LATEST ISSUES
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Ampang
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Pandan Jaya
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Sentul
Kelana Jaya – Terminal Putra
Kelana Jaya
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Taman Jaya
Universiti
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Taman Melati
Sri Petaling
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Tmn Maluri,
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Mahkota Cheras)
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Damansara, Rawang, Bukit Tinggi,
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Morning Wet Markets
(Saturday morning)
Jalan SS2/62
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EVENTS
Puppy Training School
Want your dog to behave well in public and at home, sit quietly when told to and know who’s boss? Well, wait no longer and sign up for the six-week puppy training course conducted at Jaya One. From 8.30am to 9.30am for six Sundays in a row, puppies aged no more than 10 weeks and less than 20 weeks will undergo the training together with its owner. Among things you will be taught are how to control your puppy with your voice and body languages. For dates of next class, call 012-3173110 or email trainers@PuppyTraining.My.
Toastmasters Meeting
Open University Malaysia (OUM) Toastmasters Club will be organising a meeting on April 13 at 3pm. Join them at the Theaterette, Block B Area A, OUM Jalan Tun Ismail Kuala Lumpur to improve public speaking skills. Everyone is welcome and admission is free. For more information call 012-2102977 (Arnie) or 012-9193190/03-27732760 (Nazrai).
Composting Class
Centre for Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia (CETDEM) is a non-profit organisation which will be organising a composting class on April 14 from 9.30am to 11.30am. Come learn how to turn your kitchen waste into compost at the CETDEM organic farming community centre at No 29, Jalan 19/15 Petaling Jaya. For more information call 03-78757767, 016-219 5826 or visit www.facebook.com/cetdem.org.my or www.cetdem.org.my.
Sunway Property Show
The Sunway Property Show 2013 is back with the latest and hottest Sunway properties, exciting offers and exclusive financial packages for everyone. From April 12-14, 10am to 10pm at the LG2, Blue Concourse Sunway Pyramid shopping mall, the show will feature Sunway’s newest properties in the Klang Valley, Ipoh, Penang and Iskandar Malaysia. Also present will be Feng Shui master Joey Yao who will give a talk titled ‘Water Feng Shui for Wealth’. Also stand a chance to win a 6-day, 4-night trip to Korea. For more information visit www.sunwayproperty.com.
Mt Kinabalu Charity Climb
Shelter Home will be organising their annual four-day, three-night Mt Kinabalu charity climb again from May 29 until June 1. This climb is open to both Malaysians and foreigners and needed is a photocopy of passport or identity card for registration. Registration fee for Malaysians is RM2,010 per adult package and for foreigners it is RM2,110 per adult package. Funds raised during the climb will be channeled towards the education, healthcare and protection of abused and abandoned children in the home. They are seeking about 40 climbers so do register soon. For more information or registration call 03-79550663, 012-2574305 (Edwin), 016-2713069 (Roland) or visit www.shelterhome.org.
Men In Tutus
‘Men in Tutus’ by Les Ballets Eloelle, an all-male comedy ballet, will be performed here in Malaysia in June. Come have a good laugh while watching the classical and contemporary ballet unravel on stage on June 2 at KL Live, June 6-9 at PJ Live Arts (part of Laugh Fest) and again on June 18-23 at PJ Live Arts. For more show times and details visit www.gardnerANDwife.com or call 03-22731398.
Health Talk
Yayasan Kebajikan SSL Strok will be organising a health talk titled ‘Enjoy Sports Without Injuries’ on April 13 from 8.30am to 1pm at the SSL Puchong Dialysis & Stroke Rehabilitation Centre. This talk is aimed at addressing the many different types of injuries, the importance of prevention of injuries and what physiotherapy treatment can help for sports injuries. There will also be a free health screening, including blood pressure, body mass index and musculoskeletal assessments. Pre-registration for health screening is required. Those interested should call 03-58829181 (Michelle) to register.
Lord Bobo
MCMC Unfrees Malaysia Today, and Elections Yay!
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey. Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
10 reasons to vote
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey. Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
No apologies, craving burgers and steaks
IS Shahrizat right to say she has nothing to apologise for? (Hardest Word, via email)
Excitement of the Malaysian Bar AGM and patriotism
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey. Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
Sultan’s absolute power, and PR’s manifesto
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
True Malaysians and the lowdown on Lahad Datu
Ask Lord Bobo is a weekly column by LoyarBurok (www.loyarburok.com) where all your profound, abstruse, erudite, hermetic, recondite, sagacious, and other thaesaurus-described queries are answered!
This is what democracy means
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
Smartphones and dumb politicians
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
#KL112 – Well done, PDRM
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
Rally or riot, and Ubah Rocket Style!
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
Show me your assets!
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
Hudud, Rosmah and Bumi conditions
Dear Lord Bobo – on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “definitely not” and 10 being “definitely yes” – how likely do you think it is that hudud will be implemented nationwide if Pakatan Rakyat and PAS come to power? (Unisex Hair Salon, via email)
Lynas, Bung-isms, and media bias
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Libera vi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
Asean Declaration (or Limitation?) of Human Rights
LORD Bobo, does the signing of the Asean Declaration of Human Rights recently mean that the fight for human rights in Malaysia is over, and Lord Bobo has won? What does LoyarBurok plan to do now? Tech reviews? (Right to Fight, via email)
Of frogs, rats and anti-hopping law
Lord Bobo, what do you think of Penang’s new anti-hopping law? Is it constitutional? (Ribbit, via email)
UN Award for Bar and More Merchandise?
L ord Bobo. What is the United Nations Malaysia Award and why the heck did the meddlesome Bar Council get it? (Perkasasourkana, by email)
Of companies and going bankrupt
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Libera vi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
Malaysiakini 1 Irrational Home Minister 0
Dear Lord Bobo, I read that Malaysiakini won a court case and they can now publish a newspaper. Why is this important? How come Selangor Times has no problem? And what’s the big deal – who reads print anymore, anyway? News Junkie, via email
Dead grateful to your government?
