‘Why must we sacrifice our children- for what? It was a hare-brained idea to begin with. And yet despite the public resistance, the government has insisted on carrying on with it.’

On NS deaths: Are you parents dead too? |

Michael Ng: What can we parents do so that the government will actually address this issue? I don't want another bright and aspiring teenager to ' mati katak '. I believe the idea of NS camps has become counter-productive. I wonder what goes through the minds of the NS friends of Too Hui Min when they have watched with their own eyes the preventable death of Ms Too. I bet patriotism will be the last thing on the mind of anNS teenager when she knows she could actually die or end up deadly sick.

I bet patriotism will be the last thing on her parents' mind when they have had to pray to their gods everyday for protection and deliverance, call to check on their child's health everyday and having to struggle with the awful thought that their child may have been marked by death. How has it become that serving the country meant dying for the country but for no good reason?

Let's have an independent poll whether our kids have become more patriotic after attending these NS camps. I think not only the teenagers are affected by news like this. All Malaysians may become less patriotic after hearing how the lives of our kids are put at high risk by the poor conditions of NS camps. Is serving NS a life gamble now?

Lastly, I bet NS serving teenagers will now arrive with antibiotics, hand phones with spare batteries, improved life insurance, protective charms or prayers and maybe even a 'If I die' letter. I foresee parents visiting their children will bring along a priest, doctor or nutritionist or all three.

A Very Concerned Parent: I refer to the latest death of another child in the NS programme and the total count is? Even recruit soldiers don't die like this. I cannot even begin to imagine the grief that these parents are going thorough. The professor seems to be only one so far demanding improvements. I have said this before and I say it again - we cannot let it be run like a military camp!

How many deaths will it take before we parents face the reality that too many children have died due to the absolute negligence of those running the programme and, yes, you the parents who are willing to tolerate and accept this on-going malaise.

Stand-up and shout out - that Malaysian parents will not take this anymore. Don't expect change to occur - we have to make it happen.

Kee Thuan Chye: It's time to scrap the National Service. I'm not the only parent who will not entrust my children to this worthless cause. It has proven to be unsafe since it was initiated. How many have died in the camps already? How many more have fallen ill?

Why must we sacrifice our children- for what? It was a hare-brained idea to begin with. And yet despite the public resistance, the government has insisted on carrying on with it.

Some who have gone through NS may have got something out of it, but many more detest it. But the upshot of it all is this - if there are going to be cases of people dying while serving NS, it simply does not justify having it. If the government cannot guarantee the safety of each and everyone of those serving NS, it should feel shame and stop this unsafe scheme.

I call on our elected representatives to speak up and earnestly press for the abolition of National Service. I urge all parents to resist - by refusing to send their children when they are called up for the next round of NS. Let this be a form of conscientious objection.

We must be together in this - so that if the government wants to persecute us for it, they will find it harder to persecute a mass of people than if it were only a handful. Let us show solidarity in standing up against what we don't have faith and trust in.

Ayfy: The National Service scheme for school leavers is ill-conceived. Is this the brain child of a BN minister? One of the main aims of the scheme is to foster racial integration and unity. Honourable minister, if you can't do it in eleven years, (for some thirteen) of the formative schooling years of our young people, how can you do it in a few months?

The logical thing to do is to review the school curriculum and implement appropriate programmes right through those years. What is the use of introducing shooting practice? This is only useful in a proper military-type, longer national service stint. As it is, the only people who benefit are those who are involved in the procurement of the uniforms, supplies and camp grounds.

Clippy Mee: It certainly will let Najib think twice himself if he has a teenager to go through national camp training these days. How many more young lives do we have to sacrifice each time a new batch starts off? Surely the people responsible for sending these youth for training must have realised something is wrong somewhere.

High time that we take stock of the situation and suspend the training to do some soul searching. A complete review and overhaul of the whole idea of national training is now indispensable. Please wake up, advocates of this highly controversial scheme. Stop the rot before the whole nation disappears.

On Protect Karpal's right to views, says Santiago

Baiyuensheng: Karpal Singh is trying to protect the country's constitution - what so wrong about that? To me, it is his patriotism and love of the country that compelled him to act on our behalf and protect the so-called - however imperfect - constitution. What he is doing is no more seditious than those time when Dr Mahathir capped the powers of the rulers, and no more seditious than those who disregard and ignored the constitution. My salute to you, Mr Karpal Singh.

Joe Fernandez: Umno as usual is trying to twist and turn Karpal's statement about the role of the sultans, into a racial issue in order to play to the gallery, force the Malays into circling the wagons around Umno, pitting Malay against non-Malay, in order to appear as big heroes so that they can get the total Malay votes to live it up at the expense of all.

