On Fuel hike: 78 sen more to RM2.70 per litre

Kenny Gan:

I don't mind paying market price for petrol provided I can pay market price for cars. Currently, our cars are anything but ‘market price’. We have one of the highest car prices in the world due to our abnormally high import duties on foreign cars.

I'm not talking about luxury cars either, half of what we pay for a basic family cars goes to tax. The tax component of a car will pay for the extra cost of unsubsidised petrol for the life of the car!

In a country where public transport is abysmal and most people have no practical choice but to own cars, middle-class families are being pushed to the wall. Subsidised petrol helps to offset the high installments car owners have to fork out monthly to pay for their overtaxed cars.

Many owners have to take a nine-year loan just to pay off a basic car. On top of that tolls are a heavy burden to motorists and threaten to keep going up due to one sided deals signed with toll concessionaires.

The government can do nothing about the world price of crude oil but high car prices and high tolls are definitely self-inflicted. Lack of investment in public transport rubs it in. Is this lack of urgency to improve our public transport designed to help Proton sell more cars?

The government has forced the public to own cars by mismanaging the public transport sector, inflicted a high prices for cars, burdened the motorists with extensive toll roads and now wants market price for petrol. Is this a caring government?

Tan, Joseph K: If the government would like to make fuel price as per the market price, firstly, it needs to reduce import taxes and excise duties for all passenger car to comply with the Japan- Malaysia FTA. At least, Malaysia can opt for cheaper hybrid cars which are good in fuel efficiency. And pay back to Malaysians the inflated taxes already imposed on car owners.

Kevin P: I was aghast at the above report. Hard cash back to the people is a good idea but to whom? Those who drive small cars and motorcycles? Good actually, but what about those that do not own a car or a motorcycle? Those who have been taking public transportation all this while?

What about the truly hardcore poor? I know that they will reveal it all ‘in due course’ but isn’t this method up for abuse? How are they going to manage the list of people that died? Are dead entitled to the cash as well?

Why can't they sell off Proton and liberate the automotive market? Allow people to buy quality and more fuel-efficient cars without costing an arm and a leg. Why? RM56 billiion worth of fuel subsidy is about RM2,074 per Malaysian (regardless of age). They will need to study who are those that have been abusing the subsidies.

I am sure most families do not pump even RM4,000 worth of fuel a year. And that is for a family of four who are entitled to RM8,000 in subsidy.

CK Chim: A simple way to alleviate costs for vehicle-owners is to reduce or eliminate road tax and excise duty instead of sending postal orders, etc and creating an administrative nightmare for everyone. Whether one resorts to cash payments or whatever, its not a permanent solution as these will lead to a worsening traffic situation on highways and pollution to the environment.

There has been a lot of talk about the sad condition of our public transport system in major towns and cities. Do we realise that one of the main reasons for this is the promotion and proliferation of small vehicles? With a further move towards small vehicles (as people find it cheaper to own small vehicles), the public transport operators will not find it viable to invest on improving their public transport systems simply because passenger numbers are not growing.

On Court throws out poll petition, Khairy keeps Rembau

Alex C: If the chief judge could be bought, what else is impossible? If BN can change the constitution for the mere sake of one man to helm the EC for another year to see through the 2008 GE, what else can they not change? If postal voting could be 'multiplied' and posted to any constituency, what else is unfair? BN, after all, is still the ruling government and they decide what is law.

Khairy was bound to win irregardless of where he contested because he is the son-in-law. Malaysian democracy is just plain hypocrisy no better than Zimbabwe’s or Burma’s excluding the firearms display.

On Domestic competition will mean bigger share

Ratormo: The Malays can compete on their own, Asli's report has already proven that. So who are these 'Malays' who are making noises about the NEP, who feel threatened by words like meritocracy, hard work and discipline? These are the Umnoputeras and the Umnoputera-created NGOs.

When the Bersih rally took place, it was the Malays who were leading the nation in this march (the Indians then took a cue from the Malays and we had the Hindraf march). And who were thugs in uniform spraying chemically-laced water and firing tear gas at the Bersih and Hindraf marchers? Agents of the Umnoputeras. So obviously these crooks still want to rob Malaysian for a little while longer.

On 'RPK the sailor-man' riles up Abim

The Healer: I think PSD must establish clearly the goals and objectives of handing out its scholarships. Observing the events that have come to pass and the various explanations given by PSD, I can draw that the racial quota overrules merit and need.

Also, Abim should not equate increasing the non-bumi quota to loss of scholarships for the Malays simply because number of scholarships given out to Malays has also increased over the years. Besides, Abim who claims to ‘work towards a government that acts ethically and legally’ and ‘which aims to benefit all Malaysians’ should recognise PSD’s move as an effort to bring unity in Malaysia.

However, if Malaysians demand for meritocracy in handing out PSD scholarships, then we must admit that rural or urban areas where the poor live do not enjoy a quality education which will definitely jeopardise students there from excelling. Therefore, we may leave the poor trapped for generations to come (that is, if we do not improve on the education opportunities given to the poor).

On Kar pal: Haul up Dr M for contempt

Peter Ooi: Karpal Singh is absolutely right in asking the government to charge Dr Mahathir for contempt of court. For far too long he has been throwing challenges to the authority to take action against him. And the strangely, he seems to get away with impunity. \

He made statements which are seditious and there was not a stir from the attorney-general's office nor from Bukit Aman. If the same statements were to be made by the likes of Karpal Singh, Lim Guan Eng or Nik Aziz, the said authorities would come for their throats.

Knowing the 'immunity' he enjoyed, his attacks on Pak Lah go on unabated. I believe Pak Lah really does not measure up in his performances as a prime minister. He is already struggling with his job. Already Pak Lah is lame duck and futher criticising him would make matters worse.

Investors are shunning our stock exchange. Yesterday, Goldman Sachs had downgraded our local bourse. It named our stocks the least favoured in South East Asia on concerns over political volatility.

To Dr Mahathir, if you truly, truly have the nation’s interest at heart, you better stop all the attacks on Pak Lah. What do you gain if you manage to force Pak Lah to resign but at the same time driving away would-be investors?

On Umno still strong in Malay heartland

Lau Chow Weng: Making sure that the Malay heartland is always in need of affirmative action is the only way to keep Umno relevant. And you can see why funds do not reach these areas. Corruption, cronyism and systematic inefficiency helps to ensure that affirmative action is always needed in these Malay heartland areas.