AT 77, there are many things Tan Sri Ramon V Navaratnam is thankful for. Topmost is the fact that all three of his sons and their families, including his four grandchildren, remain in Malaysia. “Thank God! I think there are not many left of my age [whose] children are all here. I think I did […]
independence
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: Reimagining Malaysia
By Ding Jo-Ann
UNTIL recently, Malaysia had been celebrating independence with parades and banners proclaiming the number of years that have passed since 1957. This inaccuracy has been brought to light over the past few years as more people begin to understand the significance of 16 Sept 1963, when Malaysia was formed. People and politicians alike have now […]
Remembering colonialism
By Jacqueline Ann Surin
KUALA LUMPUR, 13 June 2011: The Malay peninsula was colonised exactly 500 years ago this year, and its significance in our history should be marked in some way by universities and scholars, lawyer Tommy Thomas said. “We should be having public seminars and academic conferences to remember and discuss this aspect of our history on […]
Should the subordinate courts have more power?
Holding Court by Ding Jo-Ann
WHY has there been such a furore over the government’s amendment of the Subordinate Courts Act? And why should the public care that the Act has been amended? As a result of Parliament passing the amendment, the Sessions Court can now hear civil cases worth up to RM1 million while the Magistrates Court cases worth […]
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: Whither MACC?
By Ding Jo-Ann
ONE year ago, on 16 July 2009, DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock was found dead at the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in Shah Alam. Teoh had been interrogated for almost 11 hours. The inquest into his mysterious death is still ongoing. More recently, the MACC summoned two Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Selangor […]
Protesting RTM’s censorship
By Ding Jo-Ann
A DEMONSTRATION was held on 19 May 2010 outside RTM headquarters Angkasapuri in Kuala Lumpur calling for media freedom and to protest the termination of former RTM producer Chou Z Lam. Chou alleges that his documentary over the impact of the Bakun Dam on indigenous people in Sarawak was cancelled because of RTM’s leadership’s fears […]
Spotlight on party democracy
By Shanon ShahIs Malaysia on the way to becoming more democratic? (© flydime | Flickr) IT has now been two full years since the historic March 2008 elections in Malaysia. But during this period, what have Malaysians actually learnt about the nature of democracy? Is Malaysia on the way to becoming more democratic? Citizens can use several […]
In independence we trust
By Ding Jo-AnnBook on Muslim women no longer banned THE High Court has been demonstrating their ability to be independent over the past few weeks in striking down several decisions by government institutions. On 22 Dec 2009, the High Court censured the police for wrongfully arresting participants of the Asia Pacific Conference on East Timor II (Apcet […]
Why no action in Lingam case?
By Koh Jun Lin“The Commissioners find sufficient evidence of misbehaviour on the part of certain individuals or personalities identified or mentioned in the video clip.” “The Commissioners find sufficient cause to invoke the Sedition Act 1948, the Legal Profession Act 1976, the Official Secrets Act 1972 and the Penal Code against the various individuals mentioned in the video […]
Merdeka
By The Nut Graph teamTHIS year, Merdeka falls on a Monday. Obligatory flags have been going up on most streetlamp posts and in most public spaces. Yet the number of cars sporting miniature Jalur Gemilang is notably sparse. It seems reasonable to believe that the fanfare surrounding Malaya’s 52nd independence anniversary will be muted. What has happened to the […]
