(Pic by theodore99 / sxc.hu) JUST recently, pigs’ heads were left in mosques, after previous arson and vandalism attacks on churches, a Catholic school, a Sikh gurdwara and two surau. These attacks on places of worship are apparently related to the ongoing tussle over the “Allah” issue. In the last edition of Merely Playing, I […]
Archives for February 2010
Reaching the middle Malay Malaysian
By Deborah Loh(See-saw image by scusi/Dreamstime) THE DAP’s unveiling of “Middle Malaysia” couldn’t have been at a better time. But with the ongoing “Allah” debate and the defiance by Parti Keadlian Rakyat (PKR)’s Zulkifli Noordin, an apt question is, just who are Middle Malaysians? From party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng‘s description, Middle Malaysia indicates a state of […]
Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (Bukit Gantang)
By Deborah LohBUKIT Gantang Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin responds to the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project, which asks all 222 MPs the same six questions about parliamentary democracy in Malaysia. Three of the questions were selected by readers and three others by The Nut Graph. (Source: parlimen.gov.my) Name: Mohammad Nizar JamaluddinConstituency: […]
Loke Siew Fook (Rasah)
By Deborah LohRASAH Member of Parliament Loke Siew Fook responds to the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project, which asks all 222 MPs the same six questions about parliamentary democracy in Malaysia. Three of the questions were selected by readers and three others by The Nut Graph. Name: Loke Siew FookConstituency: Rasah Party: DAP (Opposition)Years as MP: […]
February 2010
Forget the two-party system (Corrected 12pm, 24 Feb 2010) We originally published the first three paragraphs after the subheading What perils await? as follows: “Such a ‘two-party system discourse’ has two problems. The first is that there are still widespread misconceptions about what a two-party system really is. “Voters here can and should practise normal […]
In independence we trust
By Ding Jo-AnnBook on Muslim women no longer banned THE High Court has been demonstrating their ability to be independent over the past few weeks in striking down several decisions by government institutions. On 22 Dec 2009, the High Court censured the police for wrongfully arresting participants of the Asia Pacific Conference on East Timor II (Apcet […]
Islam’s special position
By Ding Jo-Ann(Corrected at 12:35pm, 1 Feb 2010) THE Home Ministry’s ban on the use of “Allah” by the Catholic Herald publication has once again raised the issue of Islam’s position in Malaysia. “The special position of Islam is enshrined and protected under the constitution,” said senior federal counsel Mahamad Naser Disa during arguments in Herald’s suit […]
Karpal on the DAP
By Deborah LohDAP chairperson Karpal Singh is not one to shy from criticising his own political comrades and allies. For him, principles come first. And because of this, the fiery veteran has had no qualms about putting his colleagues in their places, often giving fodder to media speculation that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is on the verge […]