And Abdullah Ahmad Badawi insists that Umno is still relevant. Pathetic. Many people must have died laughing by now.

On Karpal queries DAP, Pakatan leaders' silence

Tan Soo Huat: Karpal Singh has been talking too much over an issue that could easily allow BN to gain from racial politics again. Nobody can shut him out because he well versed in constitutional law. However, at a time of a flare-up like this, I do not think it is wise to talk too much. Like Lim Kit Siang, these two veteran are too used to being in the opposition bench. They jump the gun every time the feel like it.

The last time Kit Siang made a mistake, he apologised quickly. This time around, I think Karpal should do the same. He should know why PR leaders are keeping quiet because they would not want to help him. If possible, PR leaders want Karpal to apologise. They cannot open their mouths out of respect but deep inside their hearts, they would want to say loud enough" ‘Karpal. please apologize to HRH Sultan Perak.

Ayfy: There is nothing seditious about Karpal's point of view. He has given his point of view from a legal perspective. If there is an opposing view, then the nation's leaders should explain their view arguing it from a legal standpoint. It is sad that in this day and age we have leaders who still threaten the rakyat and wakil rakyat with archaic and draconian laws for giving their point of view, taking advantage of the situation to create ill-feeling between the races, and between opposition politicians and palace.

Talking about reforming the judiciary, leaders should take the lead in law reforms as well. Don't carry on sleeping. Now is the time. What say you Zaid? I'm sure you are not asleep. Please take the lead. RPK's case is another example of shutting up the rakyat . If the persons mentioned in his writing are aggrieved, there is the law of defamation as a civil remedy. Why use the state to prosecute, again using the archaic and draconian laws?

On Minister wants cool heads over BMC saga

Nantha: I am thrilled to see how the Malaysian government can treat the Segambut member of Parliament Lim Lip Eng. He was beaten, abused by the police. I don't understand whether the police is working for Grand Saga or for the people of this country. The stupid Malaysian government is protecting business units more than the people of this country. Grand Saga above the People now?

I sincerely hope Pakatan Rakyat will taken over the Malaysian government soon to put a stop to all this Umno nonsense. Anwar Ibrahim, please takeover the management of country as soon as possible and put a stop to this Umno ridiculousness.

Ledge: I am writing in to show my support for the people of Bandar Mahkota Cheras. I am extremely disgusted at the way they and their MP Lim Lip Eng have been manhandled by the police and Grand Saga. Especially when so many bona fide criminals are walking around scot-free. I admire the way Lim and the BMC folks stood up to unfair treatment, and I fully agree with Enraged Citizen, Ensin and Humble Voice – I couldn’t have put it better.

The police and Grand Saga may behave like they are a law unto themselves (or are they merely someone else’s stooges ?) but do not lose faith – trust in a just and almighty God – you will be vindicated. I do not have the guts to face water cannons like you guys did, but I can certainly pray unceasingly for you. Get well quick, Lim. God be with you all.

Lau Sue Chau: I do not understand why the federal government and the police always seem to be on the side of the Grand Saga in the blockage of the road in Makhota Cheras. Why must the residents always be put in a disadvantaged situation and be forced to pay toll when there is an alternative road? After all, is it not the policy of the government to always provide an alternative to those who choose not to use a tolled road?

Who is Grand Saga that they can act above the law? I the business community must act within their boundaries as responsible corporate citizens with due and fair consideration given to the general public. Businessmen must not use draconian and high-handed methods to burden the public in the process of profiteering.

Works Minister Mohd Zin Mohamad of the Barisan Nasional has urged the Opposition MPs not to take laws into their own hands. Let me remind this new minister to look back to history in 2005 on whether Grand Saga had obtained any approval to block the access road and thus inconvenience the residents. Who is taking the law into their own hands to profit?

My dear minister, is there anything that the BN government wants to hide here? You have not yet learned the lesson of why the majority of the rakyat had rejected BN on that fateful March 8, 2008 GE.

Eugene Kiu: If residents in BMC in trying to remove the ‘illegal’ barriers are considered as taking the law into their own hands, has not Grand Saga also taken the law into their own hands by erecting the barriers in the first place, knowing very well they do not have the ownership and right of use over the land? Why then have they not been told to abide by the law?

To add insult to injury, it seems that the government is siding with Grand Saga and encouraging them instead of helping to settle the dispute amicably.

On Dr M warns of throwing money at food problem

P Kesavan: Malaysia cannot be 70% self-sufficient in rice production as is being claimed, when rice fields have been converted to other uses, when we are host to about two million legal and illegal foreign workers and our population is rising. The actual percentage is probably much lower, but this was not reflected in the local markets in the past because smuggled rice from Thailand made up for most of the shortfall. High prices in Thailand having put an end to smuggling has now resulted in a shortage in the local market even though we are supposed import 30% of our needs. The authorities should come up with accurate figures on local rice production.

