LET’s think about the following key words in Malaysian politics: unity government, Sisters in Islam (SIS), Chin Peng, government or PSD scholarships, Utusan Malaysia, and the language in education policy. What comes to your mind? Ethnocentrism? Religious fundamentalism? National disunity? Who hasn’t lamented about why our nation cannot be spared such ethno-religious polemics? Why can’t […]
Malay
MCA opposes PAS-Umno unity talks
By Shanon ShahPAS flags in Kuala Terengganu (file pic) PETALING JAYA, 10 June 2009: MCA central committee member Lee Wei Kiat today slammed the PAS-Umno unity government proposal, saying it would “result in the Islamisation of the country”. He said at the same time, it would create a scenario where only Malay Malaysians would be in government […]
Najib’s approval ratings up (Updated)
By Zedeck SiewUpdated 1 June 2009 at 5.45pm PETALING JAYA, 1 June 2009: Forty-five percent of voters from peninsular Malaysia are satisfied with the performance of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, according to a recent survey by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research. The survey, the first to be conducted since Najib came into power in […]
“What if Chin Peng was Malay?”
By Shanon ShahBUKIT MERTAJAM, 29 May 2009: Former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today asked if former communist guerilla Chin Peng would be treated with as much hostility by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government if he were Malay. “Let us not divide the rakyat by creating new enemies … He is Malayan. Chin […]
Material wealth
By N Shashi Kala(Courtesy of Tuanku Nur Zahirah Foundation) THE first time I touched silk, I fell immediately in love with the fabric. Raised on a steady diet of polyester and cotton, the cool feel of silk against my skin felt like a revelation. Silk was first developed in China and used exclusively by the emperors before its […]
Scaled down Merdeka do this year
KUALA LUMPUR, 4 May 2009: This year’s Merdeka Day celebrations, especially the Merdeka parade on the morning of 31 Aug, will be scaled down because it falls during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The celebrations to commemorate the nation’s independence would continue but it would be toned down, said Information, Communications and Culture Minister […]
Umno Penang confident of Malay M’sian voters
By Regina WilliamGEORGE TOWN, 21 April 2009: Umno Penang is confident Malay [Malaysian] voters in Penanti would return to the Barisan Nasional (BN) fold, as witnessed during the Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang by-elections on 7 April. Umno Penang secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim, who is also the Opposition Leader, said it was only a matter of time […]
Changing voting trends among M’sians
KUALA LUMPUR, 14 April 2009: The recently concluded three by-elections have shown a noticeable change in the voting trends of the Malay Malaysians and non-Malay Malaysians towards Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition. Although BN managed to retain the Batang Ai state seat and the opposition parties, PKR and PAS, the Bukit Selambau state seat […]
Mahathir to campaign in Bkt Gantang?
By Deborah LohTAIPING, 2 April 2009: Barisan Nasional (BN) is looking to unleash its secret weapon as it makes its final assault to woo Malay Malaysian voters in Bukit Gantang by bringing in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to help with the campaign. The former prime minister may turn up to stump for the BN candidate Ismail Saffian, […]
Avoid extremism, Abdullah says
KUALA LUMPUR, 26 March 2009: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today reminded Umno members not to adopt extremist racial and religious positions when safeguarding the position of Malay Malaysians and bumiputeras in the country. “Umno must never practise discrimination to the extent that non-Malays view it as a racist party. The rights of […]