Chan Lilian, a Penang chief minister media department staff, wrote in her Twitter account on June 29: “i think all Christians shud march for all the persecution they had done to us and our Lord”. Blog House Malaysia secretary Tony Yew made a police report so that the authorities could “charge [Lilian] for seditious … Read more
To Pak Sako: I refer to the article ‘Debunking the Bersih 2.0 Critics’ in the Centre for Policy Initiatives website (July 4, 2011). Kindly note that I am pro-Bersih; meaning I am for the constant and consistent cleaning up of the electoral process and system. Just because I do not subscribe to the manner … Read more
It is now eight days since 31 Parti Sosialis Malaysia activists were arrested by the police on a mind-blowing allegation of collecting men and weapons to wage war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. From the outside we have been fighting a seemingly impossible battle to free our comrades from the clutches of the oppressive system that … Read more
We, the undersigned academicians, wish to express our concern at the deepening political crisis in the country. It is unfortunate that such a crisis is emerging out of a legitimate campaign, initiated by a large number of non-governmental organizations, to institute reforms through their campaign, Bersih, to ensure the conduct of truly free and … Read more
A number of political commentators have criticised Bersih 2.0 in the news media and blogs. Among these critics are Chandra Muzaffar, Anas Zubedy, Ahirudin Attan (Rocky’s Bru) and Mahathir Mohamad. Their comments would have been welcome if they were honest and holistic assessments of Bersih 2.0. It would have been nice to see the use … Read more
M’sia’s electoral system: Govt of the people? (3) By Tey Tsun Hang (Parts 2 & 3 of this article appeared on July 2-3. Summary: The major issues constraining the Malaysian electoral system include mal-apportionment where disproportionately-sized constituencies foils the one-vote-one-value principle, gerrymandering as well as manipulation of the electoral rolls. Much has to be done … Read more
M’sia’s electoral system: Govt of the people? (2) By Tey Tsun Hang (Part 1 of this article appeared yesterday. Summary: The growth of the dominant political elite has had direct implications for the development of Malaysia’s electoral regime and arrangements for the holding of democratic elections. The perceived inefficiency of the Election Commission in administering … Read more
Foreword by CPI The upcoming Bersih 2.0 rally is being closely followed not only in the country but also all over the region. As the official case relating to the need for abandonment or cancellation of the march is aggressively pursued in the print media, it is even more important for the public to have … Read more
Amidst the frenzy of draconian measures to prevent the July 9 Bersih rally from taking place, many Malaysians have begun to wonder: Has Malaysia descended into a state of lawlessness? No sooner had Home Minister declared that wearing the yellow Bersih T-shirt is illegal, the Inspector General of Police ups the ante by announcing that … Read more
Introduction by CPI Although this rebuttal to an open letter has been posed elsewhere, we feel it deserves wider public attention. This is because the subject matter with which the two letters deal, and the opinions expressed are representative of the divergent perspectives among the Malay and non-Malay elite regarding the rights of the … Read more