The government should be cautious about going for 100% self sufficiency in rice production as the present high prices and apparent shortage in the international markets may only be temporary. Farmers around the world will likely increase production to take advantage of the high prices and within a span of two or three rice growing cycles there may be an oversupply in the market causing prices to drop. Consequently, the government may end up having to pay out more in subsidies to support local farmers then is presently the case if it went for 100% self sufficiency.

Instead of opening up new paddy land in Sarawak and elsewhere the government should rehabilitate abandoned and underutilised land as it can be done quickly and cheaply. The long term solution to local rice security is to find ways and means to substantially increase the income of local rice farmers. One way the agriculture ministry can achieve this objective is by getting farmers to form small agro-companies and combine their land holdings to lower production costs and to diversify into other areas to raise their income and better cope with price instability.

Besides growing rice, farmers should be trained in activities such as honey production, range chicken farming, bird nest production, growing mushrooms and others. They should also be provided with marketing and managerial skills and encouraged to market their products directly to consumers in order to obtain higher prices.

On Matriculation: Education Ministry must be transparent

Fair and Just: It is so true that we need the transparency. I am a parent concerned with my children’s education. Unfortunately, I do know that it is not meritocracy or the ‘As’ that you get but also ‘who you know’ and who can sign the paper to ‘ sokong ’ you.

Sad to say, some of us parents don’t know ‘who is who’ as we are not in that category. You see, those who know ‘who is wh’o are those who are rich and powerful. They can afford to go to private colleges. Please leave the matriculation to us who really need the place. Be transparent.

On Lingam report: PM undecided on making it public

Logical Thinking: Irrespective of what the Lingam report contains, the government should make it known to the public. Let the rakyat judge for themselves as to the appropriateness of the report. After all, a significant portion of the commission’s hearing was in public.

Anyway, the rakyat has made their judgement on this Lingam Tape during the just concluded 12th general election. We are just curious as to whether the findings of commission are 'on par' with us.

On Correct, correct, correct, it's Fairuz

Alan Tam: The darkest day of the Malaysian judiciary has been confirmed by the Royal Commission report on the Lingam Tape scandal. The perception of the corrupt practices in our judiciary system has been there for a long time but all the while being denied by the authority. During the Lingam Tape controversy, the authority remained reluctant to admit anything and went ahead to renew the appointment of CJ who had been strongly implicated in the Lingam Tape. This was very sad in need.

The CJ who had been implicated and found in breach of conduct as found in the commission report should be properly dealt with and punished with what ever law that exists. The most sickening is the fact that the person who was entrusted with the highest position in the judiciary has been found to be of the lowest character and highly corrupted in his mind. He was used by others and willingly subjected himself to the abuse his authority as CJ.

His ‘wrong’ has brought injustice to whole Malaysias population and some who may not even known who this guy is could be suffering due to his wrong doing. He must suffer.

On Don: No such thing as 'social contract'

Ratormo: The cat's finally out of the bag. Everyone knows that the social contract was just a ruse and propaganda for a certain political party - and the cronies that infest it - to rob the country's wealth. I think what Prof Ungku said was nothing more than an open secret - a secret Malaysians have known for a long time and a secret many Malaysians have paid a heavy price for including the disintegration of national unity.

If there's such a thing as social contract or bumi/non-bumi concept, how come the kampung Malays still languish in the kampung and the opposition (PAS and PKR) Malays still do not have any special privileges? But on the other hand, if this certain political party does away with the social contract and the gravy train, this party will certainly implode with its cronies jumping ship. After all, an alliance of crooks is only sealed with money and can be bought by the highest bidder.

Ranjeet: Dr Mahathir mentioned a bigger portion to the Malays. Question is how much bigger?

On Mahathir: Lingam tape used for 'blackmail'

Alan Tam: Dr M was his usual self, his arguments and logic can be very confusing and at the same time look convincing to the ordinary people. As a world leader, he speaks with authority in many fields, but when it comes to certain issues that involve him and which are about corrupt practices and abuses of power, his comments will sound very sentimental and seem to seek sympathy from the people. At the same time, his comments also carry tones of denial.

Let’s look at this : ‘If I'm found guilty, I'll go to jail if I have to. If I go bankrupt, then I'll go bankrupt. It's all right’. Are these comments worthy of a leader who has been leading Malaysia for the past decades? We are in fact very unfortunate as Dr. M has become illogical and irresponsible after he stepped down as premier.

