On My 'biggest mistake' was to sponsor Khairy's MyTeam

SOS: Here we go again. Another ‘wannabe’ politician trying to pull wool over Malaysians’ eyes. Tony, shall I tell you your biggest mistake? Well, you committed it last year, during the campaign period for the 12 ^th General Elections.

You claim to be a genuine businessman who works hard and yet you saw it fit to fawn over politicians like Shahrizat Jalil. Yes, Tony. We all saw you in her ceramah and operations centre in Bangsar. Singing the praises of Barisan Nasional loud and clear. So, it would be safe to say that your biggest mistake to date was supporting Barisan Nasional.

You have also been spotted by many trailing in the wake of our prime-minister-to-be, Najib Abdul Razak. Is that why you are now doing your level best to distance yourself from anyone connected to our current prime minister? To enamour yourself with the new premier?

You are an intelligent man, Tony. Why do I say so? Well, only a clever man will know how to tweak his political connections in such a way as to become a successful businessman. Nothing wrong with that. So, why are you now ashamed of your connections? And making a whipping boy out of Khairy, is that really necessary? Hasn’t the man been whipped enough?

What I am trying to say is this: Do what you have to do to succeed. Nobody said the road the success and wealth has to be a straight and narrow one. Be proud of your connections. You certainly were when you thought BN was invincible. Why the sudden change of heart? Don’t tell me you too are abandoning the sinking BN ship?

Anand K: I would like to question Mr Fernandes on why, if he is not a crony of some sort, did he, as a corporate figure, speak at rallies in support of Barisan Nasional in the Lembah Pantai parliamentary constituency during the heated campaigning for the March 8 General Election?

You had no reason to be there. You are not a member of Umno, MCA or MIC. So what business did you have coming out so blatantly to speak for the BN candidate Shahrizat Abdul Jalil unless you owed certain people some favours.

The rakyat are your customers, not first-class travelling, money-grabbing politicians. You should understand how the rakyat feel and should serve no master, if your business skills and practices are all above board and can withstand any scrutiny.

Not convinced: Yes Tony, we all believe you. You are not a crony. Why don't you tell us another bedtime story, like Umno wants to see equality among all Malaysians? See how funny your statements are?

Tony, in the past, there was no Internet and so blogs did not exist. So Umno only allowed Malaysians to read what they wanted us to read. Now, we can read what we want instead of the lies that are constantly spread unscrupulous politicians and their cronies.

You should stop making a fool of yourself and refrain from spreading lies on behalf of your masters. You are a slave to those in power and the day you admit it is the day you will be able to sleep easily.

"Taking guys from rubber estates to play in London" indeed. What humour you are capable of! You and I both know the place this government wants to take Indians.

Mooshie Mooshie: Oh, come on Tony, you were there at a campaign function during the Permatang Pauh by-election with Najib, is this true or false? And here you are saying you do not want to sound like a politician.

You said Pahamin Rejab was also a director of AirAsia. Seriously, as an ex-government servant, where did he get the money to buy into your company? Assuming he owned just 5 percent in shares, wouldn’t that still amount to a big sum of money?

On Syed Hamid: Don't see criminals as heroes, cops as demons

Chan: I would have saluted you if you had extended your condolences to Kugan’s family and had gotten the right facts first before speaking to the press.

Believe it or not, Malaysians expect their politicians to be good-natured, well-behaved and compassionate. But when they come out with such insensitive and barbaric statements, we cannot help but ask where we went wrong in electing such leaders.

Syed Hamid, as a lawyer you should know that someone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Wasn’t this very basic and fundamental principle taught to you in law school? Who are you to call someone a criminal?

If you can call Kugan a criminal, what about the 11 police officers who are alleged to have killed him? I don’t see you calling them any names.

Xroy: Dear Mr Home Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, no one has demonised the police force in their handling of criminals.

But it is not the first time that people in police custody have died or been found dead.

No one is to be termed a criminal unless he is first charged of a criminal offense and then found guilty of that charge. In all cases of these so called criminals found dead in police custody, there were not charged and they died whilst in detention.

No one is making the police look bad, it is they and the likes of you who are doing it. Come out and tell us what happened, maybe even set up a Royal Commission, use the members of the opposition to sit on the commission and if they find everything is clean, which I honestly hope they will, then we can all feel safe. If they have nothing to hide, this will be the best option.

You are the Home Minister, you have read the law, and yet you have not found it fit to find out why a medical report could find "water in the lungs" when it is so obvious that the victim was brutally assaulted by a person or persons whilst in police custody.

Being a lawyer I do not think I have to tell you that a person is innocent until found guilty, in Kugan's and many other cases that have happened before this, the suspects have died while in police custody. So please stop telling us not to demonise the police, we have no intention to.

Kimren: The way our Home Minister functions it appears that he wants Malaysia, Umno and BN to be ridiculed and look foolish in the eyes of foreign nations, our local Malaysians and also by the minorities in Malaysia.

By refuting the death and sale of foreign migrants and refugees, both of which has been highlighted for years by Malaysian NGOs, it only makes right minded people wonder why Malaysia has such an incompetent Home Minister.

Are we so bankrupt that we are unable to appoint persons who are talented, able to think on their feet and are an asset to our country in the management of their responsibilities? Instead we have ministers who are driving away BN supporters.

He cannot be that devoid of grey matter that he (Home Minister) has to function as such. Or is he?

Netizen: Once again Syed Hamid has opened his mouth without thinking, in calling for the people not to see criminals as heroes. Although he was careful not to name names, we all know to whom he was referring to.

Let's not even talk about whether these people are heroes or not. The fact that they have been called criminals is what bothers me. Does he even remember that in a court of law, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty?

Many of those who died in police custody had no chance at a trial and therefore calling them criminals is unfair and even defamatory. How do the family members of these men who died in custody feel, having their sons labeled criminals when it was never proven so?

How would Syed Hamid feel if a family member of his was to die in custody and then be labeled publically on TV and in other major mass media as a criminal? It's like pouring salt into a deep wound!

It is amazing that a Home Minister who is supposed to know the law inside and out can say such idiotic and callous things. How can it be that we have returned a person like this to office? Let's not make the mistake again in the next election!

EO: Syed Hamid and others in BN may want to take stock of the fact that the 'I know best mentality' and 'telling people what to do, what to think and how to think like them' does not do them any favours in endearing themselves to the public, or more importantly, gaining their respect.

One cue would be how education has changed with the times, and more enlightened educationists have moved from the days of being 'Sages on the Stage' to 'Guides on the Side'.

Look around, and if indeed there is constructive advice to be given, or truly praise-worthy leadership to be shown - consult those who are more 'in-tune' on how to communicate more effectively, and less condescendingly.