TETRAIGRAT: The punishment meted out to Ahmad Ismail is really a camouflage of the highest order. This man almost threw the country into racial chaos but all the Umno supreme council can do is suspend him a mere three years. This guy will appeal so don’t be surprised if the suspension is reduced to three months.

In addition, the Umno supreme council urged other BN component parties to take stern action against their members who cause discord among coalition parties. Why is it always the others who are bad for Umno? Have they forgotten who sparked off this whole ugly issue in the first place?

Most disappointingly, the supreme council did not even ask Ahmad to apologise to the Chinese community over his inflammatory remarks. Is an apology too much to ask for? Even the tearing of Gerakan acting president Koh Tsu Koon’s picture was not addressed. Are we supposed to forget it happened?

Ahmad also happily reiterated that there was no reason for him to retract his racist remarks. If this is not double-standards, I don’t know what is.

Shouldn't this politician be sacked from the party for the shame and damage he brought to it? Ahmad even had the cheek to comment that the prime minster was brave to suspend him. What does he mean by this? Did he think Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wouldn't take such action?

So many questions remain unanswered in this regrettable incident.

Mustafa Ahmad: It took the Umno supreme council 3 hours to find Ahmad guilty for insulting the Chinese and refusing to forward an apology. But he is unfazed by the decision of his party boss and I bet my last dollar he won’t take his punishment like a gentleman.

Since he has been punished and is currently being investigated for sedition, what about his Penang Umno supporters who stood by and edged him on? Shouldn’t they be punished by the party too and investigated for sedition?

The punishment on Ahmad is merely an act to please BN brethren so that the MCA and Gerakan can show the Chinese community in the country that they are not ‘yes men’ and that they command some respect in the coalition. It is clear that there is no sincerity in the Umno regime to seriously tackle the very real and dangerous issue of racism.

Garry Khoo: Ahmad Ismail should join Pakatan Rakyat since he is so dissatisfied with Umno leaders as well Gerakan. But be warned Ahmad, although you profess to want to better your race and we can understand the sentiment, Pakatan is not a race-based coalition and is committed to the progress of all races in the country.

Kumar14: Ahmad Ismail suspended from Umno for three years? What for? For his racist remarks, unrepentant behaviour or the hooliganism demonstrated by his supporters? Will a three-year suspension ‘cure’ him of his racist beliefs? He has made it very clear that it will not.

What is he going to lose in these three years? Nothing much, I suppose. I believe Umno is not fit enough to decide on what should have been done here. The courts should have decided on the matter. It was not merely a verbal attack on the Chinese but a serious threat to all Malaysians and the peace of the country.

On Renegade leader unfazed by decision

Justice4allraces: Ahmad Ismail’s suspension could be considered fair for those who think a

three-year suspension would make him think twice of his actions. However, I beg to differ. A three-year suspension is actually not enough.

Ahmad should be stripped of his Datukship and also be barred from politics for life. To go with the lifelong ban, he must also publicly apologise to the Chinese community. We do not need men like him.

Moreover, his remarks could have sparked off another possible racial riot. We do not want that to happen all over again, especially in an ethnically diverse country like Malaysia.

People with racial sentiments and intentions to spark racial tensions do not deserve any place in a society like Malaysia. I hope this incident will not repeat itself again in the future.

Steve: After 51 year of independence, this Umno man still has the British ghost taunting him. It clearly show how out of place he is in this century. I wonder if he and Umno will ever change with time.

It is only Umno leaders who are indulging in such racist shenanigans. I have yet to come across a normal, everyday Malay man making such disgusting comments.

With all the racist rants targeted at the Chinese, I would like to remind Ahmad Ismail and those who think like him that Malaysia is my country as much as it is theirs.

I have never stolen anything from my Malay brothers. My grandparents might have been migrants, but they worked hard for this land and rightfully earned an honest living.

I, as a Chinese Malaysian have done my part to help build this country. All I ask in return is a right to live peacefully in my country.

Proud but Concerned Malaysian: Ahmad Ismail has been described a renegade who has refused to apologise for his racial slurs. In the light of this, I must ask MCA and Gerakan, why are you still part of BN? If you claim to represent the people, why are you still in a coalition headed by a party that does not clamp down on racism but almost encourages it? For the sake of the people, leave, join Pakatan Rakyat or become independents. Please do anything but to be part of a racist coalition.

On Anwar's case put off to Sept 24

Raj: I'm surprised, despite Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s promise to keep away the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General from handling Anwar's case, here comes the mighty Gani Patail once again. What he is trying to do now is tantamount to plain interference in a case where he has no business.

If there was any decision to be made by the prosecution team, it had to come from the solicitor-general only. Gani was erroneous numerous times in the past and it's better he does not meddle in this case.

Our PM is indeed going through a rough patch at the moment but I am sure even he will advice Gani not to defy his orders this time around.

Sang Kancil: This case is a typical example of our incompetent AG that the Malaysian government is so proud of. The whole world knows that the AG was barred from directly participating in Anwar's sodomy trial, but that message seems to have evaded him.

