1. From politicians:

Keng Yaik: It's all money, money, money, money, money

Wednesday, 03 September 2008 17:08

Posted by St Low

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 — If it was put to a vote today, Gerakan members would choose to leave Barisan Nasional. That damning verdict was given by Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik, the party's former president and most influential voice.

But he added that this major decision will not be made until the issue has been debated exhaustively, and certainly not while emotions are still raw in the party which was decimated in Election 2008.

Still, the Umno and BN leadership should be prepared for the exit of Gerakan, judging by his pungent and pessimistic reading of the political situation.

In a wide-ranging interview with Off the Edge, the politician, who has made a living out of shooting from the hip, paints a grim picture of Umno, a party incapable of change and reform.

Worse yet, he did not think the party's current or next generation of leaders are enlightened. During the interview, he sketched the underlying reasons for Gerakan's and Barisan Nasional's dismal performance in Election 2008.

"We had the worst kind of Umno arrogance as a result of the 2004 elections. The abuse of power, corruption, negotiated tenders with government tenders going mainly to Umno-associated companies. All this is not decided by the Cabinet but by the Ministry of Finance. You think people don't know. Prices are jacked up and there is no check on the implementation of these projects.

2. From bus operators:

Govt offers 2,000 permits and subsidised diesel to avert balik kampung travel crisis

By TEH ENG HOCK ( Star online )

PETALING JAYA: It is still uncertain whether all of the 2,000 temporary bus permits will be taken up despite the Government’s latest diesel subsidy offer to bus operators.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali said he could not comment on whether school, factory and charter bus operators would lease out their buses, even with the subsidised diesel allocation.

3. Whose next?