What I think
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JUNE 6 — Datuk Ahmad Maslan says there shouldn’t be a leadership challenge in Umno because stability is important. And stability is what the stock market wants. What flawed logic … Read More
Regional Correspondents
Parisians adore May, the month of ‘les ponts’
PARIS, May 26 — Off with the beret hats, hello dark sunglasses and spiffy sandals. Parisians are smiling (it’s official): spring is in full swing and … Read More
Opinion
Malacca’s 100 year old school - Sin Chew Daily
I visited my secondary school, Malacca Pay Fong High School, last weekend to attend its 100-year celebration.In a very slow pace, I walked around the … Read More
When winner takes all, science loses
Science may be humankind’s greatest success as a species. Thanks to the scientific revolution that began in the 17th century, humans today enjoy … Read More
Side Views
MoreIRB should be more efficient in manning taxpayers’ calls - Joe Taxpayer
WE ALL know how efficient our Inland Revenue Board (IRB) is when it comes to enforcing strict adherence to our tax laws. Its present director-general, Tan Sri Dr Mohd Shukor … Read More
The reason cops shouldn’t abuse suspects - Rama Ramanathan
In my last post about the police, I asked why cops shouldn’t abuse “almost certainly” reprehensible prisoners. Some suggested I should ask how I would wish to be treated if I were … Read More
Redefining the Malay Agenda - Zaid Ibrahim
Some of my friends have been somewhat critical of my tweets and blog posts lately, simply because I have been commenting on UMNO and even praising Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The … Read More
Malaysia in the Emerging Markets Protests Narrative — Lee Ee May
The last three weeks saw large scale protests in three forefront countries of the emerging markets. The first protest, started in Turkey, was sparked when the Erdogan government … Read More
The Opposition’s new mandate — Nurul Izzah Anwar
JUNE 18 — Thousands of Malaysians voted abroad during the 13th general election. Many more returned from Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, London and Taiwan, traditionally places … Read More
A matter of choice — Clive Kessler
Late last week, an interesting rejoinder was offered to my two-part retrospective account of GE13, Malaysia’s recent national elections “GE13: What happened? And what now?” (The … Read More
Utusan merrily digging Umno’s grave! - Ahmad Mustapha Hassan
At one time Malaysia enjoyed a free press. The printed media then competed to let readers know the truth of what was happening in the country. None was directly or indirectly … Read More
A national unity government - Murray Hunter
With the perceived weakening of Najib Razak’s position of tenure as Malaysian Prime Minister, there is deep speculation within the country about moves afoot to form a national … Read More
Where is ASEAN cultural diplomacy? - Verdinand Robertua
JUNE 16 - With a population of over 500 million people, Southeast Asia is blessed with diverse ethnicities, languages, food and music. Unfortunately, this richness in culture and … Read More
Which is which, Datuk Mary Yap? — BH Toh
JUNE 15 — One of the earliest statement made by Datuk Mary Yap upon her appintment as Deputy Education Minister was “I believe that one of my roles at the ministry will be to … Read More
Transformation plans encounter obstacles — Lim Sue Goan
JUNE 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has insisted to continue his transformation plans after the general election. However, lingering racism and racial politics have … Read More
Misplaced enthusiasm with Bursa’s FBM-KLCI performance — Dzulkefly Ahmad
JUNE 15 —We believe that the statement of PM Najib Razak that the FBMKLCI (capitalization-weighted stock market index) rally due to BN electoral results is at best an inaccurate … Read More
Najib’s campaign style and Mahathir’s influence – conspiracytheor1st
JUNE 15 – Umno’s party election is around the corner and rumour is swirling that Najib Razak presidency might be challenged this time by the prominent Tengku Razaleigh who once … Read More
We need our police to be human again — May Chee
JUNE 13 — Ours is supposed to be the time of humanism, yet many have died in custody. Some went for supper, their last. They never made it home. God must have cried an ocean when … Read More
GE13: What happened? And what now? (Part 2) — Clive Kessler
JUNE 13 — The first part of this commentary analysed the paradoxical outcome of GE13. It traced how the election of a reduced Barisan Nasional (BN) presence and increased … Read More
All Our Columnists
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Practical reasons to attend a liberal arts college
When I tell someone the name of my university, the most common reaction is “...and where is that again?” As opposed to some of my peers who have gained admission to some of the … Read More
The year in blockbusters — so far
JUNE 8 — We’ve now entered the most exciting time of the year for mainstream movie fans: summer! This means we are going to be treated to some of the year’s biggest blockbuster … Read More
What we dream of
JAN 3 — Dare we Malaysians dream that in 2012: • Bersih 2.0’s eight demands will be implemented before Parliament is dissolved. • the run-up to the elections will bring out the … Read More
Suka hati Cina lah dia nak undi siapapun
13 MEI — Satu keindahan demokrasi adalah pemilihan pemimpin melalui sistem pilihan raya. Melalui pilihan raya, rakyat bebas untuk memilih mana-mana parti atau calon, tidak kira … Read More
The joy of cricket
JUNE 11 — I’ve been living in Spain for just over a year now and can honestly say there are very few things about England that I miss. Friends and family, of course, but we’ve … Read More
What can one man do?
