SHE is a law graduate and co-owns a clothes boutique. But Yunalis Zarai, who is more popularly recognised as just Yuna, is better known as the current darling of Malaysia’s independent music scene. The 24-year-old began writing her own songs when she was 14 and has not looked back since. After releasing her self-titled EP […]
royalty
Hindus first, before becoming Muslim
BEFORE Senator Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim became a politician, he was far better known as a Malaysian champion of transparency, integrity and good governance. Indeed, it was no coincidence that Tunku Aziz, together with like-minded individuals, founded Transparency International Malaysia (TI-Malaysia) in 1998. He was TI-Malaysia president until December 2004. Even after setting up TI-Malaysia, […]
Road to an absolute monarchy?
Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria, one of the judges on the Perak menteri besar caseREMEMBER these names: Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff, Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria, Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin, Datuk Mohd Ghazali Mohd Yusoff and Datuk Abdull Hamid Embong. They have fundamentally transformed the nature and prospects of the Malaysian state with their 9 Feb […]
Malay rights, Islam and royalty
(Ahmad Ismail pic courtesy of Oriental Daily) HARDLY a year goes by in Malaysia without some kind of public dispute involving race and religion. The issue for 2010: “Allah“. 2009: Cow-head protesters and Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno‘s whipping sentence. 2008: Datuk Ahmad Ismail and his “pendatang” slurs against non-Malay Malaysians. 2007: Lina Joy‘s contentious conversion […]
Questioning the monarchy
Construction site for the new Istana Negara (© Rachel Leow) IF you drive down Jalan Duta in Kuala Lumpur today, along the road that runs from the Sri Hartamas housing estate to the foot of the majestic Masjid Kuala Lumpur, most of the journey will be flanked on your right by a large temporary wall. […]
Penang receives reports on quarry issue
PENANG, 22 April 2009: The Penang government today received investigation reports on Seberang Perai Tengah’s three quarry companies allegedly involved in under-declaration of royalty. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng received the reports from state agriculture and agro-based industry, rural and flood mitigation committee chairperson Law Choo Kiang, who led the investigation team. Lim said, however, […]
Ibrahim Ali wants parliamentary immunity revoked
KUALA LUMPUR, 11 March 2009: Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Ind-Pasir Mas) today called for parliamentary immunity to be revoked to make Members of Parliament (MPs) take responsibility and be accountable for what they say in the Dewan Rakyat. He said this was because the persons on the receiving end of statements made in Parliament did not […]
Debate on royalty suppressed
(Pic by hinks / sxc.hu) POLICE reports, bullets in the mail, angry protests and police interrogations. These are threats that have been expressed and carried out against individuals who have commented and criticised the monarchical heads in Malaysia. The monarchy appears to have garnered more media attention as newsmakers and opinion leaders in the last […]
Reinterpreting “raja”
IN the wee hours of 9 March 2008, I waited until 3am before leaving my office, just to confirm that Perak had really got rid of its old regime. I also wanted to make sure that Malaysians would wake up embracing a new Malaysia where, joining Kelantan, four states would have gone through the political […]
Youths need avenue to express on Perak
KUALA LUMPUR, 20 Feb 2009: Youths who want to express their anger and frustration on the political crisis in Perak should be given room to do so but under watchful eyes so not to disturb the peace, said Barisan Nasional (BN) Youth chairperson Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. Hishammuddin, who is also Umno Youth chief and […]
