PETALING JAYA, 15 May 2009: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should lead the way in demanding for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Malaysian Parliamentary Caucus on Myanmar and the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) said today. Their spokesperson, Lim Kit Siang, said Najib should lead Malaysia and Asean to pressure the […]
democracy
PM regrets Perak assembly sitting chaos (Updated)
Updated 7.51pm, 8 May 2009 KUALA LUMPUR, 8 May 2009: Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he was utterly disappointed at the ruckus at the Perak state assembly sitting yesterday due to the action of the opposition assemblypersons who did not respect the law. “I regret that there were chaos and tension at the Perak assembly […]
Chin Huat’s arrest condemned (Updated 4.15pm)
By Zedeck SiewUpdated 4.15pm on 6 May 2009 PETALING JAYA, 6 May 2009: Several groups, think tanks and political parties have condemned the arrest of political scientist Wong Chin Huat for alleged sedition. “The arrest of Wong does not augur well for (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak)’s promise of openness and respect for the people,” said […]
Democracy defends apostasy
By Shanon ShahKUALA LUMPUR, 6 May 2009: Muslims in a truly democratic country would allow other Muslims the freedom to leave Islam if they wished, said Muslim Turkish writer Mustafa Akyol. “We are happy when non-Muslims like Cat Stevens embrace Islam, but what if a Muslim wants to become a Christian?” asked Akyol at a public seminar […]
1BLACKMalaysia campaign for Perak
By Zedeck SiewKUALA LUMPUR, 5 May 2009: The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) has urged all Malaysians to wear black on 7 May to protest the “ongoing Perak coup” by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government. “It will be a peaceful but powerful message of civil disobedience: that we, the people, are the politicians’ bosses and […]
Government vs Mafia
By Wong Chin HuatWE are now told by the new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak that by-elections are bad because they distract us from dealing with the economic crisis. Tunku Abdul Rahman (Public domain)This aversion towards elections is nothing new to Malaysia. In the spirit of learning our national history, let’s revisit some past decisions made by […]
Election lethargy in Indonesia
By Farish A NoorSession of the Indonesian People’s Representative Council (public domain, source: wikipedia.org) WHILE Malaysians are excited by the prospect of three simultaneous by-elections on 7 April 2009, Indonesians next door are showing distinctive signs of electoral fatigue. A news report featured on Indonesia’s Trans7 TV channel summed up the prevailing mood when it reported on a […]
“Democracy practised in Umno”
KUALA LUMPUR, 4 March 2009: The combination of leaders from pre- and post-independence days in Umno will ensure the party remains relevant to the people. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said democracy in Umno was a process that made Umno more mature. “God willing, in 2009 we will see […]
Islamic authorities in crisis?
By Shanon ShahWHEN the National Fatwa Council issued two successive fatwas in late 2008 banning tomboys and yoga, outcry from the Malaysian public was palpable. Tomboys sneered, youth collectives protested, and Muslim yoga practitioners posed in defence. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the National Fatwa Council, and even Inspector General of […]
Ku Li: BN celebration “premature” (updated 12.45pm)
By Jacqueline Ann Surin and Zedeck SiewUpdated on 5 Feb 2009 at 12.45pm PETALING JAYA, 5 Feb 2009: Angry voters nationwide will reject the Barisan Nasional (BN) even more vehemently in the next general election if snap polls are not held in Perak, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said. The veteran Umno politician said, if based on “dubious crossovers”, the BN took control […]
