Dr Ravichandran: No doubt it was a people friendly budget. But wasn’t it a little bit too friendly to the Sabahans and Sarawakians? I wonder why? I don’t think it was caring enough, though.

The fundamentals in improving the economy were not equally addressed. This was made worse by the fact that there is going to be an extra RM30 billion in spending. It seems like the nation is going to be burdened by a populist budget. National unity between races and religions was also not addressed. All we can do now is hope for the best.

TTM: The current ruling party has managed our hard earned money for 50 years. Anyone dare to check the transactions in Bank Negara on how they spent it? Is the money being used to help Malaysians or certain individuals?

We need someone to check the accounts.

A Disgrunted Working Class Malaysian: Firstly, kudos to our dear PM for delivering such wonderful ‘gifts’ and ‘donations’ to the poor and super rich Malaysians alike.

Sadly, unless we are in the dark ages of the 12th century, we all know which of these people drive the Malaysian economy.

In my opinion, neither. Want to know why? Because the poor would need the saved money for food and necessities whilst the rich would not even be affected by any tax cuts as most of them ‘park’ their money overseas anyway, to earn higher interest.

So this begs the question: Where are the benefits for the working middle-class? I am ashamed of such a lame, ineffective budget.

Millionth Citizen: A RM207.9 billion budget is mind boggling. Imagine if there was even a one percent of wastage due to whatever reason. A one percent wastage may sound small but imagine how far RM2.07 billion could go in helping alleviate people’s problems.

Therefore, leaving politics aside, what the rakyat want is transparency and accountability because too much has been promised and nothing has actually been done. It is high time you ‘walked the talk’, Mr PM.

Forward As One: Anyone notice that when Pak Lah is desperate, he resorts to Mahathir-type policies? When he became PM in 2003, one of his stated goals was to lower the budget deficit. Last Friday, he turned this on its head and opted to balloon the deficit to 4.8 percent of GDP, a level not seen since Mahathir's pump-priming last years.

But then we've seen Pak Lah do this before. In the early days, he cancelled the crooked Causeway and suspended double-tracking. Fast forward to 2007, he reverts to mega-corridors and revival of double-tracking supposedly to jumpstart the economy.

In 2003, he promised less corruption and more enforcement. Today, we see corruption in the government administration being more prevalent than ever.

Remember the ‘Mr Nice Guy’ image and the promise of a kinder, gentler PM? Then see what happened when Anwar emerged as a political foe?

Strangely enough, Mahathir today condemns Pak Lah when he ought to be flattered his successor is employing his tactics. Perhaps that's not unusual - the good doctor doesn't like the medicine he used to mete out when he's on the receiving end.

On Anwar is bragging, says Taib

A Dreaming Malaysian: With reference to the Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud’s statement claiming that Anwar is bragging, I would like to highlight a few crucial points.

Anwar is empowered to ‘brag’ as millions of Malaysians, especially the younger generation, have given him that privilege. This fact was reflected in the March general election and Permatang Pauh by-election.

Prior to the general elections, BN was believed to have had the same ‘mandate of the people’ through UMNO, MCA, MIC and others. How times have changed. Taib must realise that the millions of Malaysians are the real deciders of the future. They are the real source of power behind the nation. Taib, an alliance made up of millions of people is greater than the support of the 30 MPs below you.

What a shortsighted chief minister Taib is. A regular dose of Malaysiakini and Malaysia Today would be the prefect prescription for his shortsightedness.

Timo FP: Taib, your ‘tab’ is up. The clock is ticking. Step down gracefully or be prepared to be dumped unceremoniously.

Augustine Yeo: Many people are bragging, not only Anwar. If Anwar is bragging then you are scared of your own shadow, Taib. Do you know, as the longest serving chief minister in Sarawak, you have made most of the Sarawak Mps ‘yes men’. Your son has been appointed deputy minister whereas some hardworking MPs who have served for five or six years have not even been given an opportunity. Don't be over confident that your MPs will stay put. Nobody can predict the future so you better watch your step.

On Minister defends Malaysia Today ban

A Malaysian Who Looks Ahead: Our government is well known for working on strategies that will ultimately bring their downfall.

The rakyat must thank the government for banning Malaysia Today. Why? Because by doing so, more and more Malaysians are becoming curious and anxious to find out what it is about the site that is so controversial. More and more Malaysians who have never seen nor read Malaysia Today are going to flood it. They will then see for themselves the might of this site, dedicated to news the mainstream media is too afraid to publish or broadcast.

RPK is a forerunner in diverting the total attention of all Malaysians away from the mainstream to alternative media. For that, thank you BN for banning Malaysia Today . Glad to see you are digging a deeper grave for yourselves.

Jr Lee: Much has been said and written about the failure of the Malaysian government in honouring their promise of no censorship on the Internet when they blocked the Malaysia Today website.

It is truly disgraceful that Syed Hamid does not understand the phrase, "My word is my bond". In the financial world, when a party makes a promise, then it is his bond to uphold it.

If he does not uphold his promise, how does he expect anyone to believe him again? His credibility will go down the drain. The whole world is now assessing the credibility of Malaysia in honouring its words. The damage is too great and Malaysians can now no longer say that there is no censorship on the Internet in the country!

