Media Monitor – Page 6

Farish Noor on Lesson in Pas history: M’sian public doesn’t like extremists

June 13, 2009 by johnlee_my

http://www.aliran.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=934:another-lesson-in-pas-history-malaysian-public-doesnt-like-extremists&catid=76:2009&Itemid=40

Published by Aliran

June 10, 2009

A quick re-visit of Pas’ history from the 1980s to the present will show that the Malaysian public has never had much appetite for violent, extreme and exclusive political discourse and behaviour, be it from Pas or Umno, observes Farish Noor.

The repercussions of the somewhat clumsy attempt by some sections of Pas to call for the investigation, and possibly banning, of the Muslim women’s rights group Sisters in Islam are still being felt today. Many questions have arisen in the wake of the proposal that was passed without debate at the recent Pas general assembly: How and why was the proposal passed as one of the ‘non-debated proposals’ in the first place? Why was it not vetted properly and why was it tabled at all? What does this say about the Pas’ internal cohesion and internal discipline? Does this proposal reflect just a faction of opinion among PAS members, or is it actually representative of the party as a whole? And what does this mean with regards to Pas’ avowed claims to be a modern party that supports the democratisation process and dialogue with others?

Singapore’s Lesson: Buy High, Sell Low

May 27, 2009 by johnlee_my

Our editorial policy in CPI is generally to focus on policy developments in Malaysia. Occasionally, we depart from this norm when there is a commentary – although written for another country – which touches on an issue that is also pertinent to Malaysia and that holds lessons for our policy makers and the public at large.

The key lesson to learn from the Singapore lesson below is the need for transparency and opaqueness in all our public institutions and freedom of public access to all official records, especially those pertaining to financial transactions undertaken with public funds.

After reading the article below, we hope that readers will share our view on the need to fully support the various measures being undertaken in the country, notably the move by the Selangor State Government, to enact a Freedom of Information Act.

Malaysian Police Crackdown

May 27, 2009 by johnlee_my

Monday, 25 May 2009

A weakened Prime Minister Najib seeks to quell dissent – moderately

After little more eight weeks in power, the Malaysian government headed by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has started to come down hard on protesters and the opposition, going so far as to order police to raid the opposition Democratic Action Party headquarters Friday without a warrant. It appears to be the first such raid, as far as can be determined, on an opposition party headquarters in the country’s history.

Following his April 3 anointment as prime minister, Najib at first publicly pledged cooperation with the always-tense minority Chinese and Indian communities, freeing several protesters from detention under the country’s stiff Internal Security Act, which allows for what in effect is indeterminate detention without writ of habeas corpus. He and his wife, Rosmah, made public appearances at minority community affairs.

Media under the spotlight (III)

May 4, 2009 by johnlee_my

CPI continues its series to mark World Press Freedom Day with a hard-hitting review of the media scene by journalist-blogger Sdr Oon Yeoh at the dawn of freshly-minted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s leadership as the nation’s CEO, and a selection of articles showing something’s brewing in the Malaysian MSM and Blogosphere. If you have to ask what MSM stands for, then you should make an effort to attend BUM2009! ~~ Editor, CPI

N.H. Chan: An inconvenient judge

April 30, 2009 by johnlee_my

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/24996-nh-chan-an-inconvenient-judge

IPOH, April 30 — Chan Nyarn Hoi lives in a modest two-storey semi-detached house in a quiet lane near the state stadium in Perak with his wife, a dog and seven large Japanese carp.

At 74 years old and with ruddy smooth cheeks under a full head of snowy white hair, few would connect him to the acerbic, no-nonsense former judge Datuk N.H. Chan, who has in the last couple of months done the unthinkable: fire away missives at judges who have trampled on the Federal Constitution in deciding issues related to the power grab in Perak. His lengthy articles have reminded Malaysians of a time gone by when towering individuals sat on the Bench and simplified the Perak constitutional crisis for the common man.

Consolidated post on current inter-faith issues

April 25, 2009 by johnlee_my

CPI collates from various Media sources reports and commentaries on some current Inter-faith issues. It is important that Malaysians, while urged by the Government to follow the Rukunegara’s first precept of “Belief in God”, the citizenry comprising different faiths and ethnic origins and religious traditions, are truly empowered to practice in word and deed their beliefs in a parliamentary democratic system headed by a Monarch that has been adopted by Malaysia on gaining Independence some 52 years ago. It’s also CPI’s wishes that readers to our site are encouraged to discuss inter-faith issues in a rational manner with an open mind with mutual respect for other points of view. — YL Chong, Editor, CPI

In Singapore, a More Progressive Islamic Education

April 24, 2009 by johnlee_my

April 23, 2009

SINGAPORE — After starting the day with prayers and songs in honor of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, the students at the Madrasa Al Irsyad Al Islamiah here in Singapore turned to the secular. An all-girls chemistry class grappled with compounds and acids while other students focused on English, math and other subjects from the national curriculum.

Teachers exhorted their students to ask questions. Some, true to the school’s embrace of new technology, gauged their students’ comprehension with individual polling devices.

When justice is not administered according to law

April 16, 2009 by johnlee_my

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/breaking-views/23485-when-justice-is-not-administered-according-to-law–nh-chan

Published by The Malaysian Insider

APRIL 16 — The story unfolds with the application of three turncoat members of the Perak Legislative Assembly for a declaration that Speaker V. Sivakumar’s order, which was made in the Legislative Assembly, that their seats in the Assembly have become vacant because they have resigned was illegal. Here is the report from theSun newspaper, Thursday, April 2, 2009:

IPOH: The High Court yesterday dismissed the application by Perak State Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar to strike out an original summons brought by the three independent assemblymen, seeking a declaration that Sivakumar’s order to declare their assembly seats vacant was illegal.

Letter sighted in the NST

April 10, 2009 by johnlee_my

PM’s message welcomed, but calls to free the media continue

April 9, 2009 by johnlee_my

http://sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=31988

PETALING JAYA (April 7, 2009) : Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s encouragement for “open, vigorous and informed debate and dialogues, and reporting without fear of consequences??? by the media was welcomed by various quarters, yet with strong calls for “action first???.

Urging the government to review the various media laws fencing the media operations in the country, the National Union of Journalist (NUJ) president Norilla Daud said Najib had made a very good point by encouraging more skeptical and critical reporting.