OUR Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his government seem to have had a personality change. From human rights, 1Malaysia and helping Chinese Malaysians, Najib has re-introduced detention without trial, harped on Bumiputera empowerment and blamed Chinese Malaysians for BN’s poor election performance. What’s going on? The Nut Graph asks political scientist Wong Chin Huat.
Mahathir
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 […]
Lim Keng Yaik: “Let’s build on commonalities”
By Deborah Loh
LIFE for former Gerakan president and cabinet minister Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik is quiet these days since he retired as party head in April 2007 and from government the following year. In his last media interview in February 2010, Lim talked about his frustrations with the Barisan Nasional (BN) government and with Gerakan, the […]
Dr M and “subsidy mentality”
By Deborah Loh“I cannot predict how much longer this (affirmative action) will go on but at the moment, we are trying out… some kind of experiment… by withdrawing some of the protection in education.” “We want to see whether they will be able to withstand the competition or not. Obviously if they prove themselves able to, we […]
Maligning the Jews
By Shanon Shah“The One Israel concept slogan is People First, while 1Malaysia is People First, Performance Now. Among the One Israel initiatives was to increase medical benefits; in Malaysia, 1Malaysia clinics were formed.” OPPOSITION Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, alleging that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak‘s 1Malaysia concept was modelled after the One Israel concept. He […]
PMs assured Christians of use of “Allah”
By Ding Jo-AnnPETALING JAYA, 13 Jan 2010: Even though the government banned the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims in 1986, the churches refrained from court action for more than 20 years because of assurances from two prime ministers. ShastriCouncil of Churches of Malaysia general secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri told The Nut Graph that Christian leaders were […]
“Allah” can be discussed calmly
By Ding Jo-Ann(Corrected at 4:38pm, 12 Jan 2010) KUALA LUMPUR, 12 Jan 2010: Malaysians are mature enough to openly discuss issues without resorting to violence, said the organiser of an 11 Jan 2010 public forum on the “Allah” issue. Despite being told by police to cancel last night’s forum following the spate of attacks on churches, the […]
Was Chin Peng played out?
By Deborah LohChin Peng arriving at a hotel in Haadyai for a press conference MORE puzzling than the Malaysian government‘s current myopic reaction against the idea of Chin Peng‘s return is the sketchy outline of events soon after the Haadyai Peace Accords. The peace treaty was signed on 2 Dec 1989 to end hostilities between Malaysia and […]
The art of disrespect
By Ding Jo-Ann“Saya minta Presiden MIC (Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu) ambil tindakan yang wajar kepada mereka yang buat pandangan dan keyataan yang tidak hormat pemimpin, lebih cepat tindakan diambil, itu lebih baik.” Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin calling for action against the MIC delegate at the party’s assembly who proposed for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s […]
What does Umno value?
By Ding Jo-AnnTHE disproportionate response to the recent “slipper garland” proposal by an MIC delegate highlights once again what the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) government really values above all else. Umno politicians have been falling over themselves in the rush to defend Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad against an MIC delegate’s suggestion to garland the former premier’s portrait […]
