GIVEN the public opposition against Lynas Corporation‘s proposed rare earth processing plant in Pahang, it is timely to revisit the due process that is supposed to govern the inception of such projects. How did the public come to know about the project so late after federal approval had already been given for it? Can public […]
Sonia Randhawa
Syabas concession agreements: Why so secret?
Holding Court by Ding Jo-Ann
THE federal government has prevailed yet again in keeping secrets from the Malaysian public. On 25 Feb 2011, the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court decision compelling the disclosure of an audit report and a 2004 water concession agreement. How are the audit report and the agreement significant? And why did the Court of […]
The impossibility of policing the web
By Sonia Randhawa
The endless distractions on Facebook are the bane of my working life. As a freelance consultant, I need discipline and a strict schedule to meet tight deadlines. But then a friend from university announces his baby is having problems feeding, and so I stop my work to suggest strategies for feeding babies. Or to respond […]
What’s missing in Selangor’s FOI law
Guest Column by Sonia Randhawa
EVEN as the Selangor government is being lauded for introducing freedom of information (FOI) legislation in the state, much is lacking in the Pakatan Rakyat-led government’s enactment. Indeed, the Selangor government may be shortchanging citizens in the state with its version of FOI. There are two reasons why access to information is a vital right […]
The arbitrariness of the Sedition Act
By Sonia RandhawaLim Guan EngTHE roll call of those who’ve been prosecuted or investigated for sedition in Malaysia is an illustrious one. Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh, Zulkifli Sulong, and, of course, Malaysiakini. With his arrest and possible prosecution, Wong Chin Huat entered into august company. A cursory glance through the major cases over the […]