MAY 23 — I ask myself that question because in the recent turn of events — the butt exercise exhibition, pelting of eggs and another Bersih 4.0 to clean all previous Bersih(s) — I … Read More
The other side of criticism
AUG 21 — Each time the Olympic Games roll around, no matter where they happen, they form the centre stage for greatness as people worldwide watch with bated breath as records are … Read More
Ferry tragedy hits close to home
Oct 7 — This year’s National Day will forever be etched in the memories of Hong Kongers. As revellers watched the annual fireworks display at Victoria Harbour on Monday night, … Read More
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Wanita, kerjaya dan rumahtangga
16 OKT — “Tahniah Puan Melisa, anda diterima untuk menyertai kursus yang kami anjurkan di Australia minggu hadapan,” kata Encik Zulkifli, Ketua Jabatan Melisa. Melisa sangat … Read More
They are girls not brides
JUNE 7 — It is heartening to see that there is increasing awareness and concern among Malaysians of a problem which has lain unnoticed for decades and is usually thought to be … Read More
How to buy a book… or not!
JAN 6 ― The recent Big Bad Wolf book sale was awesome. As expected. With three million books on sale, it’s no wonder I was spoiled for choice. Alas, you can’t always get what … Read More
Confronting the bigot in us
MAY 22 ― Now that some of the dust has settled after the elections, and while our politicians duke it out over electoral fraud, we Malaysians have to contend with living life as … Read More
Siapa yang lebih baik?
19 OKT — Setiap ucapan punya konteks dan latar-belakangnya tersendiri termasuklah apa yang diucapkan oleh Datuk Husam dalam perbahasannya dalam penggulungan Belanjawaan Kelantan … Read More
- Umno-BN terdesak menamatkan sistem kronisme AP penjualan CPO?
- Zahid Hamidi must be fired!
- TPM wajib baca pendedahan hutang Talam
Why blaming tech, social media is pointless
MARCH 26 — The blame game has started... again. Last week, The Malaysian Insider reported that Internal Security and Public Order director Datuk Salleh Mat Rasid said the Internet … Read More
- Education is key to mitigating online ills
- Where on the Net are your kids?
- Parents should wake up to the impact of a Facebook generation
When our future doctors know nothing
JUNE 12 — Believe it or not, there are people who do not know a tuberculosis vaccine exists. Unfortunately for us, one of them is a future doctor. It all started when I was doing … Read More
- The slow, sad death of Bahasa Malaysia
- Where is the Malaysian Dream?
- Malaysia: Moving forward while walking backwards
Teamwork is the only key to success
NOV 20 — I am a loyal fan of my local football team. It was officially founded around 60 years back and has undergone a lot of transformation. It has progressed quite remarkably … Read More
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The Lee Chong Wei Effect
AUG 8 ― Last Sunday, for the first time in my life, I literally bit my nails. I paced around my living room, I jumped up and down, I cheered and groaned, and finally, at the … Read More
Soon, Reformasi will fade
MAY 31 — The wisdom of our age has it that young adults are more likely than not to vote against Barisan Nasional. A survey carried out by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research … Read More
St Patrick’s Day in Manhattan: A celebration
MARCH 25 — On a balmy Saturday morning, the streets of Manhattan teemed with St Patrick’s Day revellers in their thousands, decked out in shamrock green colours ready for the … Read More
Symptoms of a deeper ill
JAN 18 — Recently, a YouTube video about a forum held in a university went viral. This particular forum has now been dubbed the “Listen listen listen forum”, with many versions of … Read More
- Will PR become the proverbial rabbit?
- Apathy, crime and feeling safe
- Yes, Prime Minister, we need answers!
