Are vernacular schools standing in the way of national unity? (© Sigurd Decroos / sxc.hu) AGAIN, the issue of abolishing vernacular schools in favour of a single stream system has been raised. As before, the argument is that this will inculcate national unity. Single stream advocates say the only way the different races can learn […]
Unity
Unity needs empathy
By Deborah LohRACE and 1Malaysia have occupied my thoughts in the last few weeks. It can’t be helped, given the articles I’ve had to write on both subjects of late. I’ve almost reached saturation point listening to people debate the meaning of 1Malaysia. Last Friday, 24 July, I attended a forum where a small group of academics, […]
1Malaysia according to Tamu
By Claire Brownell and Deborah Loh1Malaysia. There are merits to the philosophy behind it — after all, who doesn’t wish for national unity, and for genuine respect and fair treatment between all groups in Malaysia. The latest poll by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research showed that while 76% of the public surveyed knew of 1Malaysia, 39% of respondents said […]
Umno Youth lauds PAS Youth’s “courage” (Updated)
By Shanon ShahUpdated 6.25pm on 1 July 2009 KUALA LUMPUR, 1 July 2009: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin today lauded what he called PAS Youth’s “courage” in inviting Umno Youth to an “intellectual discourse”. “PAS Youth has shown that they are brave enough to defy, if you like, the decision of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leadership which […]
“PR needs to formalise its coalition”
By Shanon ShahPETALING JAYA, 25 June 2009: Pakatan Rakyat needs to, among others, form a shadow cabinet in order for Malaysia to start having a two-party system, a political scientist said. Monash University Sunway Campus’s Prof Dr James Chin said Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had to first formalise itself as a coalition before talk about Malaysia having a […]
PR rejects unity govt with BN
By Zedeck SiewKUALA LUMPUR, 22 June 2009: The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Council of Leaders has unanimously rejected the idea of a unity government with Barisan Nasional (BN). “All the component parties of PR reiterate their commitment to each other and to strengthen the coalition in order to help form the future federal government,” Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar […]
PAS Muslimat oppose unity govt (Updated 5.40pm)
By Zedeck SiewUpdated 5.40pm on 18 June 2009 KUALA LUMPUR, 18 June 2009: PAS’s women’s wing today slammed suggestions of a unity government between PAS and the Barisan Nasional (BN), a day after the party’s spiritual leader explicitly opposed the idea. “We urge all PAS leaders not to make new statements or suggestions that fall outside the […]
Nasharuddin: Nizar did not brief party
By Zedeck SiewKUALA LUMPUR, 16 June 2009: PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa has refuted reports that top party leaders did not support Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin‘s actions in Parliament yesterday that led to his suspension. “I didn’t say that I was distancing myself [from Nizar]. But how he wanted to do it, [we were] not briefed,” […]
Unity through division
By Yow Hong ChiehWE need more division in Malaysian society. We need it to foster oneness. It may be pessimistic to think that the goal of inter-ethnic harmony will never be achieved otherwise but the fact is, large-scale relations in our society are still organised exclusively along communal lines. One need only look to the proposed “unity” talks […]
MIC to meet Indian Malaysian-based parties
PUTRAJAYA, 10 June 2009: MIC, the country’s largest Indian Malaysian-based political party, will meet and hold discussions with other Indian Malaysian-based parties in the country. However, the move was not to merge with them but to work with the parties on a long-term basis in a win-win situation, said MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy […]
