“DREAM the undreamable, believe the impossible, and never take no for an answer.” AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes certainly lives by his company’s creed. Under his leadership, AirAsia and Air Asia X have just won the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation award, beating airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific. Not […]
Ding Jo-Ann
Nazri’s remarks over Lingam case “irresponsible”
By Ding Jo-AnnPETALING JAYA, 18 Nov 2009: Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz‘s challenge to Karpal Singh to prosecute VK Lingam himself has come under fire by senior lawyers who have described his remarks as irresponsible. Former Bar Council president Yeo Yang Poh said the remark by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department was “not responsible” because […]
Defending a Victorian-era law
By Ding Jo-AnnA Victorian wedding portrait (Source: Wiki commons) JANAGI and Rajoo were married. After Rajoo left Janagi, Janagi approached Maniam to live with him. Displeased that Janagi was living with another man, Rajoo charged Maniam for “enticing away” Janagi to have “illicit intercourse” with her. The court decided that since it was Janagi “who sought [Maniam] […]
Clueless about impact of corruption
By Ding Jo-AnnKUALA LUMPUR, 16 Nov 2009: An overwhelming majority of Malaysians view corruption as a serious issue, but almost half do not think it affects their personal lives, a survey has found. “What was most surprising about the results was a majority felt corruption does not affect their lives even though 81% said it’s a serious […]
Lingam tape: Who’s being protected?
By Ding Jo-AnnSOMETHING feels horribly amiss in the government’s recent declaration that lawyer VK Lingam won’t be charged for his role in brokering the appointment of top judges. The government’s focus on whether to charge Lingam or not feels like a red herring. After all, the Royal Commission of Inquiry clearly found ethical and criminal misbehaviour by […]
Gender insensitive budgeting
By Ding Jo-AnnIN 2006, then Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak launched on behalf of the prime minister a manual on gender budgeting in Malaysia. The manual was published a year earlier after the completion of a gender budgeting pilot project with five key ministries. Gender budgeting seems to have dropped off the government radar Since […]
Making government look good
By Ding Jo-AnnWHY is the Home Ministry chiding journalists for not getting the government’s view when it is the government that frequently gives journalists the run-around or prevents journalists from writing the truth? Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam Mahmood reportedly advised the print media to let government agencies tell their side of the story when these […]
Umno, not racist?
By Ding Jo-AnnDATUK Seri Najib Razak‘s assertion over the weekend that only “one or two Umno leaders” have made racist comments and that they do not represent the party’s views belies belief. Umno’s top leaders have in fact publicly and repeatedly championed the Malay agenda over the legitimate interests of other Malaysians. In some instances, intimidation […]
Democratic rights still far off
By Ding Jo-Ann“POST-8 March, [the election results] left civil society exhilarated and giddy knowing that change is possible,” says Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) executive director Ivy Josiah. “It has strengthened Malaysians as a whole to speak up, organise and demand reform.” Candlelight vigils have become part of the fabric of city life Indeed, since the last general election, Malaysians have been upping their […]
Making it right in the courts
By Ding Jo-AnnIS the setting of key performance indicators (KPIs) for judges just trading in justice for efficiency? In The deal about judicial KPIs, lawyers wondered whether the backlog of cases being solved through KPIs is only creating a larger problem of injustice. Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi, for one, believes the new system is working. At […]