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Libera vi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
Shamelessly amateurish government propaganda
Dear Lord Bobo, what is the fuss about NGOs in Malaysia receiving funds from foundations like the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and Open Society Institute (OSI)? I love my country. Is it true that these NGOs are planning to overthrow our government? (Jaguh Kampung, via email)
Strip searching the Home Minister and Police
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing asklordbobo@loyarburok.com, stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Libera vi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
Crimes of photo-stomping and plagiarism
Dear Lord Bobo, I read that the 19-year old girl who surrendered herself to Johor police after she stepped on a photo of the prime minister was handcuffed. This seems harsh. However, KL police chief DCP Datuk Mohmad Salleh says police were just following the Criminal Procedure Code. Is this correct? Shackled, via email
Smart people entering politics, and Lord Bobo on Earth
Ask Lord Bobo is a weekly column by LoyarBurok (www.loyarburok.com) where all your profound, abstruse, erudite, hermetic, recondite, sagacious, and other thaesaurus-described queries are answered!
#Stop114A #Yes114A and banning books
Strange Olympics, Selective Prosecution
Dear Lord Bobo, what do you think of this human event called the Olympics? Go for Gold, via email
Who’s in charge after Parliament is dissolved?
Dear Lord Bobo, last week you said Parliament would automatically dissolve five years from the date of its first meeting, an election would have to be held 60 days after that, and Parliament must reconvene within 120 days of dissolution. But who would be the government of the country during that time? And who is supposed to conduct the election? What if the EC does not do its job? Indelible Human, via email
Seeking public opinion doesn’t mean better laws
Dear Lord Bobo, I read that government departments and agencies must now seek public opinion before proposing draft amendments to existing laws or introducing new Bills. Does this mean that we will now get better laws? I Didn’t Shoot the Deputy, via email
Commissioning oaths and complaining about lawyers
Lord Bobo, what is a “commissioner for oaths”? It sounds very grand but I understand that all they do is sign photocopies of documents to make them certified true copies. What else do these commissioners do? I’m considering my career options, and looking for a career involving monotonous tasks that I can attend to in between writing poetry, and bring in a steady income stream. Walt Whitman, via email
German footballers, obsolete lawyers, and crime perception
Dear Lord Bobo, what is it about Germans that they always seem to do well in international football tournaments? It’s genetics, isn’t it? What chance does Malaysia have? PK, via email
Football Fever MCs, and Election Date Prediction!
Dear Lord Bobo, I head the Human Resources Department at the Malaysian office of a multinational company. I’ve been instructed by the Regional Head to clamp down on people who slack on their work due to watching too much football now that the European Championships are on. Whilst I understand that our offices in Europe and Hong Kong have issued warning notices and the like, is this possible in Malaysia? Any practical advice would be greatly appreciated. Bad Cop, via email
Campaigning for Robots
Dear Lord Bobo, by law, what is the campaigning period in the lead-up to the General Elections? SK Chan, via email
Sacked for attending Bersih rally?
I went to Bersih 3.0. But my boss saw my photo on Facebook and was very upset, as many of our clients are affiliated to the current Government. He called a department meeting and warned all of us that we cannot take part in such rallies in future, and says he is considering sacking me if we lose any clients over the next couple of months. I cannot afford to lose my job, as I have a family to support. Can he lawfully sack me? A Worker, via email
Of lawyers, protests and burgers
So Lord Bobo. Those darn Malaysian lawyers are at it again, I hear. A small minority of them went against the Will of the Majority, and their Bar Council passed a resolution condemning our hardworking boys in blue. Surely, the Bar Council must now register as a political party? Bemused Accountant, by email
More Than Nayati, and Unpatriotic Irene Fernandez?
Lord Bobo, it’s such a relief that Nayati Moodliar was found, but is it only children of a certain background, or who can trigger a media campaign that will be found? (Praying For The Lost, via email)
Bersih headache, and minimum wage
Dear Lord Bobo, I’ve got a massive headache post-Bersih. Not because I was kicked in the head by a mob (police or otherwise), but because of all the arguments flying around blaming different parties for the bad ending. My question is: Bersih is over, and the arguments can go on until the cows come home, but what do we do next? What happens now? Actifast, via email
No Erections Please, We’re DBKL
Dear Lord Bobo, is “Occupy Dataran” (or Bersih 3.0) breaking any laws by converging to sit at Dataran Merdeka? If so, which ones? (Rulebook, via email)
Seriously, corruption and evidence?
Dear Lord Bobo, a former Sime Darby GM was sentenced to 27 years’ jail for corruption. Is this a sure sign that the justice system is finally taking corruption seriously? Credit Where Due, via email
Dissolving the Selangor DUN, and Bersih again?
Dear Lord Bobo, looks like there will be a Bersih 3.0 on April 28. Aren’t all these public assemblies kinda boring already? Meh, via email
EO Trio : The Journey Home
Lord Bobo has yet to return from his inter-galactic travels. LoyarBurok instead wraps up the story previously found in the 29th edition of Selangor Times entitled “The Long Struggle for Trial” where Gan Pei Ling wrote about Arif, Rafe and Ramadhan – three boys who were “banished” for allegedly being involved in a stolen motorcycle gang. They were recently released from their restriction orders.
Damned If You Badu
Lord Bobo, what do you make of the Erykah Badu concert cancellation? Surely we cannot allow foreigners cavorting with “Allah” tattoos to perform here, right? If it had been allowed, we may well have seen riots and pure chaos.
Inter-religious competition and anti-trust?
Lord Bobo, do you think that Malaysians need guidelines for inter-faith relations? In Faith, via email
Exciting Malaysia, and Biased LoyarBurok?
