and politically subservient police force, a damaged judiciary, a corruption-ridden civil service, ammunition and C4 explosives that are unaccounted for, Air Force jet engines that fly to Uruguay on their own and submarines that don't dive.

These are your threats to national security.

Eugene : Eh, didn't Najib say the people can protest and he can't stop them? What are the police thinking?

Suhakam told of police abuse at Pakatan rally

Karma: We would like the police to answer why there were no interruptions or harassment during a protest at the Australian High Commission led by Khairy Jamaluddin and during a street demo which saw the burning of the Penang chief minister's effigy led by Penang Malay leaders.

It will be a charge of sedition if Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak 's effigy is burnt! But the police just stood watching. Why did the police not question Khairy and the pro-Umno leaders for threatening to disrupt the peace?

But they question Lim Guan Eng and Anwar. Inspector-general of police Musa Hassan spoke of neutrality? So did they lodge a police report against Khairy and the pro-‘Ketuanan Melayu' leaders?

Umno harassment, Pakatan recruitment

Eugene : Pakatan Rakyat only took charge two years ago and they need time to change the way things are run and reverse the damage that was done. Do you think BN made it any easier for them to run their show?

If Pakatan's detractors have been reading all the news in Malaysiakini so far, they would have lost count of the numerous obstacles and hindrances Umno has placed in Pakatan's path, especially for Anwar Ibrahim where Umno is attempting every possible way to disrupt his progress. Also, this isn't just an Indian issue but a problem for all Malaysians.

The overlying issues that caused these problems came about because of the unjust and corrupted BN rule. How do you expect to change grassroots issues without clearing the dark clouds from the sky (the leadership)?

Here is one man taking the brunt of the fiery arrows in attempt to give us a fair and better place for us.

Kgen: Clumping together into racial groups to make demands will just help propagate BN's rule. I understand racial instincts are strong especially among the Indians, but they must rise above this. Groups like Perkasa and Hindraf exploit racial instincts.

Even if BN is replaced and instead of Umno, MIC and MCA, we have Perkasa, Hindraf and a ‘Chindraf', what is the difference other than the name change? The Indians are still going to be marginalised in a race-based system where the strongest gets the most.

The only way forward to uplift everybody is multi-racialism instead of race-based politics. What is it that is so difficult to understand? I can't seem to make a dent in some pro-Hindraf supporters who have fallen into Hindraf's racial trap.

If they think racialism is the way forward, why condemn Perkasa? Shall we start a ‘Chindraf' now and carve Malaysia into racial ghettos? If some Indians think they have a right to be racist than so have others.

Man In Black: Why all this harping on Indian issues? Change we must, but make it for Malaysian issues. If the Indians keep expecting help merely for themselves then how different are they from some the Umnoputra with their 'Ketuanan Melayu' mentality?

MIC and MCA were more then 50 years in power, yet you voted them in. Pakatan are only two years old and the expectations are so high. Be reasonable and sensible.

No Malay-protection clause in NEM yet

Lonestar: This minister is trying to pull a fast one. In his statement: ‘The New Economic Model (NEM) does not include any framework to protect Malay economic interests yet', the last word is the keyword.

Once the framework is included, the NEM would be the NEP and NDP all over again, if not worse. Just wait and see. Does the minister not realise that apart from the Umnoputra, not many Malaysian Malays want ‘crutches' anymore in the present globalised world.?

Joshua Raj: Hello, Second Finance Minister, have you also thought of a mechanism to ensure that the other races ‘can protect themselves in terms of economic growth' as well?

Sex toy shop steams over news report

Amaso: Another incident similar to Al-Islam reporters impersonating as Christians in order to fabricate sensational story? If the impersonation as student by Kosmo report is true, Kosmo should be held accountable for unethical, irresponsible reporting.

Victor Johan: Khairul Anuar Musa and the rest in National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students (PKPIM), please grow up. The outlet is promoting safe sex, and of course some zest in life.

If you guys don't need any further spiced up life, you choose your path. But don't impose your 'value systems' onto others. Now if you want to score some 'political mileage' through this episode, for your present and/or future political career, this is not the topic or area. Get a life!

Black Mamba: Ban Muslims from entering sex shop and the problem is solved. Non-Muslims who frequent sex shop desperately need to spice up their sex life with all these stress coming from living in the most political controversial country in the world.

Thisia: "In a statement today, PKPIM secretary Khairul Anuar Musa said that the easy availability of these items indirectly encouraged free sex among teenagers."

If sex toys encouraged free sex among teens, then what about condoms? Are they going to ban shops from selling condoms as well?