ON 28 April 2012, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) will hold its third major demonstration in the city known as Bersih 3.0. Despite the government’s efforts at electoral reforms, the movement remains unsatisfied. What really is Bersih 3.0’s purpose?
Archives for April 2012
Joanne de Rozario: “Why is race important?”
By Koh Lay Chin
TV personality and producer Joanne de Rozario has fond memories of the Malaysia she grew up in, and big hopes for the country she thinks it could be. She often wishes she could mark “human” when asked to tick her race in official forms.
False hope in Security Offences Act
Holding Court by Ding Jo-Ann
THE Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill (Sosma), passed by the Dewan Rakyat on 18 April 2012, will repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) once it comes into effect. The ISA has long been criticised for allowing preventive detention for indefinite periods without trial. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the reform, including the rescinding […]
Can’t we trust our mahasiswa?
By Gan Pei Ling
IT has been almost six months since the Court of Appeal in a landmark ruling declared it unconstitutional to prohibit university students from supporting or opposing political parties under the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA). On 9 April 2012, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin finally tabled amendments to the UUCA, Private Higher […]
What’s wrong with Bersih 3.0?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
IF we were to believe everything the Barisan Nasional (BN) is saying about Bersih 3.0, the movement for free and fair elections is indeed problematic in several ways. According to BN elected representatives, the planned 28 April 2012 sit-down protest at Dataran Merdeka, known as Bersih 3.0, is “unnecessary”. It has been hijacked by, or […]
Salah perempuankah atau otak kamu yang porno?
Asam Pedas oleh Norhayati Kaprawi
TIDAK memahami sesuatu tidak bermakna benda itu salah. Mungkin cara pandang kita yang perlu diubah dan beralih sedikit agar dapat melihat kedudukan perkara dari perspektif yang berbeza. Baru-baru ini, satu kumpulan balet asing tidak dibenarkan membuat pertunjukan. Walaupun Menteri Penerangan Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan berkata dia sendiri gemar menonton balet, namun dikatakan mengikut pegawainya yang bertangunggjawab meluluskan […]
Is Christianity what threatens Malaysia?
Work in Progress by Hwa Yue-Yi
THE 31 March 2012 seminar for Pendidikan Islam teachers at the Johor education department, which originally claimed a Christian threat to Muslims, raises important ironies and questions. In a pluralistic public space, who gets to claim what, and why? Hwa Yue-Yi writes in her column, Work in Progress.
Who protects PJ ratepayers?
Ampersand by KW Mak
IN my previous column, I gave examples of how the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) deals with enquiries by giving only verbal instructions. The fact is, there are rules and regulations for everything that falls under the council’s purview. These rules are, however, not made public, and are sometimes kept from councillors as well. The trouble it causes […]
How legitimate is our elected government?
In A Nutshell by Andrew Khoo
IF rumour holds true, the 13th general election, due by March 2013, will be held sometime this year. Once again, Malaysians will cast their votes and the party that wins the most number of parliamentary seats will govern federally. But how legitimate is the government that eventually gets into power? Does the party in power […]
Believing in Malaysia
By Jacqueline Ann Surin
AWARD-winning journalist Zainon Ahmad is a story-teller. He has many stories because he has been reporting from the frontlines for more than 30 years. He joined the New Straits Times in 1978 and rose through the ranks to become the paper’s assistant group editor in 1997. From the mid- to late 1980s, he was made […]