There’s never a dull moment in Malaysia, is there? Every single day we get drama, comedy, deception, intrigue, sex, accusations, and scandal – and that’s only in the first five pages of the newspaper! Sandiwara, via email
Najib vs Malaysia, 1Care and Defamation
I read that the Prime Minister has threatened to unleash the forces of darkness on anyone who dares make trouble. Should I be afraid? Che Banana, via email
The peculiar case of Anwar's acquittal
Was Anwar acquitted because of a “special phone call to the judge”? Telekom, via email
Lawyers, Taxis and Anwar
I have a question that’s been puzzling me for a long time. Do lawyers really believe in their client’s innocence? If they don’t, will they refuse to take on a case, or is it their duty to defend anyone, whether or not they think they are innocent or guilty? Jimmy Liew, via email
Fighting for the rights of overseas voters
Dear Lord Bobo, what is #MOV that @PusatRakyatLB has been tweeting about? Something about an overseas voters’ case? Is it important? (Exiled Malaysian, via email)
Lord Bobo’s predictions for 2012
Dear Lord Bobo, as 2012 is almost upon us, can you look into your magic crystal ball and share some predictions for the coming year? Nostrildamus, via email
Floods – of tears and rainwater
Looking at the images and videos of North Koreans sobbing uncontrollably and emotionally banging the floor in disbelief at the death of Kim Jong Il, I can’t help but wonder how they can be so sad that such a bizarre and evil man died. Can you explain this? Voice of Reason, via email
Backing the accused
Dear Lord Bobo, when did “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” enter Malaysia’s Penal Code? Is it an archaic law? @adriene, via Twitter
Walk For Freedom – A waste of time?
Dear Lord Bobo – So the lawyers walked, but the Peaceful Assembly Bill was passed a few hours later anyway. Is it guaranteed to become law now? If so, wasn’t the walk just a waste of time?
Shopping, hoping and missing
I read that the goods in Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia aren’t really cheaper than some hypermarkets. Which led me to wonder, where does Lord Bobo do his shopping? Hassan Jaffar, via email
Missing Bobo, and the UKM4
Lord Bobo. I’ve been reading a lot about this UUCA UKM4 thing. What’s the big deal? Is my life as a university student going to get better? Will I pass my exams more easily?
Contempt for politicians?
Dear Lord Bobo, I live in PJ, and my neighbours are always going on and on about how the area is so much “better” to live in since BN is no longer in charge. To be honest, I don’t see much of a difference. Is it just psychological? Unconvinced, via email
Judicially reviewing New Kamasutra
Dear Lord Bobo, what’s a judicial review? Is it reviewing the judiciary? Also, can a judicial review be reviewed? What’s that called? Rearviewmirror, via email
Budget thingamajiggy analysis and Nasi Lemak 2.0
Lord Bobo, in the wake of the Budget 2012 announcement, many of my friends were complaining on Facebook, Twitter, and at the mamak during breakfast that the Budget ignored the middle-class rakyat. For all the pre-Budget speculation, we didn’t receive any help to counter the problem of escalating cost-of-living expenses, or the fact that it’s almost impossible to buy a home without selling your soul to a bank for the next 30 years. Why were we forsaken? Ignored, via email
ISA deceptions and budget goodies
Can you please explain the mechanism for repealing the ISA in Parliament as well as the replacement of it by the two new laws? What kind of majority is required to carry the motion, and what are its implications in view of the current composition of Parliament? Keep up the good work! I never miss your column in Selangor Times each week! Loyarbochor, via email
Santa Najib's ISA gift, and sucky Bosses
Lord Bobo, what is your view of the Prime Minister's "gift to the nation" in his big announcement on the eve of Malaysia Day? Fear No More, via email
Bodyguards, 
tortes (and torts), and tips
My ambition is to be the personal bodyguard of a politician. Can you tell me if this move will take me to higher places? Ahmad “Tank” Saifuddin, via email
Cheras Scousers, religion and nose-picking
Lord Bobo, the English Premier League has started! Are you as excited as most of us are? What do you think of Liverpool’s chances of reliving our glory days? Born & Bred Scouser, via email
Volcanoes, lawsuits, airlines and the apocalypse
Lord Bobo, I’ve been seeing some interesting graffiti around KL. What’s a “volcano massage”? Avid Reader, via email
Laziness, naughty students and patriots
Dear Lord Bobo, why is my Member of Parliament so slow in fixing that clogged drain in front of my house and the broken row of lamp posts by the community hall? Is he sleeping on the job or what?! @Unhappy Monkey, via email
Thorns and thorny issues
Dear Lord Bobo, my nose is falling apart. It’s been suffering so much lately. First there was the teargas. After that, acrid haze. When that cleared, all I smell is durians everywhere! Are you a fan of durians? @I Smell, Therefore I Am, via email
Twitter, silat and a certain July 9 rally
Dear Lord Bobo, with all the news and noise coming out following July 9, how do I know who to believe? @Kon Fee Yusd, via email
How protests made me 
a Malaysian
As Lord Bobo’s minions busy themselves bailing people out, we interrupt our usual Ask Lord Bobo column to attempt to answer a crucial question: Is living in fear the Malaysian way of life?
The qualities of a lawyer, and why vote?
Is my biggest dream become lawyer. How should I do become good lawyer practise? But no need is famous. Tanks you. @Fengtau_2901, by email
100 apologies, power, and the hardest question
Looking at what happened with @fahmi_fadzil and Blu Inc, do all Tweeters now need to be extra careful about what they say on Twitter? Can someone really get into a lot of trouble for tweeting allegedly defamatory comments about another party? What does the law provide? @Angie Ng, via email
Presumptions and Malaysia, a Jedi nation?
Dear Lord Bobo, what is a presumption of innocence? Is it truly applicable in Malaysia? @christan_yh, via Twitter
Scandals, property, contracts and iPad 2
Why is it that the “most-read” articles on Malaysian online news sites are always either about gossip, sex scandals, or other frivolous issues? @Regina S, via email
Emergencies, politics, freedom, and Osama
Dear Lord Bobo, what is the effect of the five emergency declarations that have not been abrogated? @izmil_amri, via Twitter
1Malaysia email and squandered money
Dear Lord Bobo, what do you think of the proposed “1Malaysia email”? @SSharmila1076, via Twitter
Party whipping can be more meaningful
Dear Lord Bobo, what political ideology do you most identify with? @adriene, via Twitter
Free and fair elections?
