THE problem with the Administration of the Religion of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill 2013 wasn’t just that it was “unfair” to non-Muslims or controversial. The reason it has no place in Malaysia is that the bill entrenches inequalities and does so in the name of Islam.
Shape of a Pocket
BN’s challenge of legitimacy
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
FROM the arrest of Opposition politicians and activists to heightened ethnocentrism and threats of violence to the excommunication of Malay critics, the BN seems to be on overdrive. And with its legitimacy in the balance, we can expect far more threats and repression for a while yet.
Voting out the wrong government
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
DEMOCRACY cannot guarantee that you vote in the right government, but it guarantees that you can vote out the wrong government. Jacqueline Ann Surin explains how we can tell when it’s the wrong government in power.
The promise of political violence
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
THE Barisan Nasional government has been making a lot of promises as a decisive general election looms. Of all the promises the Umno-led coalition has made, which should citizens be most concerned about?
The problem with Malay unity
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
One of the exhortations to Malay Malaysian voters as the general election looms is to vote the party that will ensure Malay and Muslim unity. When politicians, academics and royalty start to promote Malay and Muslim unity, are they peddling an ideal for the nation or a dangerous myth for the masses?
Pluralism: The new bogey
THERE is a new threat against Muslims in Malaysia and its name is pluralism. But just what kind of threat does pluralism pose to Malaysian Muslims? And what are other nations, which also experience cultural and religious diversity, doing about pluralism that we may learn from them?
Voting for an “Islamic state”
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
According to MCA, a vote for DAP equals a vote for PAS equals a vote for an Islamic state and hudud. Is there truth to any of the charges and predictions MCA is making? And are they being completely honest about what the Umno-led Barisan Nasional itself has been responsible for?
Promoting Malaysian mediocrity
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
What really is all the fuss over the theme, logo and song lyrics of our upcoming Merdeka celebrations? Is it really a case of political manoeuvrings by the Barisan Nasional (BN)? Or poor judgement by the government of the day? Or both? Or does it say something more about what the current federal leadership promotes?
The perils of being Muslim in Malaysia
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
Muslims constitute the majority of the Malaysian population and the country’s top leadership. Still, just how safe is it to be a Muslim in Malaysia? And can Muslims trust that their rights will be protected and upheld by a public administration that increasingly says it wants to uphold Islamic values and teachings?
Who says the EC is independent?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
FRANKLY, I wasn’t surprised at all when it was reported in late April that both the Election Commission (EC) chairperson and deputy chairperson were Umno members. Even without evidence of party membership and despite the EC deputy chairperson’s subsequent U-turn and denial, it would not be a stretch to imagine both the chairperson and his […]
