'Has the transport minister taken a bus lately? Is he and the entire ministry still sleeping at the wheel?'

On Public transportation - time for urgent steps

Pat Lu: Has Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat and the all the officials in charge taken a bus lately? Is he and the entire Transport Ministry still sleeping at the wheel?

Where is the blueprint to address the basic transportation needs of the middle-lower income people affected by the petrol price hike?

Peak Oiler: I think the government may have been wrongly blamed for the poor state of public transportation system in the Klang Valley.

Many suburbs around Kuala Lumpur, such as Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Puchong, Cheras and Kepong, were simply not designed to be served by trains or buses, due to their low-density nature.

The number of passengers that are serviceable in these suburbs per kilometre, is just too low to be commercially viable.

Hong Kong and Singapore are often cited as having very good public transportation systems.

That is because their suburbs consist mostly of high-density housing estates. Even their low-density suburbs, populated by the rich, are not as well served by buses as compared to their higher density ones.

There are medium-density housing suburbs near KL that are well-served by public transportation.

A very good example is Wangsa Maju, which consists mainly of walk-up flats and tall condominium towers. Ask the residents there for their opinion on the state of the public transportation in that area.

So if you are living in a low-density suburb which consists mostly of rows and rows of single or double-storied link houses, do not blame the government for the poor bus, train or even taxi services in your area.

You only have yourself to blame because you chose to live in a car- dependent suburb, or if you chose to live too far away from your workplace.

The government should be blamed instead for enacting the Control of Rent Act, and its subsequent late repeal and for turning Kuala Lumpur into a dead city at night.

On Syed Hamid: Fuel price won't go down

Kaisim: A big group of Malaysians are so used to subsidies from the government. Many of them are not happy with the government today because they have to tighten their belts in order to make ends meet when the subsidies have been taken away or reduced.

Those who live by this culture are living on a fantasy island. No government can support its people forever even it has goldmines in its backyard. We must learn to be self-reliant.

For half a century, the government has been ditching out funds to help the population and yet some still cannot help themselves. Why?

The answer is the greedy and selfish attitude of the people. The opportunists have grabbed chances to be come rich and powerful. They become ‘little Napoleons’ in society and are thorns in the government’s flesh.

Smuggling is rampant. Enforcement is non-existent accept for the ‘little fish’. We have wasted a lot of food and discarded many things as we think that such things are easily available and cheap in our country.

The neighbouring countries enjoyed our complacency and bought sudsidised food and fuel by the carload. Perhaps they have been laughing at our stupid generosity all this while. Now, we start to shout and demonstrate on the streets.

But the people are reasonable. Tell them and educate them on the rights and the wrongs and what the government can do and what it cannot do.

On Inflation to surge 'substantially': Shahrir

Chong: I learned that yesterday at the Menara UOA food court in KL, the price of a hotplate chicken noodles went up by RM1 to RM6.80. That's a 17% increase.

Let's all continue to report price increases in the city so that we can get a more realistic picture rather than a nationwide figure that includes the remote and less populated areas.

On Sultan clashes with PAS over entertainers

Sastera1 Proarte: In the Internet era and the generational changes in ideas of what is sexually provocative or 'unhealthy', PAS Youth’s position over the concert is baffling. PAS must learn to be honest and realistic.

The print and electronic media is replete with images of scantily-clad women. Programmes by RTM and TV3 frequently show popular Malay pop stars who de rigeur do not subscribe to PAS’ dress code.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that all Malaysian teenagers have easy access to pornography. It forms a regular sexual outlet for those who are not sexually active..

PAS is being hypocritical, knowing full well that those attending the scheduled concert would in all probability have seen women regularly in scenarios which are significantly more sexually provocative.

Given this reality, PAS Youth call for the ban a cheap publicity exercise. The sultan deserves our praise for holding firm. Daulat Tuanku.

Om Prakash: Such outbursts from royalty is unexpected. If there is anything wrong, it should follow certain protocol but it seems that even the royalty is resorting to direct or indirect public outbursts. If this continues, it will work both ways.

It also bewildering how His Royal Highness could brush off the protest by PAS Youth against females entertaining on stage if it is against their religion.

The progress of our society need not necessarily be judged by Western standards although we adopt many of the modern Western developments in various fields.

Being multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious is no excuse to overly liberalise our own values.

Although we cannot imagine whole of Malaysia being like Kelantan it nevertheless brings in to the question why Kelantan is backward.

Firstly, Kelantan is being politically punished because of PAS political ideology. Although Kelantan cannot be compared to states like Selangor, it has made remarkable achievements in terms of social and human values.

The majority of the people in Kelantan are resilient, hardworking and are not after political handouts like those in other states.

Zul Tajuddin: HRH may be duty-bound to express his view on PAS Youth’s objection to the concert, but to link his statement to his position as head of Islam, is to say the least, a disservice to him and his religion.

Statements of concern pertaining to PAS Youth’s suggestion for the Pakatan Rakyat-governed states to implement the 'Islamic Administrative System' (IAS) have been raised by others. A question needs to be asked - what, indeed, is meant by IAS?

Could it be a system that is absolutely against any form of corruption? May be it is a system that promotes fair and balanced governance to one and all? Or a system that requires lawmakers to think 'rakyat first, personal interest last'?

Maybe some have got their understanding of IAS wrong. I wouldn't blame them. Even those who profess to be Muslim get the jitters when one mentions IAS.

This because for so many years in this great country of ours, IAS has been badmouthed by political leaders who themselves wear the badge of Islam.

And why so, one asks? Could it be that if IAS is in place all those methods that they have used to enrich themselves and their my families would have been very illegal and would have resulted in very serious consequences for them?

Adha: It is strange that PAS Youth is being bombarded with accusations. But in Islam, the people should be advised if something done is wrong or right. It is the duty of all Muslims to advise other fellow Muslims on Islam (obligatory, that is).

The sultan fails to digest the issue being brought up by PAS Youth. And what is more shocking is that the advisors to the sultan are not making any stand on this issue.

Furthermore, is it not a democratic practice to let the people voice out on their grievances, in this case PAS Youth?

After all, they only sent a memo to the MB's office and maybe would have held a demo. What is so wrong about this? The rakyat 's voice needs to be heard.

As Muslims, we ought to remind those who are not reminded of good and bad things. So, it will be wise for the people to listen. Let’s give space for democracy.