Seriously, will we ever have a free and fair election focusing on bread and butter issues for once? @firdaus_h via Twitter.
Blacklisting gutter politics
What do you think about our country’s current situation, and where it is heading? @abbyshahrin, via Twitter
Casting votes for Lord Bobo to lead Malaysia?
Dear Supreme Being, when I vote in the next general election, do I vote based on person, party, or policy? How to decide? @izmil_amri, via Twitter
Lee Hwok Aun
Voting by manifesto
I REALLY want to compare two election manifestos, but as I write only one exists.
The bounteous taking before generous giving
Sunnier days for workers?
Guarantee or speculation?
COME Dec 31, if Planet Earth continues orbiting the sun and twirling on its axis, 2012 will run its full term.
Dr Syed Husin – Justice For All
Don’t address him YB. If there is one who deserves to be honoured by us the rakyat, it’s him. But Dr Syed Husin Ali prefers not to be called Yang Berhormat, especially outside of the parliamentary chambers where he is Senator. You will not find a whiff of false modesty in his words.
Education blueprint falls short
A t last, some official confession of how bad things really are in our schools.
Janji Dinanti
M y secondary schoolmates gathered recently for a reunion. Many of us hadn’t met in 20 years, and in some cases couldn’t match names to faces.
Poser over NEP exit
Are we ready to exit the New Economic Policy?
Stop bullying tactics
Is Vision 2020 delusionary?
Looks like Vision 2020 is riding back into the limelight. With elections around the corner, as they have been for about a year, and destiny’s date now just eight years away, UMNO-BN fires a cocktail canister of pleas: so little time, so much to do, and only they will get us there, only they know how. It almost brings tears to my eyes, tears of…
Good conduct Bill for MPs?
Let’s say we table a Members of Parliament Proper Conduct Bill, and inserted sub-section 15(4) of the current Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) Amendment Bill. Why not? Both are institutions meant to pursue truth and generate debate.
Minimum wage still in infancy
It looks like we are rather conscious these days of lowly incomes and lofty inequalities.
What educational reform?
You might think, as we get closer to the promised reforms to the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA), that public authorities and education institutions would want to show some change of heart and mind. Think again.
Why settle for minimum wage?
THE lowest- paid workers in Selangor’s state agencies stand to gain from a wage boost next year. The state government’s recently announced RM1,500 minimum wage moves us in a fair and progressive direction.
Landing softly, hardly taking off
So the teaching of maths and science in English, and acronym of the year PPSMI, has been piloted to a soft landing. There’s a bit for all interested parties in the final give and take.
Malaysia should focus on education
2011 will have to go down as the year of the occupied square. The Occupy Wall Street month-long encampment at Zuccotti Park in Manhattan follows a motif painted from Tunis’ Kasbah Square to Cairo’s Tahrir Square, among the more epic places of revolutionary gathering.
Subversion and division
A subversive document lies before me. Brazenly, some Malaysians think “only those countries that undertook a systematic programme to transform the underlying structure of their economies … were able to rise from middle-income status to become high-income countries”. And these people say we should do likewise.
Whither BN’s logic?
When Nick Leeson, the infamous rogue trader, was convicted in 1995, his lines of defensce did not include “I lost money, how could I have committed fraud?” When professional cyclist Bernard Kohl was found guilty of doping in the Tour de France, he did not plead: “I didn’t win the race, how could I have cheated?”
Wither minimum wage bill?
In my last column I wrote about our rush to meet grandiose targets and end up with partial or delusional solutions. Right on cue, Datuk Seri Idris Jala disclosed on April 26 that Pemandu is expecting do deliver a modus operandi and quantum of minimum wage by the end of this year.
Country in a hurry
We are a country in a hurry: we want high-income status by 2020. We are also a KPI-driven nation: we speedily devise and monitor a litany of key performance indicators. And we are an ambitious lot: we set high targets and want fast results.
Malaysia’s "Me, too!" mentality
Murderously deforested Sarawak goes to their state polls soon. The world remains transfixed on the frenzy to cool down Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi power plants. And the Malaysian government refuses to impose a moratorium on its plans for nuclear energy.
The right answers or the right questions?
Did you hear a collective groan last week, emitting from the likes of Pantai Dalam, Serdang and Bangi? It's back to the semester grind for students at Universiti Malaya, Universiti Putra, Universiti Kebangsaan, and Malaysia's public universities and their now synchronised calendars.
Lee Lian Kong
A Critique on KL : It’s Alive
A 20-something year old girl, dressed in the current trendy look (loose patterned blouse, denim shorts, aviators, brown highlighted hair) walks with her DSLR camera in her hands. She flings it to the sky and the video sweeps into the (as per usual) spectacular aerial view of KL’s cityscape, highway and suburbs.
A man with no shoes
He didn’t have shoes on. A pair of rubber soles with the top part of what used to be a shoe, hanging by a thread or two, hardly count as shoes. On them were his feet, his black feet covered white, only possible through the harshness of the cold, chapping away at skin. I could not take my eyes off them. For three months, I’ve only seen smooth feet, covered in proper shoes or the eye-rolling hipster Toms. Feet and shoes that belonged to the haves.
Music lost on KL
That Kuala Lumpur exists and her beauty lost to so many is beyond me.
Erykah Badu and the free speech paradox
Free speech has its limits. That’s the paradox of the First Amendment.
America
It had been a 14 hour long flight, after an earlier 6 hours flight. I was flying to Evansville, Indiana, to undertake a one semester study grant by the US Department of State. So there I was, jetlagged and tired but finally, on United States of America soil. It was my first time on a plane and crossing oceans. There was excitement but my tired body was struggling to keep up with it. It didn’t help that at the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport where I was transiting, there was a long line at US Customs. I was not in the best mood.
A Lawyers’ March … Fuh!
Labels – most commonly used by confused hormonal teenagers desperately grappling for an identity; may be manipulated by the media and bitchy, good-looking girls and boys to determine social hierarchy in high school. The thing about labels is that we usually grow out of them when we graduate from high school and discover that there are more pressing things at hand like mortgages and stagnant wages.