‘Sarawakian first, Malaysian after equality’
SEPT 16 — It isn’t easy to be in the forefront of a controversial home-grown campaign to stop the 12 mega-dams from being built in Sarawak. After all, you would have to stand up … Read More
Stop with the violence already
APRIL 29 — Malaysians need to respect those with different opinions. Democracy is about having a multitude of ideas that doesn’t necessarily agree with one another. And instead of … Read More
Lolita anyone (Part 2)
JUNE 6 — “There are many cases of men marrying underage girls. I do not see why my case should be any different”. This a quote from Riduan Masmud, who is alleged to have raped and … Read More
- A smaller victory for BN, a bigger one for Malaysian democracy
- The emotional aftermath of loss
- Taking the rural voter for granted
Say hi, have a conversation
JUNE 13 — When I was in university, a lecturer once advised me to make the most of my student years by making friends with everyone. And she meant everyone — no matter how … Read More
- Not fresh grads anymore, are we?
- A writing lesson from ‘The Apprentice Asia’
- Sidetracked by kari kepala kucing
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National reconciliation or retaliation?
MAY 27 — There was no cry of jubilation. Neither were there tears of joy. If you had been in a coma during the past few weeks and were suddenly awakened to the image of the … Read More
Ubahlah cara berkempen
28 APRIL — Hari ini, 28 April…genaplah lapan hari tempoh berkempen untuk parti-parti politik sempena Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13. Ini bermakna tinggal tujuh hari sahaja lagi semua … Read More
Cerita tentang manusia dan kefahamannya
16 JUN — Memilih cara hidup sendiri adalah atas pilihan dan kemahuan kita sendiri. Saya tidak pernah merancang apa yang terbaik untuk masa depan melainkan kita sendiri yang perlu … Read More
- S.Shamsuddin dan kenangan Jalan Ampas
- Muzik indipenden, D.I.Y., perkembangan dan kesannya
- Kita yang bersalut materi dan angan-angan
An angel in waiting
JULY 24 — The first time I walked through the back door of a hotel, I was 15 years old and I walked in with visions of romance and glamour… I still have those visions today as … Read More
Death in custody
JUNE 4 — The responsibilities of any national police force go without saying but lest we have been jaded by the recent reports of several custodial deaths, let us be reminded that … Read More
Menjejaki Muhammad s.a.w
Hajat Tercapai Perjalanan saya kali ini ke tanah suci Makkah dan Madinah mempunyai makna yang mendalam. Pertama, saya menangguhkan perjalanan ini sejak lima tahun yang lalu kerana … Read More
Keadilan’s successes in the 13th general election
MAY 24 — In the immediate aftermath of the 13th general election, there are many things that Keadilan leaders nationwide are rightly preoccupied about: the blatant electoral … Read More
A reluctant generation
JUNE 13 — There is a generation now being asked to take the reins of the country, whether they are in a political party or not. That generation’s time is now here, and I fear they … Read More
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My personal journey to Sisters in Islam
APRIL 5 — I come from a modern middle-class family and, like most Malays, my religious identity is inextricably intertwined with the cultural traditions and rituals that were … Read More
Ombak Hairan dalam?
21 APRIL — Filem “Ombak Rindu” telah lama ditayangkan (lebih kurang 5 bulan yang lepas), namun kerana kesibukan kehidupan seharian bekerja dan berkeluarga, saya tidak dapat … Read More
Elections and divorces: Hoodwinked, healing, helping
JUNE 3 — “If more politicians in this country were thinking about the next generation instead of the next election, it might be better for the United States and the world.” — … Read More
Learning how to ask for help
MARCH 25 — After a week and a half of being held prisoner, I was desperate for a night out. So desperate, I was even looking forward to dressing up for the evening. I knew that … Read More
- We did it once… we are going to do it again!
- Why should I care about 1 Care?
- What is your skin colour worth?