Now we know why we lost Pulau Batu Putih at the International Court of Justice recently. We have AG who is displaying an astonishing lack of knowledge. Surprisingly, the AG acted with lightning speed when making a case against the Hindraf 5.

On PKR supremo: I may have to defer Sept 16

Yumcious: I'm sure many people have been holding their breaths for so long, waiting for September 16, that it is beginning to sound like hype.

Now that it is not happening, we have to hold our breaths for another four days, so say some pundits.

In the meantime, this country is going into tailspin. When will the government get down to governing? And the opposition get down to opposing? I agree with some prognosticians saying that these are the growing pains in getting a two-party system.

So, folks, hang on for a rough ride ahead.

On Muhyiddin: I've invited Dr M back to Umno

Tim Finian: The growing spectre of Anwar Ibrahim looming large in the press and electronic-media would be a tad too much for a 84-year-old without any support. So, he did the next best thing and scurried back into the hole he crawled out from.

Apparently, he doesn't want to be caught with his pants down if and when his nemesis takes over. By rejoining, at least he'll have his old friends to depend on when payback time beckons.

And all along I thought he had made a clean getaway when he opted out not too long ago. Looks like his 'lifeboat' didn't get too far before it made a u-turn back to the tilting ship.

Perhaps the 'boys on the bridge' are under the impression that this old 'sea-captain' still has a trick or two to get the embattled frigate back to firing in all pistons.

All in all, a anti-climax that's uncharacteristic of a highly self-opinionated individual but then again, who can blame the sly fox.

T Rozario: Yes, how disappointing that Dr Mahathir has decided to go back to Umno.

I had in fact written to Dr Mahathir through his blog, advising him to join the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress or the MIC.

Dr Mahathir would have created history if he had joined the MIC. He would have been able to contribute so much to the Indian community, and the community desperately needs this.

Now that he has re joined Umno he has deprived the marginalised Indian community of his leadership.

On Najib: Taiwan trip not linked to defection deadline

Lim Leong: I find Najib's statement that the bill for the Taiwan study trip is being footed by the BN Backbencher’s Club simply not credible. Let's look at the expenses in more detail.

Consider the thriftier scenario with a return economy air ticket to Taipei and 10 days of food and accommodation at a 3-star hotel in Taipei. I would be very surprised if it is less then RM5,000 per person. Now, a more realistic scenario for the Datuks and Yang Berhormats is flying business class and staying at a 4 to 5-star hotel. In that scenario, the cost per trip would easily top RM10,000, if not more.

Do you expect the Malaysian people to believe that these politicians would willingly part with between RM5,000 and RM10,000 to go on a 2-week study trip to Taipei? If they are not paying for the trip from their own pockets, who is funding this expensive sojourn to Taiwan?

Did BBC members sell cakes, lollies or sausage sizzles to raise money for the trip? In any case, they would have had to sell a whole lot of cakes to raise enough cash for even a thrifty trip.

The only logical conclusion is that the trip is funded by the government at the expense of tax payers. If this is the case, it is a gross misuse of tax payers’ money which should be thoroughly investigated by the Auditor-General. But then again, the Auditor-General might be on the trip himself. Enough said.

JD Lovrenciear: The man in the street - the humble rakyat , are all puzzled as to why MPs are studying agriculture all of a sudden.

Common sense dictates that to study agriculture, the best bet would have been to send the people in the agricultural ministry for the trip.

An even better choice would have been to pack off several lecturers and farmers to Taiwan to conduct in-depth studies of their acclaimed agricultural success stories.

Now, what good is an MP who has no inkling about agriculture - let alone any experience of planting even a potted plant, being sent off at the rakyat 's expense to seemingly learn all about agriculture?

It is such silly answers being dished out by the government and actions taken by the leadership that further corrodes the people's confidence and trust in the very people and party that they voted into power.

Not only that. The many global media reports are all making a mockery of these latest moves by the government. And it hurts the rakyat who love this nation and care for its image and reputation.

The government must come clean as to why the MPs were packed off to Taiwan at such an odd time. If they fail to do so, they have to take full responsibility for this image-tarnishing and reputation-bashing that the nation continues to suffer on the global platform.

On Racial issues: Army chief tells gov't to act

Dennis Madden: I'm appalled by the words of the Army chief. This surely has to be the lowest point in a series of appalling events which have occurred in Malaysia over the last few months.

To have the army telling the government, or anyone else for that matter, how they should react is a horrifying abuse of the tremendous power held by the army.

Their job is to defend the country from outside invasion and from internal anarchy, and as such, they are under the direction of the King and the PM. They are a tool of the King and the PM to protect the citizens of Malaysia.

Its up to the people of Malaysia to tell the government how to react, and although the army can be forgiven for being frustrated by the lack of response by the present government, that does not give them the right to have any say in the way the country is managed.

The fact that the army's comments seem to have gone unchallenged indicates how little Malaysians know about how a democratic country should be run.