Why I don’t enjoy nasi lemak any more
The Auditor General Report 2010. Nasi Lemak 2.0. What do they have in common? Yes, that’s right – our nation is bankrupt.
Our merciless society
Amy Winehouse was a soul singer from a town called Camden in England. Her powerful voice was first discovered by Simon Fuller, found critical acclaim in her first album Frank and phenomenal worldwide success in her breakthrough album Back to Black.
First-class Malaysian sporting heroes
They’re everywhere! Flying, reading minds, attracting metals, smashing buildings into pulp. It’s hero-invasion season now. X-Men: First Class had barely ended before The Green Lantern swooped in, and soon, we will have Captain America.
Girls and subcultures
Don’t accept the old order. Get rid of it.So says Johnny Rotten, vocalist of the Sex Pistols. That’s what subcultures are all about: rejection of mainstream society, whether in the form of music, fashion, visual arts, dance, literature, films, etc. A subculture’s intention is to differentiate itself.
Young and Sarawakian/Malaysian
Good things come in pairs. In my case, they came in threes. They came in the form of three close friends from St Joseph, Kuching, who flew across the pond to pursue their A Levels.
A refuge for the young ones
"We lived on farms, then we lived in cities, and now we’re going to live on the internet!” - Sean Parker, The Social Network
Let's create more P Ramlees
This song will continue to resonate timelessly. P Ramlee was not a one-hit wonder. His songs spanned decades, from the infectious Bunyi Gitar to the aching Di Mana Kan Ku Cari Ganti. His is a genius sorely missed in today’s creatively barren music industry.
A fun riot, indeed
"We can do what we like, no one can stop us." Early last month, London and a couple of other cities were held hostage by rioters. The English's castles were looted by 14-year- olds in hoodies.
Though this sounds comical, the underlying issues of the youths involved are gritty and not to be taken lightly.
Patrick Teoh
Quit the wishy-washy themes
A few weeks ago my daughter who lives in Singapore sent me the link to a Singapore National Day promo video.
It has to be bleep, bleep and bleep!
When I first coined the word “Niamah!” a lot of people asked me what it meant. Well, for those of you who don’t speak Cantonese, when spoken aloud the word means your mom.
Malaysia a safe country: The spinning goes on
The morning newspaper had on the front page a story about security in housing estates. How foreign guards are better than local ones. How illegal foreigners are getting jobs as security guards. How if we pay peanuts we get monkeys as security for our family and property.
Those damn illegal parkers
By the time you sit down to read this, the memories of Bersih 3.0 would be more than two weeks old. But I’ll bet that people will still be talking about the rally. Exchanging experiences. Telling some tall tales.
Transforming to what?
Just a few days ago I was driving past the Umno building in Kuala Lumpur. It was raining and the infamous bottle-neck traffic jam in that area of the city was worse than normal. I was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic right beside the Umno building.
Absurd cost of … everything
Well, Valentine’s Day has come and gone. Along with the perennial, prerequisite hoo-hah that accompanies it.
End of the world?
In just a couple more weeks the Year of the Dragon is going to roll in. For the Chinese flers it is always an extra-auspicious period of the Chinese Lunar calendar. So what we can expect this Chinese New Year is an even more garish display of the colours gold and red in the shopping malls. Actually, the incessant Chinese New Year musak is already playing endlessly. Petaling Street vendors are going to drag on their sales of made-in-China new year “must-haves” until the last minute of the 15th day of the Lunar New Year of the Dragon.
Your right, my right, and all the ‘goreng’
In just a couple of weeks it will be the new year. Yes, 2012. Another year. But as with every new year for the past decade, I would say we Malaysians step rather tentatively into the next 365-day period.
Time to take the wheel
For a very long time now there has been almost complete anarchy on Malaysian roads. There appear to be no laws governing traffic, nor does there appear to be anyone bothered to obey them if there were. I am sure you see, as I do, on a daily basis motorcycles and motorcars ignoring red lights, double lines and stop signs.
Come on, get happy!
The past couple of weeks has been sort of tough. On the old brain I mean. Mine. Having to remember lines from a script that is not exactly Shakespearean quality and having to say them while moving around without knocking into the furniture on stage. Things were so stressful that I missed the big event of the month: the announcement of the Budget by the prime minister!
Manifestoes un-manifest
Last month I attended a fundraising dinner for a political party. For an opposition party la. When have we ever heard of the ruling coalition ever needing to organise a FUND-raising party? No, right? No need what. Fund-giving got la. Especially near elections time. But I digress.
Conditional love…?
JUST a few days ago a friend of mine sent me a Tweet message in which she referred to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as our Conditional Prime Minister. I laughed out loud when I received that. What a wonderfully apt description of the man, I thought.
The Great Clean-Up
For the past week or more the whole of the Klang Valley has been quavering with excitement, fear, anger, frustration and maybe a little despair.People have been arrested. Threats have been issued by both government and normally level-headed Malaysians. Balai Polis stores are bulging at the seams from overstocking of bright yellow t-shirts which everybody wants but cannot have. After all they’re perfectly good shirts. 100% cotton some more.
Harsh realities of this flawed paradise
As we turn the corner and head for the second half of 2011, things sure ain’t looking that hunky-dory. My family and I enjoyed a few days in the remote beaches of Cherating, Pahang. Those four carefree days of rushing waves and gentle breezes and oh-so-calming peace and quiet were elixirs for the much-stressed average Malaysian soul.
Who copied who?
By the time you read this the good folks in the little red dot, Singapore, would have been to the polls and either a) elected the almost all-powerful PAP again as their government of choice, or b) elected a much younger, more change-oriented government from one of the opposition parties like The Workers Party or the Singapore Democratic Party.
He who laughs last…
As I sit down to write this a lot of funny things are happening in my country. Sex scandals. Snap elections threats. Detailed explanations of when a Bribe is not a Bribe but a Gift.
Tricia Yeoh
Towards a New Malaysia
THE term “think tank” may evoke images of stuffy bespectacled researchers sitting behind desks towering with stacks of paper.
