DATIN Paduka Marina Mahathir is a renowned and often controversial Malaysian activist, writer, and commentator. She has worked in a variety of fields, from heading the Malaysian AIDS Council, to kicking off the successful feminist television programme 3R, to holding a bi-weekly column in The Star. She is currently a board member for Muslim women’s […]
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Harmonious spiritual practices in Malaysia
Compiled by Koh Lay ChinTHERE is much beauty and commonality in the diverse religious traditions that Malaysians devote themselves to. Iranian photojournalist Nafise Motlaq captures this in her book A Given Path: Harmonious Spiritual Practices in Malaysia. Nafise, who has been living in Malaysia since 2005 and is currently a PhD student at a local university, offers more than […]
Found in Malaysia book launch
Compiled by Koh Lay ChinWHAT better day to unveil The Nut Graph‘s Found in Malaysia book than on Malaysia Day on 16 Sept 2010 last week. The book is after all, a compilation of interviews with prominent Malaysians of different lineage on what their Malaysian identity means. Found in Malaysia, published by ZI Publications and now available in good […]
A Ramadan reflection: Who do we fast for?
Ventings By Marina MahathirIT so happened that this Ramadan I had to take an 18-hour flight to Vancouver to attend the wedding of a close friend’s only daughter. I wouldn’t normally choose to travel during Ramadan but it was a rare opportunity to see my friend’s happiness as she saw her daughter married off. I did tell a […]
Revolutionising education
By The Nut GraphON 25 July 2010, The Nut Graph and three experts grappled with what needs to be done to restore our public education through the forum Found in Conversation: Creativity and Innovation in Education. On the panel were educator and dancer-choreographer Datin Marion D’Cruz, 3R executive producer and social commentator Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, and Learning […]
“Remove the politicians from education”
By Deborah LohVARIOUS concerns about Malaysia’s education system emerged from the The Nut Graph‘s latest forum, Found in Conversation: Creativity and Innovation in Education. But they all centred on a key and not unfamiliar complaint: that education is too politicised. Whether concerns were about the curriculum, the lack of critical thinking, obsession with scoring As, lack of […]
Revolutionising Malaysian education
By Ding Jo-AnnTHE Nut Graph held its second Found in Conversation event titled Creativity and Innovation in Education on 25 July 2010 in Kuala Lumpur. Panelists comprised educator and dancer-choreographer Datin Marion D’Cruz, 3R executive producer and social commentator Datin Marina Mahathir, and Learning Beyond Schooling founder KV Soon, who is a proponent of homeschooling. About 40 […]
Getting emotional about Palestine
Ventings by Marina MahathirON whichever side we may be on, it seems almost impossible not to be emotional about the Palestinian issue. The sources of these emotions may vary, from identification either with the Palestinian or Israeli side, or simply from the sheer frustration at the unjustness of the situation. What’s clear is that amidst the emotion, there is a lot of fuzziness about the real issues, and much inconsistency on principles.
How 3R changed Malaysian TV
By Marina MahathirSOMETIMES the best ideas start with simple conversations. I was worried about the numbers of women becoming infected with HIV and was trying to think of a way to educate them about the virus. I was also conscious that education alone was not enough; women who became infected were invariably women who had no rights […]
The price of speaking up
By Jacqueline Ann Surin(Pic by circo de invierno @ Flickr) CONSIDER this. Despite the available evidence of Al Islam‘s unethical undercover report in which the magazine’s Muslim journalist spat out the holy communion to photograph, no action is going to be taken. The Attorney-General’s Chambers decided this despite the police reports and a memorandum lodged by Catholics about […]