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 […]
Jacqueline Ann Surin
The perils of being Muslim in Malaysia
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
Muslims constitute the majority of the Malaysian population and the country’s top leadership. Still, just how safe is it to be a Muslim in Malaysia? And can Muslims trust that their rights will be protected and upheld by a public administration that increasingly says it wants to uphold Islamic values and teachings?
Who says the EC is independent?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
FRANKLY, I wasn’t surprised at all when it was reported in late April that both the Election Commission (EC) chairperson and deputy chairperson were Umno members. Even without evidence of party membership and despite the EC deputy chairperson’s subsequent U-turn and denial, it would not be a stretch to imagine both the chairperson and his […]
What’s wrong with Bersih 3.0?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
IF we were to believe everything the Barisan Nasional (BN) is saying about Bersih 3.0, the movement for free and fair elections is indeed problematic in several ways. According to BN elected representatives, the planned 28 April 2012 sit-down protest at Dataran Merdeka, known as Bersih 3.0, is “unnecessary”. It has been hijacked by, or […]
Believing in Malaysia
By Jacqueline Ann Surin
AWARD-winning journalist Zainon Ahmad is a story-teller. He has many stories because he has been reporting from the frontlines for more than 30 years. He joined the New Straits Times in 1978 and rose through the ranks to become the paper’s assistant group editor in 1997. From the mid- to late 1980s, he was made […]
Why should we trust you, Prime Minister?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
IT’s hard to trust the prime minister, no matter if public approval for him has risen following a slew of government handouts. It’s not just because the seasoned journalist in me has seen more than my fair share of untrustworthy politicians. Trust, as we often hear and know to be true, has to be earned. Prime […]
Who’s afraid of a debate?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
DISAPPOINTING as the Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek-Lim Guan Eng televised debate was, what’s clear is this: Malaysia could do with more public debates between the politicians who covet our votes and the power of public office. Since the 18 Feb 2012 debate between the MCA president and the DAP secretary-general, calls have been […]
“We must be Malaysian”
By Jacqueline Ann Surin
AISHAH Jennifer Mohamed Sinclair has a name that encapsulates both her British and Malay heritage. She grew up in England for the first six years of her life before her family moved to Malaysia for good and where she is happy to be and to raise her daughter, Soraya Ann. In this candid interview about […]
Who needs a Race Relations Act?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
SO it would seem Malaysians can look forward to having yet another piece of legislation in their lives in the brand new year of 2012. This time around, the Barisan Nasional (BN) government has promised it will introduce a Race Relations Bill, to be tabled in Parliament in March. The Race Relations Bill, according to […]
Will PR be better than BN?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
ON 4 Nov 2011, Penang became the second state in Malaysia, after Selangor, to enact a Freedom of Information (FOI) law. Neither the Penang nor Selangor FOI laws are perfect and both Pakatan Rakyat (PR)-led state governments have already been criticised for not doing better. That’s no different from the public criticisms against the Barisan […]