The Personal and The Professional
Y ET another Malaysian incident has made it into international news.
The PAS conundrum – or is it really?
At a recent policy dinner at St. Mike’s, a cozy Ipoh restaurant, I spoke of civil society, reform issues and my experience of having worked at the Pakatan Rakyat-led Selangor government. The discussion eventually centred on one subject alone, that being the ‘PAS conundrum’ (titled by me); conundrum being defined as a confusing and difficult problem or question.
‘Tis the season to be rallying
T HE past weekend has been a busy one indeed. Not only was the city’s annual arts festival, Urbanscapes, taking place, but this time Sigur Ros, the atmospheric Icelandic band graced the occasion and performed right in the heart of Petaling Jaya.
Can overseas Malaysians contribute?
At the Singapore FreedomFilmFest 2012 where the three documentaries were screened (including The Rights of The Dead, on the late Teoh Beng Hock’s story), a sizeable number of Malaysians interspersed the audience. Roughly making up 20% of the crowd size, the question-and-answer session following the screening reminded me of the aspirations Malaysians living overseas continue to have about their country, back home.
Models for state and city
As part of the Penang launch of my book, "States of Reform", as well as the FreedomFilmFest screenings of my documentary, "The Rights of the Dead" in the same state, I spent several days in Penang recently (a sister state of Selangor, in the sense that both are governed by the Pakatan Rakyat coalition as a result of the March 2008 elections).
Lessons from Selangor show way forward
I t was an entertaining thought that my friend, Keith Leong, would have spent long hours in the very English Cambridge University writing his MPhil thesis on the Selangor experience under Pakatan Rakyat.
Dark look at the country’s financial situation
I n the lead up to the 13th General Election, economic issues will inevitably be hotly debated by all sides of the political divide. It is within this context that a book of great relevance to Malaysian readers and voters has been recently published.
Walking the narrow path
I had the privilege of speaking to a group of young interns under the Otak-Otak Internship Programme this week.
Decentralisation the way forward?
At the launch of my book, “States of Reform: Governing Selangor and Penang” last Saturday, three esteemed panelists, YB Liew Chin Tong (member of Parliament, Bukit Bendera), YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (state assemblypersom, Seri Setia) and Dr Ooi Kee Beng (Deputy Director, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore) took on the increasingly popular, but also controversial, subject of decentralisation of government in Malaysia.
Wading through the so-called ‘water crisis’
Election fever is in the air, and the games have begun. Last month, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak stated that Selangor was heading towards a water crisis, after the state government blocked the building of the Langat 2 water treatment plant.
That Religious Issue: Faith, Space and Justice
Every now and then arises a hot potato issue that few are inclined to comment upon, namely that of religious sensitivities. This week former Selangor state executive councillor and head of new NGO JATI, Hasan Ali, revealed a video of purported proselytisation of Muslims by a group of Christians.
Four years of PR in Selangor
What the Debate says about the Chinese
The much hyped-up debate between Lim Guan Eng and Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek last weekend took place with as much drama as there was in the days leading up to it.
Politics vs Policy: How do people really vote?
Malaysian lessons from Bolivia
At the Centre for Independent Journalism’s Human Rights in Outer Space series of events last week, I was asked to speak on a panel analysing the Our Brand is Crisis documentary and draw comparisons between issues arising within it and the Malaysian context.
Sewerage privatisation once again?
Cyberspace was on fire last week after the Auditor-General’s 2010 annual report revealed a host of financial irregularities perpetrated by several government agencies and government-linked companies.
Of schooling and the Budget
In my conversation with Malaysian parents, the topic almost always steers back to the issue of the country’s education system. They are most often in a dilemma about which schools they should place their children in, and which system to opt for.
Setting the tone with Selangorku
Selangor was one of the first governments in Malaysia to have officially celebrated Malaysia Day on Sept 16 in 2009, which was followed thereafter by the federal government in 2010 when it was declared a public holiday.
This year, Selangor launched its version of an agenda in con- junction with Malaysia Day, called "Selangorku", or “My Selangor". The project took about a year to complete, having been initiated when I was then Research Officer at the Selangor Menteri Besar's office. Although I have since moved on, it was indeed a gratifying moment knowing the agenda has finally
Assimilation versus integration
Last weekend, I was invited to speak at a forum organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Institute of Strategic and International Studies (Isis).
Water deal makes Malaysians RM6.5b poorer
A new chapter has unfolded in the long-drawn-out Selangor water saga recently. Acqua SPV, a Special-Purpose Vehicle set up under the gederal government body PAAB (Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad), has announced plans to acquire 100% of Selangor water bonds. The total outstanding bonds come up to RM6.5 billion.
Let’s start talking to one another as a nation
It seems to be a worldwide phenomenon that people are driven by insecurity and fear, especially of what they do not understand or know.
The dead have rights, too
Malaysia is in desperate need of a reliable and trustworthy institute to conduct autopsies, especially in relation to deaths in custody. Last week, the body of customs officer Ahmad Sarbani was found on the grounds of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Federal Territory office.
Sharyn Shufiyan
It’s all in the lyrics
W HEN you listen to a song, what is it about that song that would hold your attention for four minutes?
Syncretism of cultural beliefs
W HEN different groups of people exist in the same environment, integration often takes place.
The end of the world?
Will love or faith prevail?
WILL love or faith prevail? That is the premise of “Nadirah”, a play written by Alfian Sa’at and directed by Jo Kukathas staged recently at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre.
Pluralism is not a bad thing!
Last month, my partner and I checked out our friends’ ongoing community arts project, Have a Holy-Day! in Brickfields. Like first class busybodies, we hung around for about an hour or so and snapped some pictures as proof that we were there.
Response to the Responses of Suara Cicit Tunku Abdul Rahman
Sharyn Shufiyan takes a detour from talking about current affairs to talking about her current affair.
The universality of fasting
It’s that time of the year again when Muslims test their patience, refrain from worldly desires, and increase their piety.
