Thursday 10 Oct 2013, marks 300 days of the disappearance of Sombath Somphone, one of Lao PDR’s most prominent activists. Sombath is a long-time and good friend. In the late 1970s, he and I were part of a small group of human rights activists and social critics from the Southeast Asian region who met regularly … Read more
Hardly three years after the World Bank used Malaysian government figures to underline in Kota Kinabalu in Dec 2010 that Sabah and Sarawak were the poorest states in Malaysia, “I am Malay First” Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin turned up in the Sabah capital on Mon 30 Sept and declared that “Malaysia has … Read more
If there’s one central theme emerging from an International Forum on Malaysia in Kota Kinabalu the Sabah capital on Saturday (Oct 5), it was that Sabah and Sarawak’s 50 years in Malaysia – 1963 to 2013 – has been plagued by more than its fair share of bad politics. The gathering ‘International Forum 2013 Malaysia … Read more
The passing of Chin Peng in Bangkok on 16 September 2013 brings to an end one of the longest of Asian political biographies. Chin Peng became the Secretary General and effective leader of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP), the country’s oldest political party, in 1947 when he was only 22. He retained that position … Read more
The Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the NGOs and lawyers should not question the government’s good intentions and gave an assurance that the revised Prevention of Crime Act (PCA) will only be directed at criminals. The amendments to the PCA seek preventive detention as a provision to give the crime-beating intent of the amendment … Read more
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak recently announced an allocation of RM31 billion to empower Bumiputeras – the country’s indigenous citizens, mainly ethnic Malays – and enhance their status in equity and asset ownership. His generous provision of more funds to expand the Bumiputera share of the Malaysian economy was warmly welcomed by most Bumiputeras, especially … Read more
In the last few weeks, with the chorus of chest-beating messages on the need for greater entrenchment of Malay rights and privileges growing stronger ahead of the coming Umno general assembly, there have emerged two Malay leaders who are willing to go against the chauvinistic tide to provide a different analysis of what is wrong … Read more
CPI Introduction During the last few weeks the attention of the world has been riveted on the possible use of chemical weapons by the Assad government in Syria. Although this charge has not been proven – some analysts argue that it is without foundation – it is understandable why there is so much odium against … Read more
At a time not too far distant, Lee Kuan Yew, the font of all authority, legitimacy, orthodoxy and indeed fear in Singapore for over 50 years will no longer be with us. It is thus perhaps appropriate to begin discussing what the absence of Lee Kuan Yew will mean for the Singaporean republic. With … Read more
Kepada: Pihak yang berkenaan 16 September 2013 Krisis: klinik-klinik kesihatan sudah habis ubat Klinik-klinik kesihatan di Negeri Sembilan menghadapi kehabisan dan kekurangan stok tiga puluh (30) jenis ubat-ubat yang asas dan penting. Ubat-ubat ini digunakan untuk merawat: • darah tinggi • kencing manis • asma • kekurangan zat besi dalam wanita hamil • sawan • … Read more