VOXPOP 'All stakeholders are against the Bill, so who were the stakeholders that the AG consulted - Umno, MCA, MIC?'

AG Gani Patail defends Peaceful Assembly Bill

Kee Thuan Chye : Attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail is talking through his nether orifice. How does the Peaceful Assembly Bill encourage freedom of expression?

He says stakeholders were consulted. What about the biggest stakeholder - the rakyat? There was no consultation whatsoever. The Bill was simply sprung upon the people.

Sarajun Hoda: The AG is a traitor to peace-loving Malaysians. I have three questions:

1) All stakeholders are against the Bill, so who were the stakeholders he consulted - Umno, MCA, MIC?

2) If the law was good and had people's support, why was it fast-tracked?

3) We do not see any part of the law that encourages freedom of expression. The Bill has made it more difficult and given more powers to the police.

The AG must be the first whom Pakatan Rakyat must arrest and grill in the courts to get all the truth about the evil Umno has done all these years to Malaysians.

Pakatan must start preparing to charge all the most corrupt previous ministers; starting with Mahathir, all the IGPs (inspector-generals of police), the most corrupt judges, MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) chiefs, all businessmen who throughout the years wasted billions and billions of the people's money by corrupt means, politicians, cronies, etc.

Their properties earned by evil means must be confiscated by the state. All embassies must be warned not to allow them to hide in their countries. Their wicked actions will catch up with them soon. Fair and square.

Onyourtoes: AG, who did you consult, Ibrahim Ali and Dr Mahathir Mohamad? I would guess so. Even consultation is governed by OSA (Official Secrets Act); how wonderful.

Wanderer: Gani Patail, in your context of freedom in this Peaceful Assembly bill, you see it was alright to allow the Perkasa thugs to do all the provocations against the opposition.

You had the peaceful Anwar Ibrahim supporters confined to a small car park area guarded by ‘red guards' and cops. What sort of freedom of expression are you are taking about?

If and when democracy is truly restored, you need to be caged for good.

Gandhi: A diabolical statement by the AG to hoodwink the public again. It's not a life-saving or serious national security law that needs such unprecedented furious speed as was given the Assembly Bill.

Show anti-corruption plan, Ambiga challenges Pakatan

Trumpet Call: The fact that so many honest people of high integrity are watching and challenging Pakatan is good for the coalition.

The more vocal and uncompromising these 'watchdogs' are, the better it is for the coalition. Besides serving as a check and balance to Pakatan, it also serves to increase the confidence and support of the rakyat for the coalition if they come up with the right answers.

Pakatan should not shun such challenges but rather welcome them and more importantly, come up with straight, honest and practical answers. Pakatan must show itself as a viable alternative to BN.

Anonymous_3e06 : I like what Bersih's S Ambiga said. Show us your plan to fight corruption, Pakatan. Show us your plan for making the civil service an establishment for all races.

We are sometimes just too tired of listening to politicians, we want concrete changes. Our children cannot wait for those kinds of games.

Onyourtoes: Corruption is one issue; but more than this, we need to look at undeserved gains too. For example, APs (approved permits) issued over the past decades; who have benefited from it? Why can't the state coffers benefit from this too, after all it is taxpayers' money paid when buying a car.

Then what about undeserved profits from lopsided concessions agreements, privatisation, and contracts? All these too must be reviewed and undeserved profits confiscated.

Ambiga, since you have some ideas, why don't you help Pakatan come up some specific plan to contain and control corruption? You should stand as a candidate and be appointed as minister.

It does not matter that you do not want to indulge in petty politicking. The same goes for professor Abdul Aziz Bari, formerly from UIA (Universiti Islam Antarabangsa).

Pakatan needs more thinkers, strategists and organisers and those with integrity, not just grassroots politicians.

Kelantanese: The billions that had already crossed our borders can never be brought back.

But those involved can always be made responsible and charged in the court of law and this is what Pakatan can clearly do after the judiciary, police, and what not departments are cleaned up when they take over Putrajaya.

Hopefully that would be enough deterrent to any cunning businessman and conmen to refrain from such thing in the future.

Yahoo: It's rather naive to think Pakatan has no plans to deal with corruption. But they cannot reveal their plans - just like in a war you cannot let your enemy know the details.

But money gone overseas is not easy to bring back. Do you think the banks abroad want to be trillions poorer? Remember the Marcoses? After 40 years, their money is still frozen in US banks.

IamMsian : Pakatan should also come up with meritocracy plans on how to choose and appoint best talents to manage all the GLCs (government-linked companies), SEDCs (state economic development corporations) and all the government institutions regardless of race.

Abolish appointed senators and have them chosen through elections - maybe three senators per state - hence giving effective checks and balances between the Upper House on the Lower House.

Limit the PM and ministers' terms to a maximum of two terms or 10 years, whichever is shorter. A new act to protect the minorities is needed.

Trim down the size of the cabinet (we have one of the largest cabinets in the world for the size of our population). And bring back local council elections.

All these will prevent corruption and abuse of power by one party and those who are corrupt or who underperform will not stay long in office.

Alan Goh: Talking is easy but walking the talk is very, very difficult, especiallywith the die-hard habit of making easy money ingrained at every level of Umno-BN and also by the civil servants.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has shown real leadership. Within three years of ruling Penang, Pakatan has shown commitment in eradicating corruption in Penang and that formula can be used as an anti-corruption plan to start with.

While it is difficult to totally wipe off corruption, the declaration of assets by all ministers, starting with the PM and DPM and all state exco members will suffice.

Raikonen: Ambiga, effect change from inside. I know of your disdain for local politics but that is the only way to put your ideas into action plans.

Take on Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and put him out of his political misery. I would gladly follow you in your campaign.

Gen2indian: I see some proposing that Ambiga enters politics. I beg to differ.

It's better that Ambiga stays outside of politics so that whoever is in Putrajaya post-GE13 will be afraid of being caught for corruption. The pressure must always be there for the politicians to behave themselves.

Solaris: It takes a special apolitical and insightful individual like Ambiga to remind us that truth, justice and fairness and human rights, social justice and civil liberties are the quintessences of good governance, not political ideology or campaign promises.

To Pakatan - it is well, when judging a friend, to remember that she is judging you with the same godlike and superior impartiality (Arnold Bennett).

Wfworker: Some of you are so naive that you expect every politician to be Mother Teresa. Grow up, we are not living in a perfect world.

As far as I am concerned, the current government is beyond redemption. There is certainly no guarantee that Pakatan will lead like Mother Teresa; but even if they are only 50 percent corrupted, I will accept them at least for five years; before we see the next opposition available.

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