Lucian: Why do we need to be constantly reminded that Anwar is bragging about cross-overs and the impossibilities of this happening in the government-controlled media? As they say, a half full can rattles the loudest so if he is bragging, just let him do so on his own soap box.

Maybe the crowd is too big at this soap box that there must be some credibility to this bragging. Anwar might be bragging, but a reality check on the Sarawak government will reveal many negative issues.

After 50 years, this oil and timber rich state is still stuck with rhetoric policies harping on bringing 'basic' necessities to all Sarawakians. Take Singapore for example, who has none of these resources but is light years ahead in terms of social and economic standing. What have Sarawakians have to show after 50 years? Isn’t it time for change? It can only get better, right?

TETRAIGRAT: I couldn't help thinking back to 2.9.1998 when Anwar Ibrahim was sacked mercilessly from all his government posts and a few days later from the party. It was shocking news for all Malaysians and many who were not ardent followers, took sympathy on him for the way he was incarcerated.

But today, the same man who went through hell is meeting BN MPs for a possible crossover. As much as I think it is unethical and undemocratic, given the present situation and economic woes, this might be the best option we have.

I sincerely think that any nation-minded MPs who really care for the people should crossover. Enough is enough and it’s the dawn of a new era. I am praying hard for a new government by Sept 16.

On Crossover politics not the answer

Kenny Gan: Chandra Muzzafar should be the last person to lecture us on the ethics of defections. He himself defected from PKR to the establishment many years ago.

As for his disdain of crossover politics as unprincipled, there is nothing unprincipled in bringing down a morally bankrupt government which sees fit to bring down a political opponent with trumped up sodomy charges and rush a fundamentally flawed law through Parliament to achieve its nefarious end.

Like Ezam Mohd Noor, Chandra has indulged in vicious personal attacks against Anwar Ibrahim. It is one thing to leave a party because you no longer believe in its ideals, it is morally reprehensible to betray and savage personal friendship for political ends.

The timing of Chandra’s attack just before the 2008 general elections shows that he has become a tool of the establishment.

It is amazing how much one can change. I can only compare Chandra with Rais Yatim whose brilliant ant-ISA thesis became an "intellectual exercise" after he joined the government.

On Anwar promises new and better Budget

BM: The proposal to open up bidding for public projects is an excellent idea and will go a long way to achieving transparency in the awarding of public contracts. But the guarantee of not raising taxes is short sighted.

After all, isn't inequality a major problem and wouldn't making taxes fairer achieve greater income equality? Transforming the New Economic Plan to being based on income rather than ethnicity would go a long way to achieving social harmony in Malaysia.

But it is a worry that the issue of oil subsidies wasn’t mentioned. They need to go completely, they are unsustainable in the long term and sacrifice spending on education, health and social services in order to provide cheap petrol and diesel, which benefit the rich most, adding to inequality. Oil subsidies should go.

On Sworn in, Anwar is Opposition Leader

JY: Congratulations to Anwar Ibrahim on his new post as Opposition leader. I am sure he will be an effective leader, sensitive to the hopes and aspirations of the rakyat.

There have been many grouses lately about the lack of positive action regarding Sept 16. Just wait lah . Give Anwar a chance to deliver on his promises. We see and read a lot of side-shows and previews but I am sure the main show will gradually unfold. Meanwhile, all the best to him. May he successfully sail through all his difficulties.

On Khir fears not Khairy or Mukhriz

Timo FP: God forbid if this man wrests the Umno youth chief post. But then again, perhaps the beleaguered and battered and decaying single-race party deserve the likes of him.

Kicked, punched, wacked, stirred, shaken and beaten to a pulp in the last general elections, Khir appears to be attempting a comeback. His premature boast that he could give Jerlun and Rembau a run for their money speaks volumes of his understanding (or the lack of it) of the current political scenario.

On Penang CM: PGCC 'good as dead'

Peter Ooi: The people in Penang would be overjoyed with this piece of good news.

