TIME Magazine has just named The Protestor its Person of the Year for 2011. Malaysians would count among protestors that made headlines this year, if not internationally than nationally. But what is the point of continuing to protest when something – like the Peaceful Assembly Law – is a foregone conclusion? Political scientist Wong Chin Huat explains the value of civil disobedience and how it can work.
Columns
The year of being Malaysian
Work in Progress by Hwa Yue-Yi
I WOULDN’T normally consider myself an outlaw. Last month, for example, I submitted another deferment request for the six-year-old National Service summons that I have yet to fulfil because of school calendars. I also don’t buy pirated DVDs. But recently I have found myself among the many in a position where democratic citizenship conflicts with […]
Lynas: What’s the fuss?
As if Earth Matters by Gan Pei Ling
RECENTLY, local independent filmmakers released four short parodies to raise public awareness on the potential hazards of radioactive waste that is expected to be left behind by the Lynas rare earth refinery in Pahang. Concerned with the public health impact of the processing plant located approximately 25km from Kuantan, local communities have formed anti-Lynas groups, […]
Orang Kristian juga berjasa pada Islam
Asam Pedas by Norhayati Kaprawi
HARI Krismas menjelang tiba. Saya dapat merasakan kemeriahannya walaupun saya sedang berada di bandar Lumajang di Jawa Timur, yang jauh dari Jakarta. Di tepi-tepi jalan kelihatan ada yang menjual bahan-bahan perhiasan untuk pokok Krismas. Memandangkan 90% penduduk bandar ini adalah orang Islam, maka saya pun bertanya pada pasangan suami-isteri Muslim yang agak berumur sama ada […]
What’s the price of PJ’s development?
Ampersand by KW Mak
IF we think the price of development is traffic jams, we are mistaken. That isn’t the only price people have to pay for so-called progress in the city. The question is, will PJ residents continue to pay the price for development in their city or can measures be taken to avoid these hidden costs?
Will PR be better than BN?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
ON 4 Nov 2011, Penang became the second state in Malaysia, after Selangor, to enact a Freedom of Information (FOI) law. Neither the Penang nor Selangor FOI laws are perfect and both Pakatan Rakyat (PR)-led state governments have already been criticised for not doing better. That’s no different from the public criticisms against the Barisan […]
Mahu dukung demokrasi atau diskriminasi?
SUDAH banyak yang diperkata, diperdebat dan didemokan tentang Seksualiti Merdeka. Banyak juga yang menuduh bukan-bukan. Pesta seks bebas lah, mengajar orang supaya jadi gay lah, dan macam-macam tuduhan yang kreatif. Sayangnya, ramai orang termasuk wartawan, lebih suka menuduh dan mensensasikan isu dari cuba memahami dan memberi maklumat berguna pada orang ramai. Seperti biasa, ramai yang […]
Three things I like about the Peaceful Assembly Bill
Reductio ad Absurdum by Chan Kheng Hoe
MUCH has been said about how undemocratic the Peaceful Assembly Bill is. I beg to differ. On the contrary, three very good aspects of the Peaceful Assembly Bill have been missed by commentators. Here they are: More religious The Bill promotes a religious society. We all know how important religion is to ensure that we […]
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: Lessons from the Seksualiti Merdeka controversy
By Shanon Shah
Open-ended vs. close-ended democracy?
Nasihat tentang golongan songsang
Secubit Garam oleh Shanon Shah
PENING kepala saya baru-baru ini bila tercetus huru-hara tentang “pesta seks bebas” yang kononnya diadakan di Kuala Lumpur. Mula-mula saya rasa mustahil ada orang berani berbuat demikian di tengah-tengah bandaraya KL, tapi hari demi hari ada saja berita tentang golongan “songsang” dan “luar tabii” yang mengangjurkan pesta ini. Lalu saya pun cuba mengetahui dengan lebih […]