Displaced by development
Naked or nude?
What is the difference between being naked and being nude? Do they both mean the same thing, to be without clothes, to let it “all hang loose”?
Branding Politics
Raving about Rave
Rave isn’t really my scene but I will enjoy a good night out anytime.
A Thai in our midst
"It was way back in 1956, at a time when the then Malaya was on the verge of gaining independence that the idea of building a sizable Buddhist temple close to the federal capital of Kuala Lumpur was first conceived. The temple was also to reflect the status of Buddhism as one of the major religions in the country, and also serve as a symbol of the long standing close relationship that existed between Thailand and Malaya.”
Reaching new heights
Walking into the concourse of Batu Caves, one is greeted by majestic structures of Hindu deities, temples and swarms of pigeons flapping just inches above your head. Macaques blend into the landscape amongst worshippers and tourists, making their way up the 272 steps to the Temple Cave.
Please flush after use
November 19th was World Toilet Day! What better way to celebrate World Toilet Day than to address our toilet habits?
Aren’t we all dirty minded?
Taking shelter from the rain, I walked into a Chinese coffee shop occupied by uncles playing mahjong. In small towns like Kuang, an outsider stands out like a sore thumb. At one point while I was on the phone, the uncles stopped playing and stared at me. “They thought you are a police,” said Uncle Chong, who came to sit next to me.
Picking on the right hemisphere
I’m the worst early riser, ever. But on that particular Saturday, I was actually looking forward to it. The plan was for us to gather in front of SK Sentul Utama. Walking up to the school, I could see the field marshals wearing cute tentacles on their heads, checking in other enthusiasts and assigning them into groups.
A play of lights
As we turned the corner, bright lights greeted us from a distance. With the dark of the night in the background, shades of red, blue, green and white burst into view. We were entering a neon forest.
Leaving and arriving: The non-place
A Caucasian couple with a toddler on tow walked out of the arrival hall. As the parents’ attention was focused on a row of men holding up name placards, the toddler, lying face down, dragged himself along the marble floor, as if licking it, then got up and mischievously scurried away.
Making use of the great outdoors
When I first heard of Broga, I thought it was in Spain or Latin America. It didn’t sound local to my ear. Located on the border of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, it is believed that Broga earned its name from Buragas, a mystical beast that lives in the forest.
Fahmi Fadzil
Awaiting local, federal elections
T HE Malaysian political scene feels like it fits right in with the work of absurdist playwright Beckett’s play entitled ‘Waiting for Godot’, where two characters – Vladimir and Estragon – wait patiently for the arrival of Godot, who never arrives.
New beginnings
Farewell 2012, Hello 13GE
WHAT a year it has been! Who would’ve thought that much of these past 11 months would have sped by with such ferocity?
Reconsidering elected representatives
W hat is the role of a member of Parliament? A state assemblyperson (ADUN)? A local councillor?
Change must come but not with violence
A few days ago, I read an article by Liew Chin Tong, the MP for Bukit Bendera, entitled “The Last Mile” (The Rocket, July 2, 2012).
Let’s keep thuggery out
I have been working for Nurul Izzah and Parti Keadilan Rakyat since October 2010.
Cleaner, freer, fairer, better
It’s been a good nine months since the epic Bersih 2.0 rally of July 2011. I still remember the days that came before that mammoth gathering - the tension, the stress, the uncertainties, and most of all: the unyielding desire of the rakyat for free and fair elections - and realize that, given the special circumstance that we are in today what with polls being weeks or months away, those thunderous days may not be repeated verbatim.
Tale of two gatherings
This past week saw several different yet, from my point of view, important gatherings of people standing up for what they believe in. I want to write a little bit about two gatherings in particular, and highlight what we may (hopefully) learn from each.
Of sacred cows and secret condos
It’s been a while since my last article appeared in Selangor Times - things have been moving a tad bit faster than usual; even now I’m writing in between completing other tasks, but no matter.
What a year!
“Buka tutup buka tutup mata, dah habis satu tahun.”
TTDI residents ready for futsal 'match'
A few Fridays ago, I received an email from my neighbourhood security-watch committee about a new project that had suddenly mushroomed in our little corner of Taman Tun Dr Ismail: a futsal court.
Neighbourhoods under siege
OF late I’ve been thinking a lot about neighbourhoods – all these places where we grew up, started our own families, and basically watched the nation go by.
Cleaner, fairer, better?
PRACTICALLY everyone who is reading this already knows about the July 9 rally organised by the Bersih 2.0 coalition. I believe that many of us were there on the streets on that historic day.
Maafkan kami
I’m not sure if you’ve been following the news, but earlier in June I was kind of in the news as I had to apologise for some things that I had tweeted in January.
Times of change
Of late, we’ve been inundated with talk about withdrawal of subsidies and subsequently the change in the price of sugar, RON95, gas, electricity, etc – some of which has happened, and some of which (for whatever economic or political reason) has not.
Sarawak, show us the way
The recent Sarawak state elections were such a learning experience for many Malaysians. Irrespective of whether we were active participants in the political battles on the ground, or just curious observers reading the news on Twitter, it is clear that Sarawak – and the rest of the country – can never be the same again.
The Malaysian resistance
These are “artistic impressions” of thoughts circumambulating the increasingly controversial Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)
project. I chose to say “increasingly controversial” because we all know we need this infrastructure and thus any opposition to it appears to reject a very public need.
Hafiz Noor ShamsÂ
Should we bring them development?
E UROPE was the uncontested centre of the world during the periods leading up to the 20th century. It was the fountainhead of human civilisation.
Integration is better than expulsion
THERE are several possible consequences that I fear from the ongoing armed conflict in Sabah.
Between Valentine’s and secularisation
A S FAR as I understand it from my experience living in the United States during my undergraduate years, the Christian right, which is a loose socially conservative religious group, believes that there is a social war going on.
Something is missing from the Asean integration
I HAVE set a goal for myself.
