(source: drsitimariah.blogspot.com) “PAS for all” was an enchanting slogan indeed during the March 2008 general election. It was a sentiment that allowed for a warm partnership to develop between PAS and its eventual Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partners, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP. It was also what convinced Malaysians of all races to vote for […]
Commentary
What does Umno value?
By Ding Jo-AnnTHE disproportionate response to the recent “slipper garland” proposal by an MIC delegate highlights once again what the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) government really values above all else. Umno politicians have been falling over themselves in the rush to defend Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad against an MIC delegate’s suggestion to garland the former premier’s portrait […]
FOI would have helped Penan
By Ding Jo-AnnTHE haphazard release of the Penan Task Force report last week is symptomatic of a glaring lack of access, as a rule, to publicly funded government information. The report, which confirmed the rape and sexual abuse of Penan women and girls, was publicly unavailable for months despite repeated calls by advocacy groups for it to […]
Sodomy laws: A British import
By Shanon ShahPortrait of Henry VIII (public domain, Wiki Commons) TO understand the origins of Malaysia’s sodomy laws, a short trip down British history is required. Henry VIII (1491-1547), the most handsome man in all of Christendom, tried for some years to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn. A spectacular and violent […]
The homophobic media
By Zedeck SiewFOR the past week or so, a Bernama news article entitled Unconventional Methods To Prevent Influenza has been making its rounds on the internet. The reason? It quotes one Dr V M Palaniappan as claiming that masturbation and “homosexual activities” increase the likelihood of swine flu infection. Apparently, such acts cause the body to develop […]
Promoting Rosmah
By Shanon ShahRosmah Mansor (Source: upsi.edu.my)MANY Malaysian political blogs have already started to sneer at Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor‘s official website. This is, perhaps, not surprising. After all, her husband, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had to deal with highly acidic public opinion even before he assumed office in April 2009. There are valid questions about […]
Clamping down on students
By Zedeck SiewSPEAKING at the Muslim Students Leadership Convention on 26 July 2009, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he wanted “to see student leaders with dynamic and healthy minds in terms of airing views and opinions”. “I just hope that you can uphold the principle of intellectual honesty in assessing and scrutinising certain issues which […]
Fighting crime
By Zedeck SiewVandalised sign in Kuala Lumpur warning readers against becoming the next snatch theft victim (© Kubhaer Jethwani / Flickr) ONE night in April 2009, Hazwan Haili was out for drinks with friends in the Masjid India area of downtown Kuala Lumpur. “As I was walking back to my car I was rushed by two guys […]
Racialising Teoh Beng Hock’s death
By Zedeck SiewTHE Malay-language press continues to react to the death of Selangor government aide Teoh Beng Hock. Or rather, they continue to react to the outrage expressed by certain quarters over the tragedy. The 20 July 2009 edition of Utusan Malaysia ran a simple warning on its front page: Jangan melampau. The news report to which […]
Malaysia’s UN fan club
By Shanon ShahUpdated at 7.50pm, 21 July 2009 MALAYSIA has announced publicly that “respect for human rights has long been established given the country’s character as a melting pot of various cultures, religions and ethnicities.” This announcement was made at none other than Malaysia’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC) […]
