Sheila MajidRECENTLY, I shuddered to read a quote by performing artiste Sheila Majid in an interview she did with The Nut Graph. I shuddered because her quote reminded me too much of another quote I’d read earlier in The Star by Dr Wan Azhar Wan Ahmad, senior fellow/director at the Institute of Islamic Understanding. Towards […]
discourse
Debunking “politicking”
MY previous column, which analysed the Barisan Nasional (BN)’s aversion to local government elections, drew one particular reader’s comment that amazed me. KIM GAN wrote: “To avoid the politicking that may impinge on racial [sensitivities], perhaps the campaigning can be minimal and voting can be carried out electronically through the net, sanctioned and monitored by […]
Don’t charge Nasir Safar
DATUK Nasir Safar‘s alleged racist remarks have sparked calls by Barisan Nasional component parties for Nasir to be charged with sedition and even detained without trial under the Internal Security Act. Buckling under such pressure, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein announced on 4 Feb 2010 that the now former special officer of the prime […]
Allow open discussion on Kartika case
In the past, lawyers were largely at the forefront of such criticisms. However, with the information age and globalisation, there is a rising tide of awareness among the public in Malaysia. It is heartening to see the public join in the outcry against injustice and unjust laws. It is stimulating to read arguments for and […]
Unity needs empathy
RACE and 1Malaysia have occupied my thoughts in the last few weeks. It can’t be helped, given the articles I’ve had to write on both subjects of late. I’ve almost reached saturation point listening to people debate the meaning of 1Malaysia. Last Friday, 24 July, I attended a forum where a small group of academics, […]
“Difference in Islam is healthy”
Susan Carland “IF you publish this, and I get kicked out of the country, I know who to thank,” says Susan Carland towards to the end of our interview. There is a reason for Australian Carland, who was recently in Malaysia, to be cautious. Speaking up as an outsider about Islam in Malaysia has its […]
