THE recent announcement by Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam that Muslim children in the state will be allowed to marry just boggles the mind. According to Ali Rustam, who is also Malacca Islamic Religious Council chairperson, allowing child marriages will help curb teenage pregnancy and baby dumping, and prevent pregnant teenagers from […]
policy
Class vs ethnic politics
IT would be a mistake to think that Datuk Ibrahim Ali is a true champion of the Malay Malaysian poor. But it would be equally silly to think that the Malay Malaysian poor do not support or sympathise with his call. After all, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR)’s failure to increase support in Malay Malaysian rural […]
The mess of poor town planning
MY previous columns on town planning focused on how the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) did not provide for legally-required green spaces when approving development for the city. Admittedly though, the loss of recreational parks isn’t so big a deal for urbanites since development brings with it the increased potential for economic growth. In fact, […]
Are the police shooting to kill?
Norizan Salleh (file pic) POLICE-shooting victim Norizan Salleh never imagined she would ever be shot at. She describes how she felt lying on a highway near Gombak on 30 Oct 2009 after being shot five times by the police while on her way home: “I kept asking myself, ‘Betul ke, saya kena tembak? Is this […]
Disability, sensitivity, and equality
Karpal SinghTHERE was one awkward moment when I interviewed DAP national chairman Karpal Singh on 20 Jan 2010. He had not printed out the list of questions I had sent in advance, and wanted to see my list on a paper in front of me. He asked me to slide the paper across the table […]
Do subsidies work?
Petrol prices are going up in MalaysiaON 4 June 2008, the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government announced a 40.6% petrol price increase effective at midnight. Pump price went from RM1.92 to RM2.70 per litre. Barely a week later, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) federal opposition launched its Protes campaign. Then PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa promised […]
The politics of sugar
“Boss, limau ais kosong, satu” (© Brian Lary / sxc.hu)NEXT year, the government will possibly abolish the sugar subsidy. I’m personally all for that. For many years now, I’ve learnt to enjoy food and beverages without adding (or at least reducing the amount of) sugar. “Boss” at the mamak stall at first raised his eyebrows […]
Reaching common ground
PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng PAKATAN Rakyat (PR)’s common policy to be unveiled this Saturday on 19 Dec 2009 appears to have reached some compromise on the divisive issue of PAS‘s goal for an Islamic state. Clearly, PAS […]
Believing Anwar
“Enough is enough. You either toe the line, support the reform agenda, commit yourself to Pakatan and work together as a multi-ethnic, multi-religious entity or you leave or be kicked out. There are no two ways about it.” Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim issues a stern warning to party […]
What’s the policy, please?
THE following are my observations on local council matters. The views are entirely my own. They may not reflect the actual policy that a local council would adopt, as policies are determined collectively and not by any one individual. Due process On 9 Oct 2009, The Star reported on a minor landslip in Puchong, supposedly […]