Dr M should be more responsible and he should have the courage to admit all his wrongsdoing if he wishes the people to remember what was his contribution to Malaysia. Otherwise, he will sink in history as the most unwelcome leader.

Simon Yap: I don't understand the Tun's logic. If he has done nothing wrong, why is he afraid of blackmail? Like they say, if you don't have anything smelly on you, why are you afraid someone will sniff it out?

If one is clean, one should be able to withstand all sorts of tests and investigations and come out clean. Unless you have something to hide, then only will you will prevent any investigation or tests.

So, Tun Mahathir, your logic does not work. I am an admirer of the great development you have brought to our country and the dramatic changes you have made to the civil service but I am afraid I have to say, age is catching up with you.

On Wives continue to slug it out over Bunga Tanjung

Jeamme C: I think that if the funds were chanelled to Bakti, it should be given back to the association of wives of the new state government if Bakti and Bunga Tanjung want to retain their dignity. People can argue about the legality of the dissolution of PBT and its subsequent transfer of money to the Bakti, but at the end of the day, the money is to go to the rakyat and other charities for a good cause. If both sides could stop their arguments and let the money be channelled back to the state government with wives of the Pakatan leaders as members, and assuming they hand the money over to charities, this issue of being called 'Desperate Housewives' and what-not would be a non-issue.

Behind all that legal hoopla and publicity, it always boils down to money. The thing that makes the world go round. Stop wasting the people's time and ensure the money gets to people who really need it. There are cancer groups, children's homes and homes for the disabled who need the money from charities. These people cannot afford to wait for political arguments to end. Theirs is a purely an humanitarian need. I hope that both the state government and PBT are sensible enough to ensure that people who really need their help, get it.

On Let me tell you about 'brain drain'

Malaysia Belongs To All: After reading this letter, my question is, What happened to Malaysia? Do the Malays still want to champion ' Ketuanan Melayu ' and keep arguing on the 'social contract' which was not even written? Anwar is right to champion for ' Ketuanan Rakyat '. I really hope Pakatan Rakyat can take over control very soon.

On Syariah Court allows convert to renounce Islam

Jamil Hussain Shaik Mohamed: I followed with great interest the case of Tan Ean Huang @ Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah as a landmark court decision . It is rather appalling to note how loose the system is. The act of changing one’s faith is a simple matter of some paperwork? If I may suggest, in the future, if some one wishes to convert to Islam, his or her comprehension and understanding regarding the faith is first scrutinised and their true intention be investigated before allowing them to profess it. It is very disrespectful for anyone to confess to a faith simply because of marriage only to revert when the marriage fails. This should apply to not only Islam but other faiths as well.

On Penang CM unperturbed by uproar over Lee's appointment

David: In regard to the appointment of Lee Kah Choon as director of Penang Development Corporation by Penang Chief Minister Guan Eng and some of the decisions made by the Selangor Menteri Besar of Selangor, must say that the rakyat voted in the opposition not for individuals, be they menteri besar or chief ministers, to make decisions unilaterally but collectively and in consultation.

That does not seem to be the case. Karpal Singh, the DAP chairperson says he was not consulted in the decision to appoint Lee, even though the latter has now resigned from Gerakan. He may be a good candidate, but that is not the point. We did not elect people to a particular office of state. We elected the opposition as a group and so we expect action from the group and not from individuals in the group whatever their office.

On Gov't still taking rakyat for granted

Richard Teo: It is getting clearer by the day that the demise of the BN parties is imminent. If Abdullah Ahmad Badawi continues with his term it is likely that he will be the last PM of Umno.

After 50 years in power, its policies and habits are so deeply entrenched that it is unlikely it can change with the demands of a liberalised local and global landscape. The opposition's call for liberal reforms in the Printing Press and Publication Act, the Internal Security Act(ISA), and the Official Secrets Act have all fallen on deaf ears. Other than the proposed reform in the establishment of a Judicial Commission and the set up of an independent ACA commission, everything else remains unchanged. The ruling incumbent Barisan government cannot hope to remain in power without addressing the very issues that practically almost cost them the seat of government and the loss of five states and the KL Federal Territory.

What the opposition needs to do now is to reiterate to the people that despite the demands of the populace for reforms, none have been forthcoming. The popular demand for the election of local councils have met with stiff opposition from the federal government and as such the four Pakatan state governments could not implement them. BN’s resistance to change bears the hallmark of a regime that is complacent and arrogant. Four more years down the road a monumental change is inevitable.

The 13th general election will likely see the last PM coming from a race-based party. The new political landscape will see the advent of a PM elected on a platform of a multi-racial party that champions not the parochial interest of a single race but the emphasis of a Malaysian race where every one irrespective of race, religion and creed has a place in the Malaysian sun.