This is a repeat of an earlier incident of not honouring one’s word when Anwar was arrested before the 2pm deadline. It seems that ministers in Malaysia have a habit of making promises and not honouring them. It is no wonder the rakyat are very cheesed off with the present BN government and chose to vent their frustrations at the recent Permatang Pauh by-election.

Golongan Kiri: The government’s recent highhandedness in having Malaysia Today banned just goes to show that it is losing the battle against bloggers. What it doesn't understand is that the more you try chopping 'em down, the more they'll spring up and make it nastier for the government. I believe that this government has bitten off more than it can chew by banning RPK, who has wasted no time in fighting back.

Inside every individual is a thought, ideas and aspirations and these are things which are not tangible and cannot be physically taken away or stopped. In my opinion, blogs are an excellent medium for the ordinary man to forward his thoughts, ideas and aspirations on a wide range of topics and issues.

And what the government doesn't seem to realise is that by blocking dissenting voices on the net, the idea or thought behind that voice will not simply fade into oblivion. They can block as many blogs they want and try charge every critic with sedition and criminal defamation and throw everyone behind bars and throw away the keys, but thoughts will always be free and will live on with the masses. Especially with the likes of RPK

I do not entirely agree with everything RPK says, but I admire his courage to speak up and stand up for what he believes is right. And everyone has a right to his or her opinion, and the right to voice it out even if others disagree.

On Dr M slams gov’t for banning blog site

Mustafa Ahmad: I was really shocked to hear that Mahathir described the government's action in blocking Malaysia Today as "a degree of oppressive arrogance worthy of a totalitarian state".

I am not shocked by his guts and courage to openly say such a thing but by the fact that he does not realise that he was the same oppressive and arrogant dictator when he was in power. Just a few examples of his oppressive acts: the sodomy allegations against Anwar until he was jailed for 6 years, jailing the current Chief Minister of Penang for alleged sedition and the judiciary crisis in 1988, among many others.

Has he forgotten what he did to the lives of many of his opponents? It is like the pot calling the kettle black.

My advice to Mahathir is to quickly seek forgiveness from the many people he destroyed and hurt. Allah can forgive him but human beings may not for what he has done to them.

On MCA slams Umno leader's 'Chinese squatter' remark

Augustine Yeo: What has happened to our national unity and integration? We are heading toward vision 2020, yet I, as a Malaysian Chinese, was confused and hurt by Umno Division Chief Ahmad Ismail’s remarks that the Chinese are squatters.

How can a so-called educated man like him describe the Chinese as squatters in a multi racial country? What are the MCA, Gerakan and SUPP, as the largest Chinese component members of BN, going to say about these unjust and an acceptable comments?

Umno have not learned from the March 8 general election. Stern action should be taken against Ahmad Ismail by the Umno Supreme Council. We are not Chinese squatters. Ahmad Ismail should go back to school again to study history about the early arrival of Chinese immigrants.

Don't blame the Chinese for voting out the BN in Pulau Pinang during the March 8 election. We did so because we are fed up by your weak party leadership.

The Permatang Pauh election proved that racial sentiments are no longer relevant in politics. Wake up MCA, Gerakan and SUPP. You have no respect whatsoever from your component parties. Join Pakatan Rakyat for the betterment of all races in Malaysia. The Umno ship is sinking, please don't wait. Jump before it's still afloat.

Kenny Gan: A signature campaign by MCA Youth to demand that action be taken against this racist Umno division leader, who is not even a national leader, shows how powerless the MCA is in their relationship with Umno.

Signature campaigns are for demanding action for important national issues that affect a wide segment of society, not to ask for discipline action against a minor leader who uttered racist, insensitive remarks!

Such an action should be an administrative matter, not the subject of a signature campaign. The way MCA has to go about it demonstrates their pathetic impotence in the face of Umno's dominance.

If MCA national leaders cannot even speak up to demand action but have to hide behind their regional Youth leaders and a signature campaign, is there any reason why the Chinese should support such a timid party?

Upset Malaysian: The Bukit Bendera Umno division head is a super racist who, unfortunately, still exists in the post-March 8 era, despite Barisan Nasional's defeat in the general election and the most recent Permatang Pauh by-election.

Contrary to what this super racist says, the Chinese will continue living on this land. That the Chinese are selfish and unjust is false too, as they contribute 90% (as revealed by a former PM) of the taxes in this country which are shared by all Malaysians.

MCA and Gerakan should not waste time to try to ask for reactions from their masters. Judging from past experience, their masters will just turn a deaf ear to their begging. MCA and Gerakan should instead show their sincerity to fight for the rights of all Malaysians by crossing over to Pakatan Rakyat at this crucial time.

Tim FP: MCA shouldn't dignify Ahmad Ismail's remark by responding. And please do not expect the deputy prime minister to give an honest explanation too. They are all in the same boat and will protect themselves no matter what.

MCA should have done the honourable thing by quitting the BN a long time ago. Believe me, it would definitely unplug the ‘life-support’ system which UMNO has been riding on since Merdeka.