'Umno's machine is driven by contracts and greased by money. The Umno-led government can say one thing, but its actions speak loudly and differently’.

'No more approval for direct negotiated contracts'

Ong: ‘No longer approving direct negotiated procurement contracts unless they are properly justified by the relevant departments’ is not the same as ‘no longer approving direct negotiated procurement contracts’. It means that the government is still approving direct negotiated procurement contracts.

I am sure anyone with half a brain knows what ‘properly justified’ can mean when such a term is being used and defined by crooks. If you ask Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the creator of directly negotiated procurement contracts, he will tell you that all the negotiated contracts during his time were ‘properly justified’.

Cala: I find Awang Adek Hussin's limited understanding of the concept of contract rather disturbing. In the era of new institutional economics, a contract once signed, need not be regarded as something cast in stone.

First, a contract may be deemed incomplete if things in future cannot be properly appraised between transacting parties. Second, a contract may be deemed relational in that it serves only as a door opener. Third, a contract may be seen as a framework of a scheme.

More meat is added on as events unfold in the course of business. In sum, to treat a contract however unfair as something that should not be altered is an oxymoron. It is morally wrong. Only a corrupted officer will say that. Would you endorse a lopsided contract?

Would you support a contract that does not take people's interest into consideration? If Awang’s answer is yes, he sure is encouraging the plundering of national resources unabated.

Joe: Umno's machine is driven by contracts and greased by money. The Umno-led government can say one thing, but its actions speak loudly and differently elsewhere. For example, it's fighting to restrict access by the public to government contract information and has opposed the Freedom of Information Bill by the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government.

It has refused to disclose the financial accounts of Felda in response to charge of mismanagement of Felda funds. The actions of this BN-Umno government contradict its profession of transparency and openness. In short, Umno can play with words, but its words mean nothing - 'tak boleh pakai' - in light of its opportunism and expedience.

Verbal affray at Penang forum on 10MP

Onemalaysian: Awang Adek Hussin and Idris Jusoh, you guys shot yourself in your feet. Both of you have admitted that corruption exists in Umno/BN and we Malaysians know that 'billions of dollars' of ill-gotten wealth by Umno/BN are all invested abroad.

First, return all of that back to the rakyat. Take the challenge of R Sivarasa and allow 20 minutes on a daily basis for a debate/factual presentation on TV1, 2 and 3 and let the people of Malaysia decide who is telling the truth. Publish all the' lavish residences' of all the BN politicians and also the opposition leaders.

Let the Malaysian public decide who robbed the taxpayers’ money.

Independent Malaysian: The Pakatan people should clean up their own house first before talking about transparency, etc. They cannot even handle a state like Selangor properly. How to think about the country? Sigh...

Gen 2: Umno talks about transparency, while Pakatan acts on transparency. Umno hides the government privatisation contracts under Official Secrets Act while Pakatan wants to give us the Freedom of Information Act. So you know who to trust now.

Syabas may sue S'gor gov't for RM1bil

Ferdtan: If Syabas is short of money, then ask your chairperson, Rozali Ismail, not to have such a fat salary. He was paid RM5.1 million in 2007, equivalent to salary of RM14,000 per day or based on an eight-hour day, RM1,750 per minute. By taking three minutes to read this comment, he has made a cool RM5,250.

Anonymous: All contracts done by BN with suppliers or service providers are to the government’s disadvantage. Syabas is making a huge profit but still wants to sue the Selangor government.

I hope Selangor can appoint a new water concessionaire and kick out Syabas. If the state government has the means, pay off Syabas and take over the water business. They are already a monopoly and still want to sue.

Mamboking: Water. It is a basic human need. Just like sewage and electricity. And all these companies have been privatised under Dr Mahathir Mohamad so that he and his cronies can be billionaires.

Concern Father: First they claim we will run dry by 2012, now they want to sue for RM1 billion. If this RM1 billion was truly spent for providing water, no problem but I am sure the actual cost is RM1 million and the Umnoputras added three more zeros for ‘providing support services’ like the case of the submarines.

Please sue Selangor who should drag the case until the 13th general elections after which they will be in Putrajaya and then you can kick ass.

For BN to rule, nation must be divided

Satinah Osman: Dato Onn Jaffar was not alone in the endeavour to create a common nationality. His son, the late prime minister Hussein Onn was the first secretary-general of the Alliance Direct Membership Party, which was then housed in the Umno secretariat along Chow Kit/Batu Road in the early 70s.

It began to attract a huge number of intellectuals and those who despised the racial parties of those times. This has been omitted by historians and the efforts of Hussein have been carefully omitted in all records. Is it wilful or just an 'accident'?

However, the son of the Tun seems to be a different kettle of fish. He only looks like the Tun but has not got the charisma, the integrity, humility and love for the people of Malaysia like his father had. Very sad indeed.

Justice: All policies and actions of our government to wit Umno and their servants point towards a dangerous direction. Malaysians are being divided largely into two groups - the Muslims and non-Muslims. We don’t want to see the country dichotomised into two parts like India. Nothing can unite the people if they are constantly alienated against the other.

Learning in Bahasa Malaysia is not going to unite. Language does not unite a country - see Ireland, they all speak English yet are divided. East and West Pakistan were of the same religion yet they had to separate. Koreans are of the same race, same religion and same language yet separated on ideology.

So the bottom line is that people must be treated equally and equitably in all areas, be it economic, education, religion. culture, etc. Umno cannot and will not learn.

Phan Gaik Cher: Like their colonial masters, PM Najib is practising a ‘divide and rule’ policy. So long as the races stay divided, Umno will have its following of insecure Malays who will cling onto their special rights.

If there is unity, then Umno and other BN components parties would all be irrelevant. Do you think our politicians want that to happen? It would mean an end to their blatant plunder of the country's resources.

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