I am honoured to be asked to deliver the keynote speech at Bloggers Universe Malaysia 2011. I attended the first one – BUM 2007 and have spoken at one or two other BUM events. I was asked to arrange for Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to speak at the BUM event last year. Some of … Read more
In Malaysia, bloggers have been engaged in a battle to correct the spinning and political bias which has become part of the normal business and deep culture of the media. Since Independence, the majority of the media has been a willing partner in the Barisan Nasional’s one overriding pursuit: that of self-promotion, self aggrandizement … Read more
On 7 June I was invited to meet with a Kairos group to discuss issues relating to the Malaysian national history curriculum. As an outsider to this country I would of course not want to make public comment on these issues, but was happy to exchange thoughts with a group of friends. I was surprised … Read more
Comment by CPI The Malaysian Insider yesterday (June 8) carried the rather arresting headline ‘Use Interlok as model for history textbooks, says historian’. The article reported a suggestion by Prof. Anthony Milner for Interlok to be used as a model for history textbooks. The reasons given are that the novel is “wonderfully inclusive” and “sympathetic” … Read more
Bloggers Universe Malaysia (BUM) is belatedly commemorating World Press Freedom Day with a forum by popular speakers. The ‘Bloggers’ solidarity with the press?’ will feature: Cheam Toon Lee – former editor-in-chief who had served in Sabah/Sarawak, Zunar as Malaysiakini cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque is better known, Ambiga Sreenevasan – Bersih 2.0 chairperson and ex-Bar Council … Read more
Most Malaysians – including members of the specially appointed government committee to review the history curriculum – may not be aware of the deep roots of the current controversy on the narrow religious and ethno-nationalistic approach that has come to dominate history education in the country. The following essay provides information on two studies that … Read more