Although I am not living on the island, I fully understand how the islanders feel over such massive development.

Traffic jam is chronic on the island. The air is highly polluted from perpetual emission of smoke from ever increasing number of vehicles. In short, the quality of life over there is fast deteriorating.

Now that the PGCC plan is rejected, it is the wish and prayer of the majority that the honourable chief minister declares it a recreational zone for the benefit of the people. It that can’t be done, please retain the status quo with Penang Turf Club occupying the land.

On Merdeka: Dr M mourns lack of joy

Timo Finian: Yes Dr M, you are right by saying the people are not happy. They are not happy with the current state of affairs which you contributed to in a major way.

The current crop at the top are merely following in your footsteps. Police state you say? Didn’t you start the trend? The 'sodomy-number' you pulled on us ten years ago, has made one full circle.

My dear Dr M, it’s easy to hole-up in the cosy little nest of yours and ‘fire-off’ at will at all and sundry but it would also be wise to look yourself in the mirror once in a while and own up to the current state of affairs instead of pleading ignorance at every corner.

What the country is today is a result of what happened yesterday. Your twenty-two years at the helm was all about style without substance which typified your mindset which you and your cronies practiced without an iota of shame. Can you blame the current administration of faithfully following in your footsteps?

You often say that our current PM is slowly but surely destroying Umno but you fail to realise that you lit the fuse a long time ago. The current bunch at the top has only inherited that self-destructive streak you planted eons ago.

However, my dear Dr M, what I will give you credit for is your timely-decision to bail-out before the mighty-ship sank. Now, that's what I'd call a 'masterstroke-decision'.

On BN must learn from by-election defeat

Tim Finian: We can tell the Barisan Nasional to change their ways but unfortunately, the rot has set in too deep. The spirit may be willing but the body is dead-meat. No amount of amputation can save this patient except be put to pasture and await the Grim Reaper.

To the novices in the BN, there's still hope. To the old-guard, sorry, its curtain-call.

23PSI: Frankly, I'm hoping that BN doesn't learn its lesson from March 8 and Permatang Pauh. I'd only be too happy to see Pakatan Rakyat come to power on Sept 16 or later. That to me is conclusive proof of the birth of a 2-party system in this country.

But the reality is that BN-Umno has a learning disability. When BN won in 2004, they squandered the opportunity to make good their promises. In 2008, they had the cheek to ask for more time.

Despite the turn in public opinion, they persist in dishing out bigotry and racial chauvinism as seen in Permatang Pauh, knowing full well that it isn't a closed door general assembly and that the whole country and possibly the entire world would be watching.

It appears that they will only stop after they have offended every single right-thinking Malaysian with their totally abhorrent, outdated and racially divisive politics. One would have thought that after 51 years of Independence, we would have gotten all of this out of the way. But apparently not.

On Navy overspent RM114 mil on jetty HQ

Ibrahim Musa K: Since when did the Malaysian government have a proper plan for any project, especially those involving billions?

The report says that the RM114 million overspent in the navy jetty project in Sabah was due to poor planning and mismanagement. We wonder if this is only a convenient excuse or just the tip of the iceberg.

We have been hit by revelation after revelation. It is safe to say that Malaysians have had enough. For how long do we have to remain the laughing stock of the world?

On Merdeka in year 2057

Ken: Dr Lim Teck Ghee's vision of Merdeka in the year 2057 fails to mention that there will be abject poverty all around except for an elite class of super-rich if the present coalition continues to hold onto power.

Come to think of it, we'll probably be in the same predicament as Zimbabwe by 2020 if the country continues on its present course.

Heaven help us because another four years to change course is just too long.

Tim Finian: The writer writes well but is way off the mark. The described scenario would make a good movie but would not happen in Malaysia. The first wave is drawing to a close and will finally end when the first six PMs have served their terms.

To put it simply, the future looks bright if every rational-thinking Malaysian could exercise a fair degree of optimism.