KUALA LUMPUR, 12 Nov 2008: A strong civil society has the power to change the media without relying on government regulation. Professor Cherian George from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University said the public could influence how the media operated, for example, by holding them accountable. “Media organisations could be pressured by consumers into setting up their […]
Malaysia
Dear fatwa council and Malaysians…
ON 23 October 2008, the National Fatwa Council of Malaysia issued a fatwa saying that tomboyism, where a girl behaves or dresses in what is seen as a boyish manner, is forbidden by Islam. According to the council chairman, Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Husin, this decision was made because — in their reasoning — young […]
Prejudice in religious finery
By Aloysious MoweIN his Life of Samuel Johnson, James Boswell writes that he once told Johnson, “I had been that morning at a meeting of the people called Quakers, where I had heard a woman preach.” To which Johnson replied, “Sir, a woman’s preaching is like a dog’s walking on his hind legs. It is not done […]
Going public
By Ng Boon Hooi(© ivana / sxc.hu) IN October 2008, Malaysia Today revealed that Datuk Seri Najib Razak had apparently exchanged text messages with lawyer Datuk Shafee Abdullah over Abdul Razak Baginda’s position in the Altantuya murder trial. The transcript of SMS exchanges caused a stir. Shafee was the counsel for Razak Baginda, a known close associate of […]
Requests to meet ministers over ISA ignored: Suaram
By Khairil AnharCorrected on 7 Nov 2008 at 11.45am KUALA LUMPUR, 6 Nov 2008: Repeated requests to see ministers, through official channels, about the Internal Security Act (ISA) are ignored, forcing some groups to resort to ambush tactics. According to Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) coordinator Nalini Elumalai, ambushing may be the only way to get hold of […]
Uphill battle
By KW MakONE area in which the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) often faces conflict is with property developers. It is funny how developers think they can still perpetuate their errant ways when they clearly go against the rule of law. Take for example construction work. According to the law, work can only be done between 8am […]
Pitfalls in regulating race relations
By Deborah LohWill the proposed Race Relations Act outlaw discrimination? (Source: jpnin.gov.my) IS the proposed Race Relations Act doomed to fail even before it has been drafted? Human rights advocates, lawyers and academics who recently attended a roundtable on the proposed act seem to think so. The act, which was proposed by the government in September 2008, […]
M’sians will still enjoy six months visa free travel to UK
KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Nov 2008: Malaysians travelling to Britain will still get to enjoy six months of visa free travel despite changes to the United Kingdom’s visa arrangements, British High Commisioner to Malaysia Boyd McCleary said today. “I would like to reassure Malaysians that genuine travellers remain welcome in Britain as they have always been. […]
Work on Penang double-track line to resume
BUTTERWORTH, 5 Nov 2008: The Penang government will retract its stop-work order on the electric double-track railway line in the state soon, after all problems which cropped up due to the project implementation have been resolved. The retraction would be made after the project contractor, MMC Corporation Berhad-Gamuda Berhad (MMC-Gamuda JV), undertakes measures to meet […]
Stop politicising rights enshrined in constitution: Sultan Azlan
KUALA KANGSAR, 5 Nov 2008: The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, has called on the people to think rationally and to stop politicising the position and eminence of the Malay rulers, Islam, Malay as the national language, special position of the Malays and genuine interests of other communities, which are enshrined in the Federal […]
