Voters speak in Malaysia

People in Malaysia are preparing to vote in a general election on Saturday 8 March. Here Malaysians discuss the issues that will decide their vote.

"Personally I don't want to see new kids on the block" Cherrie Goh, Penang "I would like to see the government suffer a trouncing" Christopher Savaraimuthu, Petaling Jaya "There is no free press here and I feel passionately about this" Yem Mohammad, Kuala Lumpur

"Our current government has a vision and a mission" Ami Rozaidi, Kuala Lumpur "Angry protests by certain ethnic groups really hurt the feelings of us Malays" Ramlah Sulaiman, Johor Baru "As a vegetable seller I worry about rural development" Mohammed Yusuf Muslim, Dengkil

CHERRIE GOH, 40, PENANG, PROCUREMENT MANAGER

" I want the government to continue the work it has begun.

The government needs to build on its achievements.

If there are major changes, a lot of things we have been working for will be dropped. I don't think we need a change right now.

I live in Penang and we have been talking about building a monorail and light rail transport for years. I want the new government to continue with this agenda and make it a reality.

Personally I don't want to see new kids on the block.

I work in a factory in an industrial area and the major concern I have is that foreign investment into Malaysia is not doing so great. I want the government to attract more of this. In Penang we are trying to get into the biotechnology market - but the government isn't proactive enough in helping this along.

Perhaps a new government will do better but I want those in power - who know what we want - to stay.

The ethnic tensions you hear about in the news don't have much of an impact over here. Life in Penang is different. We are too small and don't have the same atmosphere as Kuala Lumpur.

We have our own concerns. "

CHRISTOPHER SAVARAIMUTHU, ELECTRICAL TECHNICIAN, 47, PETALING JAYA

" I would like to see the government suffer a right and proper trouncing.

As has been the case for decades now, there is no protection against the trampling of the fundamental rights of minorities in this country.

I was born in this country. I am Malaysian but all of us ethnic Indians feel like second class citizens because of the dominant Malays.

I would compare the Indians here to dogs at the receiving end of scraps at a table full of Chinese big businessmen and Malays. When we ask for a bigger slice of the economic pie, we are told to appreciate the fact that we are even here at all.

As an Indian, I would even find it difficult to secure a personal loan. It is much more difficult for ethnic Indians to get help unless they are well connected.

So I support the Hindraf [the Hindu activist group] cause although I think their approach of public demonstrations is unbecoming because these can cause violence.

The present political atmosphere is one of a growing sense of despair among the people I know.

Ever since I was eligible, I have cast my vote for the opposition. I hope that other Malaysians will do likewise. I believe this time around, this election, we have a golden opportunity. "

YEM MOHAMMAD, 24, VOLUNTEER, KUALA LUMPUR

" I'm going to vote for the opposition because there is no clear opposition voice in Parliament.

Every policy proposed doesn't need to be debated. All the prime minister needs to do is say the policy is there and the house inevitably passes it. It's as simple as that.

At the very least you need opposition for debate. That is what makes a healthy democracy.

When it comes to the election there are two main groups: urban and rural. In urban areas the flow of media is fine. In rural areas it's totally different: you can't get the internet, and everything people there read is straight from the mainstream media.

And no matter how much the government denies it, the mainstream media is totally controlled by the government. You don't get two sides of the story.

The opposition is trying to get to people on the ground and give them the kind of information you get online. It tells people to go to a cybercafe and find out more.

So the biggest challenge to Malaysia is the fair dissemination of information. There is no free press here and I feel passionately about this.

The government constantly makes statements they can't stand up. They think we do not have internet access. For example, they say that Malaysia's accountability is the best in the world. All I need to do is Google it and there it is - the world accountability index! "

AMI ROZAIDI, 24, PROPERTY EXECUTIVE, KUALA LUMPUR

" I am going to vote for the current government.

For this country to develop, what is needed is a government or ruling party with a vision. I think that Malaysia does not have a strong opposition. But I think our current government has a vision and a mission.

In my view, there is no good reason to oppose the ruling party. For that to happen something must be wrong. But this government delivers everything I expect from a good government: they provide good services and develop the country very well.

There are some who want to use Islam to rule the government. They ignore the youngsters and professionals rising up through the ranks. But the current ruling faction has a modern outlook.

I'm loving the current election campaign: the mood and ambience, the posters everywhere. It's a really good mood.

I believe Malaysia has a healthy democracy. We provide fair platforms to everybody to voice their opinions. The government is in power, it has the privileges of power and it is only normal that they use this.

If the opposition was to win the election, they would do the same thing - they would use the media, television, radio and newspaper to get votes. "

RAMLAH SULAIMAN, JOHOR BARU, 56

" I have voted in every election, ever since I was eligible, but I am not going to vote in this election.

I think this is going to be an interesting election - the ruling party faces opposition in almost every seat. The party I want to vote for - the Law and Justice party - is not standing in my local seat, so I will not vote at all.

I think there are a number of great challenges for Malaysia. We have always lived harmoniously in our country - the Malays, Chinese and Indians. Now, however, certain ethnic groups are daring enough to speak their mind and their actions hurt the feelings of other ethnic groups, especially us Malays.

I don't agree with the actions of the Hindu rights group Hindraf. This country shares what it has: although the Malays form the government, in business it is the Chinese who are the controlling force. In any shopping complex you will see that most outlets are owned by the Chinese.

But now that the Indians want more, the Chinese might want more, and so where will the Malays end up? We have been tolerating all the other races so why are they taking to the streets now?

Now the people of Malaysia are thinking of their own ethnic group rather than just living happily together. I think this action has created great uneasiness.

I trust our present government and how they have been dealing with this matter. We have a great prime minister and a great deputy prime minister. "

MOHAMMED YUSUF MUSLIM, 48, VEGETABLE SELLER, DENGKIL

" I sell vegetables and I make a living just sufficient for myself. I have a stall in the Petaling Jaya market, I run on my own and I don't rely on the government.

I will vote for the present government because I believe that they are the only ones that can bring stability and progress to the country.

The opposition doesn't have the means to do it.

As a vegetable seller my main concern is rural development: roads, basic amenities, electricity, piped water, hospitals and schools.

Villagers must be helped to develop their own land.

I come from rural Malaysia and the claim recently by ethnic Indians that their minority has fallen behind is unfounded. They make up 15% of our population but the proportion of lawyers, doctors and engineers among them is high.

In Petaling Jaya old town their vegetable retailers exceed the 30% quota required by Bumiputra policies.

I believe the fast changes from a rural to an urban environment creates a lot of social and economic pressures.

The mainly rural native Malays, after decades of affirmative government policies, are only now making financial and commercial gains - and these are not large.

Surely we are the ones who should feel we have been left behind? "