I am tired…
MARCH 28 — I am tired of Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp’s perceived greatness. I am tired of watching Spurs bumbling and fumbling their season away. I am tired of Spur’s … Read More
- Simple and effective Spanish masterclass
- Spanish missing class, as Germans miss the boat
- Gallant show, poor tactics
Tukar sistem pilihanraya, bukan jadi republik
12 JUN ―Jika Pakatan Rakyat selepas PRU13 banyak bercakap tentang polemik betapa wajarnya difikirkan mengubah sistem pilihanraya yang memberi kemenangan kepada undi popular, … Read More
- Motokar terpilih saja turn harga
- Ubah, hudud, Himpunan Hitam 505
- Tugas pertama Zahid, KPN baru tangkap
Eight reasons why books should not be banned
JUNE 24 — On Monday, June 25, 2012, Sisters in Islam (SIS) will be in court again. This time around, the Government of Malaysia is appealing a High Court decision that lifted the … Read More
Learning from the Kelantan experience
MAY 28 — I think it is fair to say that when we Malaysians hear about Kelantan, two things come to mind: its local football scene and the Kelantanese dialect. The local football … Read More
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In response to ‘Innocence of Muslims’
OCT 2 — There has been quite a brouhaha in response to the “Innocence of Muslims” video made by some bigoted individual in America. There were demonstrations in much of the Muslim … Read More
The will to vote
MAY 3 — In recent articles, I wrote about how I applied to become a postal voter. It was done at the very last minute, on the day Parliament was dissolved, as I was not sure of … Read More
Pergolakan dalaman rugikan MIC
11 JUN — Antara isu yang masih hangat diperkatakan (sekurang-kurangnya di akhbar-akhbar Tamil) adalah berkenaan pucuk kepimpinan dalam MIC serta kekalahan teruk calon-calon MIC … Read More
Can art and art education flourish without race?
SEPT 16 — Segaris Art Center is a new art gallery in Kuala Lumpur. This establishment, a subsidiary of UiTM Holdings, is the first showcase for all the fine art graduates from … Read More
- Art decentralised: The Open Art Show
- Art and a sense of equality
- Sultan Street: A look at its changing character
So, when are you getting married?
JUNE 11 — “So you know, the A-students become the professors, the B-students become the investment bankers, and the C-students become the volunteer workers. The A-grade men marry … Read More
Dignity is under-rated
MAY 29 — I must have been 16 when Sister Anne, our student counsellor, asked me to participate in a public-speaking competition. Every government-run school in Kuala Lumpur had … Read More
A policy impasse
APRIL 8 — It is entirely appropriate that the prevailing colour of Barisan Nasional’s 2013 manifesto is white. From the disingenuous copywriting of the preamble to the jumble of … Read More
- Use of Sedition Act is wrong
- The political chemistry of Lynas
- Preventing the next Lynas or Raub mine
The MILF-PRON GE13 post-mortem analysis: We were saved!
MAY 10 — Now that the 13th general election is over, and the winners and losers have been declared, the Malaysian Institute of Learning Foundation for Political Research On … Read More
- If you’re a Muslim, and you’re gay…
- MILF-PRON Special Report for 2011: Malays under threat — Part 2
- MILF-PRON Special Report for 2011: Malays under threat
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Tragedi media Melayu
29 MEI ― Jika perkembangan media Melayu mutakhir ini diperhatikan, sifat-sifat kewarasan, keberkecualian dan kesusilaan sudah jelas tidak wujud. Sentimen perkauman bagai menjadi … Read More
Happy birthday, Che!
JUNE 14 — Ah yes! As we celebrate the birthday today of one of the world’s great rebels and human rights fighter, Ernesto “Che” Guevara, it is hard to forget that it is also my … Read More
Jakarta, aku rindu pada mu
3 OGOS — Jakarta, sudah hampir sepuluh tahun aku meninggalkan kota itu, kota yang pernah aku panggil rumah. Sememangnya aku dilahirkan dan dibesarkan di Kota Baru, Kelantan dan … Read More
Sekolah, universiti dan masa hadapan pendidikan
1 MAC — Saya percaya pendidikan sifatnya dinamik. Zaman dahulu sebelum sekolah wujud, manusia menuntut ilmu dengan mengembara dan berguru kepada bijak pandai dari satu tempat ke … Read More
- Jangan baca kisah Samer Al Issawi ini
- Aaron Swartz dan tragedi kepada masa hadapan
- Pathei Mathos, penswastaan air dan mentaliti kelas ketiga
Melayu luar bandar, berubahlah!
27 MAC ― Di mana-mana cakap sana-sini berkisar tentang pilihanraya; bila akan diadakan dan siapa yang akan muncul pemenang menjadi pertanyaan paling popular. Berbagai andaian … Read More
There is no easy cure for cancer
MARCH 15 — A friend’s mother was diagnosed with Stage III cancer recently, and together with the commiserations came introductions to “Islamic treatments” and various types of … Read More
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