On Minister: Journalist to be blamed too

Regenesis: The cowardly acts of the government, especially the home minister, in arresting and detaining innocent and brave Malaysians like Raja Petra and Teresa Kok, have once again shown the world the diseased democracy practised by the Umno government.

I fear that the government is using harsh methods to seek a violent reaction from the sickened citizens of Malaysia. This would then ensure that more draconian methods can be justified to hold the entire Malaysian population hostage to the fear and terror being spread. Such dirty tactics are bound to fail and it will be better if Umno leaders realise it now before the surge in rage begins.

The comments from the army chief last week were unnecessary as he was attempting to make a foray of sorts into the realm of politics which he should stay out of. Such comments will not frighten away the public who are prepared to sacrifice for freedom.

The tide of change has begun and no Umno threats can or will change its flow for democratic reforms in Malaysia. It is time for the opposition parties and their leaders to be more bold in seeking reforms and changes from this government, even if it means challenging the laws and law enforcers.

Didn’t George Orwell say, "In times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.'’

Kevin Ho: I would like to thank Syed Hamid Albar for releasing Sin Chew Daily journalist, Tan Hoon Cheng, from detention-without-trial.

Syed Hamid nabbed the journalist for allegedly "sowing racial hatred".

In truth, she merely did her job as a professional, reporting the fact that a member of Syed Hamid’s Umno party insulted Malaysian Chinese by calling them "squatters".

The said man has been kicked out of the party for three years, but he ought to have been detained by Syed Hamid instead of the innocent journalist, one of the finest in the land, and an award-winner.

I pray that Syed Hamid will not detain journalists for doing their job and only act against people who truly incite racial hatred in the country.

Syed Hamid’s family is itself the victim of racism by an irresponsible politician many years ago.

When Singapore was still part of Malaysia, the then Singapore Chief Minister (later Singapore’s first prime minister) Lee Kuan Yew insulted the good minister’s late father Syed Jaafar Albar, the ex-Singapore Umno chief, by calling him and all people classified as Malay by the Malaysian constitution "Indonesian squatters", a lie long debunked as a myth.

What the suspended Umno man did was no different from what Lee did back then.

None of the Malaysian journalists who reported what Lee said was jailed by the then Home Minister Abdul Razak Hussein, the father of deputy prime minister and prime minister-in-waiting Najib Razak.

Syed Hamid should emulate the wisdom of Abdul Razak in allowing journalists to report the truth without obstructing them.

CITIZEN: The statements from our home minister suggest that people are confused over the articles about faith posted by RPK. In my opinion, his articles on faith always highlight righteousness and holiness. How can this be confusing to anyone? What is confusing me is why the home minister finds RPK’s articles confusing.

The only people who speak of race and racism are Umno politicians. Shouldn't these people be arrested under ISA for the sake of the nation? Why arrest Teresa Kok and the journalist?

When is the prime minister going to speak the truth and come clean with the rakyat ? You are a good man, sir, please stand firm and get rid of evil and all the injustice in this land.

Kenny: Although Sin Chew Daily reporter, Tan Hoon Cheng, was released from ISA after being held for 24 hours, I think serious damage has been done, no matter how you look at it and how the government tries to explain or provide excuses.

To make things worse, the home minister said Tan was arrested to protect her safety. Such a lame excuse coming from a person who holds such an important portfolio in the government. When a person's security is under threat, you protect, not arrest them. It is clear the government had no valid reason to arrest Tan.

Saying the Angelus: Whatever little remained in terms of the credibility of the government to continue to administer the country has been lost through the arrests of the Sin Chew Daily reporter, RPK and Teresa Kok. Syed Hamid is a painful excuse for a human being and his contempt for civil liberties is plain for all to see.

The continued insult of the Malaysian public is evident through the excuse put forth that the ISA arrest of the reporter was for the reason of her own personal safety. To further compare the "punishment" rendered on the perpetrator of the racist slur with the ISA arrests is a pitiful response of a beleaguered government.

The only real intercession which can correct the situation which the country is facing today is via the rakyat who have to thwart the continued abuse of power by the government through a series of acts of passive resistance. The Gandhian moment has arrived for the people to seize the initiative of governing back so that any government installed would be a government for the people.

Gemini UK: ISA. You mean the ‘Idiotic Senseless Act’ of arresting a journalist who had the guts to write the truth. The government should be ashamed to revert to this absurd so-called security act each time it is unable to face up to reality.

If BN is the democratic and just voice of the nation it alleges to be, it must stop and reconsider the consequences pronto. BN has had its head buried in the sand for the past half a century but the world and the rakyat have moved on. So, it’s time the government got a grip.

The calm of a nation almost subservient to the BN is stirring a wind of change and the forecast of a tsunami is starring it right in its face.

JD Lovrenciear: The country is tense. The rakyat are deeply apprehensive. Investors are speculating incessantly.

Meanwhile the PM's assurances are like water on a duck's back as trust and hope are at their lowest ebbs, with fear and anger mounting to worrisome levels.

The nation is in peril.

The government seems to be mounting bigger boulders in its path of governance with every turn of events blowing up more dust and heat in the country. Do we need to endure such tribulations at a time when there are far too many challenges from outside our shores which are capable of leaving searing scars on our economy?

Do we have to go down this dangerous alley of man-against-man after fifty-one years of independence and living together?

Are ISA detentions the only solution to making political progress?

It betrays all common sense. It is not only confusing but almost unthinkable that such are the developments of the day, marring our vision of hope.

Even within BN the ruling government, there is so much strife. Countries far and near have come to be familiar with the instability within our government owing to the corruption, power struggle and a myriad of blotches.

How then can the government make any progress with all these racial and religious wars being drummed up in a way that all common sense is being dumped in the ditch?

It is not a frantic thought then to conclude that Malaysia is in peril.

Do we then wait and watch as by-standers as Goliath bashes the nation against the wall of no-return?

Do we just wall ourselves within our domes of prayers and implore divine intervention?

Or are those planning to march the streets any solution?

Whichever way we cast our apprehension, the picture looks gloomy indeed. Unless of course, the wisdom of our neutral monarchy prevails in good haste.