‘I doubt Nik Aziz is seriously proposing hudud implementation but that this is more of an attempt to gauge Umno's sincerity in pursuing these talks.'

On Nik Aziz wants hudud, MCA flabbergasted

Wan Mohd Aimran, Wan Mohd Kamil: I find it interesting that MCA only saw it fit to speak up over the Umno-PAS talks when Nik Aziz brought up the issue of hudud , and not immediately after the Pak Lah announced that he had been in communication with several PAS leaders for the past few weeks.

Why is it that only now, when the word hudud has finally surfaced, that MCA feels compelled to comment on the Umno-PAS talks, especially about how it will affect the other component parties in the BN?

I also find it difficult to believe that MCA could not have foreseen the issue of hudud being the eventual outcome of the Umno-PAS talks.

If they did, then they should have raised their concerns over the Umno-PAS talks as soon as it was announced by the Umno president, and not several weeks after to a statement made by a PAS leader.

Ultimately, the delay and hesitation on MCA's part to speak up earlier only strengthens the notion that it is subservient to Umno, powerless in making an effective stand against the dictations of Umno and unable to serve the interests of the community it claims to represent, which were some of the reasons it suffered such heavy defeats during the recent general elections.

On Nik Aziz's part, I doubt that he is seriously proposing the implementation of hudud , but that this is more of an attempt to gauge Umno's sincerity in pursuing these talks under the so-called banner of Malay unity and integrity of Islam.

Although it could be intended simply to be a political maneuver by Nik Aziz, it has the risk of being perceived as an Islamist agenda by others, which could alienate PAS to sizeable segments of the society.

It's a delicate balancing act for PAS.

CH Siew:

I had earlier written a critical comment on PAS's intention with Umno and their action is indeed disappointing. It was a stupid act indeed to open a dialog with your opponent with the hope that they will give you some sweets in return.

Umno, using this trump card, went out to disrupt the union between PAS, DAP and PKR. They really played this card to the extreme, making it sound like it is going to happen almost immediately.

Pak Nik was very forward looking as the event was revealed bit by bit and Umno was so enthusiastic about the union between them and PAS.

He proposed the formation of a new party by letting both PAS and Umno be disbanded.

Pak Nik is indeed a person willing to sacrifice for a bigger cause. The union will definitely benefit the Malays in Malaysia with a bigger party and more say, and there is definitely opportunity to realise PAS's dream of an Islamic country.

Unfortunately, the leaders of Umno feel that things were moving too fast and they should take it slowly.

But Pak Nik is such a man of action, he cannot allow such an opportunity to slip by his fingers.

He had already planned the next step, for hudud to be the platform for the union. He is already looking so much into the future, while the leaders of Umno are still making baby steps.

But I note that he is too forward looking, and his concept is not even an acceptable move by other partners of Umno, such as the MCA. MCA simply cannot let Umno to be more Islamic.

So Pak Nik, is your suggestion of a new party for real or just a test of Umno's sincerity? How is it that you never suggested hudud when you decided to work with DAP and PKR?

Is it because there is more evil in Umno? It is indeed a very good move. I respect you, Pak Nik.

Clarity:

May I humbly suggest to the respected Nik Aziz that hudud laws should only be applied to all members of parliament first because we already have the police and common law courts to mete out justice to us the public.

Secondly, the origin of corruption is always at the political source. We will see a lot more one-armed and one-legged politicians going to parliament.

On Zaid: Both sides want me to resign

Snap Election: When Zaid said ‘he has faith' in Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi - the man who appointed him minister after the electoral setback of the March general election to bringing much-needed reforms in Malaysia, I regarded this as the 'no confidence vote' in Pak Lah.

The best is to have a snap general election to seek a fresh mandate, Pak Lah.

On Stop launch! Gerakan leader vs Gerakan book

Cheah Kah Seng:

Wow, this Cheah Loong Thye politician-wanna-be really can't take the heat at all. Get out of the kitchen then.

This only confirms he is not fit to become our state assembly person. I'm now more glad I did not vote for him.

I also resent his attempt to block a book that may help me to understand Gerakan more, and perhaps discipline Gerakan into becoming a better opposition party so that I may give Gerakan a chance in the future with my vote.

PO:

This is laughable. For a politician, Chia Loong Thye has an extremely thin skin and an exaggerated sense of (slighted) honour.

He should have walked out of that disgraceful pretense of a party that he contiues to defend.

It's puzzling to suggest that damage has been done to his integrity more than the self-damage that he has inflicted upon his own credibility given his silence in the face of BN abuse.

On ' We were better off colonised'

Michelle Lowe: In my opinion, we would be doing much better living in the caves and on trees. Living on hunted animals, bananas would be a better description of ourselves as cavemen and monkeys.

Going back to the Ice Age would also ‘cold storage' (and effectively stop) people's minds from cooking up pots of stories, fantasies, lies, fabrications and whatever else you have.

Yes God, bring us back to the Ice Age. Amen

On Shame about Uncle Sham

Amy Delph: I disagree with the viewpoint portrayed because I think it misses the main point of what a vibrant democracy can do. There is no such thing as a perfect country with a perfectly functioning government.

What government could possible say it is completely free of injustice and hypocrisy? All nations have or do carry these shameful labels.

What is notable about the US is that it has mechanisms built into its democracy that allows for errors to be corrected and allows for its citizens to take steps to correct their own leaders.

Greatest among those mechanisms is a strong system of checks and balances and a comprehensive Bill of Rights.

I think that if the writer of the article took enough time to look, he would see that many people who make up the American democracy have always worked toward correcting the wrongs that exist and they will continue to do so with future inconsistencies and abuses.

A clear example is the civil rights movement which successfully used the political system and the rights and provisions enshrined in the American constitution to push for equality.

I don't believe the US is a sham any more than I believe there is country out there which hasn't committed some form of abuse.

The kind of cynicism portrayed in the article belittles the work for progress and change that thousands of American activists of all creeds, background and colours have succeed in bringing about.

I personally would rather have a world power like the US where it is possible for people to change it from within, than to have a world power whose government has eliminated all forms of accountability and dissent and which can only be changed by some form of violence either within or without.

That, I believe, is the difference between the US and Myanmar, Zimbabwe and other such states.

On Malaysiakini, stop being Umno's tool!

Barbara: In my opinion Malaysiakini is doing a very good job. If Malaysiakini publishes reports that are only biased to Pakatan Rakyat, then how are they different from the mainstream media?

Malaysiakini

is fair and reports things as they are. Nothing more, nothing less.

Puchonguy:

I understand the writer's frustration with current developments. As a person who wants to see Malaysia mature into a proper democracy, I, too, am dismayed at the antics of certain PAS and DAP leaders.

However, I think it is very important for Malaysiakini and other independent news sources to report both the misdeeds of BN and PR. Malaysiakini is not a party newspaper.

It should report the truth, regardless of whether the truth is good or bad for PR.

When PR forms the federal government (which I'm fervently praying for), we will still need checks and balances - as per the often quoted saying by Lord Acton, ‘Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'

We will need good people in BN as the opposition and we will need fearless independent news reporting so that PR will not become like BN is now.