Transmenu powered by JoomlArt.com - Mambo Joomla Professional Templates Club

This may very well be the defining moment in our nation's history.

Almost 6 months has passed since the 2008 General Elections and the ruling coalition has done absolutely nothing positive to regain our trust and confidence.

Anwar promises to be the solution to a "nation with no captain" and to "a ship dead in the water".

Although I was initially against the idea of MPs jumping ship to form a new government, but based on BN's performance over the last 6 months, I feel we may have no choice.

Anwar is right when he says that Malaysia cannot wait anorther 4 years for a new government. By then damage to our country may be irreversible.

The government has done nothing in the last 6 months to restore the public's confidence in the judiciary and most of us are very dissapointed that the de facto Law Minister has been all talk but no action. To be fair to him I doubt the present government has the political will to carry out any meaningful reform.

20 years since the 1988 judicial crisis and we still haven't undone the damage to our judiciary. I am afraid our already fragile judiciary may not be able to take the onslaught of a 2nd "win at all cost" Anwar trial.

Anwar on the other hand promises the much needed reform. Being a victim of all that is wrong with our present system, I am sure he will keep his word.

Malaysia needs Anwar in Putrajaya sooner than later.

So voters of Permatang Pauh, we thank you for your courage.

May we soon see a better Malaysia.

Dominic Pillai a/l R.K. Pillai

My dear Dominic

The results of Permatang Pauh, viewed whichever way, show very clearly that the rakyat, as a while, have voted for "the hope of change" in place of "more of the same."

The constituency comprises 58,449 registered voters. Malays comprise 69.40%, Chinese 24.50% and Indians 5.70%.

The victory of Permatang Pauh was never easy. The power play at the top intensified and crystallised. Ultimately, I would say that sanity prevailed when the moderate group opted for moderate methods. The dynamics at the top may no longer be the same.

That our problems since Merdeka in 1957 has been economic has always been a given. That the interpretation of the problem as racial and religious has been rejected.

That the political approach has been racial and religious has also been rejected.

That from 1987, Malaysian society has morphed into the conservative model of a two-tier society of a thin layer of the fabulously rich and a thick layer of the middle class has also been rejected.

Whether it will return to the 1960s liberal position of laissez faire (let it be) is the question. If it does, the public sector must shrink while the private sector must be allowed to grow and play its role.

It is not an accident that corrupt practices has grown almost commensurately with the bloating public sector.

Is this what the voters of Permatang Pauh have rejected?

Now, let us remain vigilant and see whether Permatang Pauh will be allowed to bear the fruits it promised.

Stephen Tan Ban Cheng

P.S. I find the election commission secretary's announcement of a 65.25 voter turnout ludicrous, if not inane, when the exit poll data of both Umno and PKR have shown it to be 81 per cent.

Add the votes of Anwar (31,195), Arif (15,524) and Hanafi (92) as well as the Spoilt votes (599) and we get 47,410 ballots cast out of the total registered of 58,459. Now divide 47,410 by 58,459 and you get the 81.0995 per cent voter turnout.

How the election commission secretary got 65.25 per cent voter turnout is puzzling.

Stephen Tan Ban Cheng

The by-election results clearly show that the people reject BN and its corrupt practices.
The Permatang Pauh people have led the way. Hopefully, this is the beginning of greater reforms in the country - reforms for a better Malaysia.

Ding Chu Teck

People of Permatang Pauh became bored with the dirty campaign played by BN. BN decision to bring Saiful sodomy issue had caused them defeat because people will not easily accept and belive the "Sodomy The Sequence" episode. In fact majority of voters in Permatang Pauh believe that it was a political set-up to prejudice Anwar's ambition. Therefore they became sympathize with Anwar and apparently their votes swung to Anwar.

Mohd Izhan Bin Razali