Sometimes, some inequality does not matter much
Wealth inequality does worry a lot of people. Malaysia’s Gini coefficient has been bandied around as a proof that something must be done to address the inequality that we see in the country. “We are the 99%” is the favorite rhetoric to pound in the message that wealth inequality is a problem.
Worthlessness and vestige of gold
I N T HE olden days when four-legged beasts were the best mode of land transportation, gold was money. Everyday transactions involved gold and other precious metals as the medium of exchange then, just as paper money now dominates transactions in the modern economy.
The death of politics of development
Growth yes, but not by all means
T he traditional understanding of economic growth has its fair share of criticism.
Good things happen to good people
Wong Chin Huat
Running, standing and growing in democracy
T HE coming elections are indeed heavily dominated by personalities.
From security crisis to constitutional crisis?
A FRIEND who goes frequently to Sabah’s east coast for diving, told me that the Sulu intrusion was unlikely to be limited to Lahad Datu and Semporna.
Voting right by residency?
AS published in the gazette on Jan 14, 2013, the Election Commission (EC) has changed the postal voting bylaw to extend postal voting rights to more – but not all – overseas Malaysians.
Changing colour of minority politics
I F YOU follow Malaysians’ obsession for numbers, you would say that 1125 must have a certain embedded meaning about minority politics.
Can early polls stabilise the country?
T he Economist (“No Time Like Tomorrow, Oct 6, http://www.economist.com/node/21564248 ) is right in a way to compare Datuk Seri Najib Razak to former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown who lost the election he called too late.
Yes to Stadium Merdeka, no to Mega Tower
On Monday, the 1st anniversary of the Bersih 2.0 rally, about 300 of us braved the rain and walked from Dataran Merdeka to Stadium Merdeka.
How to punish a recalcitrant state?
I can understand why Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin wanted to freeze loans for students of Universiti Selangor (Unisel) and why Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin could not wait to back this decision.
It’s about Malaysia, not Ambiga
Those who set up the anonymous website dearambiga.com got it all wrong. Technically speaking, it’s a very simple but very smart project.
A city without history
I love Berlin for her history. You don’t have to go to the Brandenburg Gate, Berliner Dom or Charlie Checkpoint to feel it. It’s everywhere in the city.
Which is worse, disobeying or obeying bad laws?
Since Nov 26, people have been gathering in yellow at some parts of KLCC at 2pm on Saturdays. They stage a series of “Malaysians can …. at KLCC without police permit” protests. You can fill in the blank while walking in KLCC park, reciting poems, posing with Christmas trees, picnicking, and celebrating birthdays.
Merdeka: A crime of thought and feeling
First, it was Prof Abdul Aziz Bari of International Islamic University Malaysia. He was suspended and even prevented from entering the campus by his university simply because he commented unfavourably on a certain practice of a constitutional monarch. His suspension was lifted only after students protested against it. He is still under investigation for sedition.
Biometric verification and online banking
THE hottest technology in town is perhaps biometric verification. Not only it is used in registering foreign workers, the government wants it to be applied to Malaysian voters, too.
Real issues behind ethnic representation
After the Sarawak state elections, Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians of all sizes and shapes talked about ethnic representation. The message targeting ethnic minority is simple: if you abandon us before everyone else, you will be abandoned.
A biblical perfect storm?
History is often written unconsciously. When the Tunisian police confiscated Mohamed Bouazizi’s vegetable cart, then President Ben Ali would never have thought that the innocuous incident would eventually bring him, Housni Mubarak and perhaps a few more Arab leaders down.
Azmi Sharom
Ethics, morals needed more than ever
S OMETIMES reading the news makes one rush to the bathroom for a long hot shower.
We live in warped logic
I DON’T get it. I just don’t get it.
Greater professionalism in police
Peaceful is as peaceful does
1A S I was sitting in Merdeka Stadium on Saturday with a couple of friends, watching the venerable old lady of independence fill up with people, I playfully wondered if photographers from the mainstream media had been there earlier to take a photo of an empty stadium to be used as “evidence” that no one turned up.
Rotating parties for better governance
IN my last article I wrote about the importance of changing the system of local government that we have. By that I meant we should reintroduce local government elections as well as overhaul the Local Government Act in order to ensure a more transparent and accountable local authority.
Importance of local government elections
T HE Batu Caves condominium project has raised some interesting talking points. The most obvious of these, the one taken up by the many comments I have read on the internet, is the sheer bald faced cheek of the BN government.
Can bully boy tactics win?
Oh what a glorious night! Twenty-three years of humiliation, with nothing but self-deprecating humour to comfort oneself, finally laid to rest on that one glorious night.
New wine, old wineskin
I t is telling that during the Suhakam inquiry into the Bersih 3.0 rally a police officer revealed when questioned that he did not know that the right to assemble was constitutionally guaranteed for the people of this country.
Really, you can’t make it up
R ais Yatim should be given a present from people like myself who write current affairs articles.
Scripts for Tinseltown
Hollywood, having run out of ideas, has turned to Malaysia for inspiration. Below are two potential blockbuster movies which draw their plots from the pages of Malaysia’s newspapers.
And so it begins...
The scare tactics that are so beloved by the ruling coalition. We have seen it before of course. Like an evil babysitter, the BN has constantly thrilled at telling horror stories to keep us in our place.
Only the uncaring will not care
If the government is not quaking in their boots after last weekend, then they must be in total denial.
Informed, not phony, reasons work better
There have been two consistent arguments used by the Barisan to persuade the electorate to vote for them. The first and more popular claim is that we should vote for them because they have experience.
Nation of idiots in the making
We are on the brink of becoming a nation of idiots.
When silence implies consent
Hope Springs eternal
THIS year, the most amazing political event to have occurred in the world could very arguably be the Arab Spring. Popular uprisings all over the Middle East have seen dictatorships fall like ten-pins in the centre of of a camel race. The process continues still.
Lack of respect for the Constitution
It’s quite apt that it was during a mass circumcision ceremony that Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz made his announcement that Section 27 of the Police Act 1967 is going to be removed. We, the people of Malaysia, just like the poor little nippers at that ceremony, are going to be rid of something.
Ong Kian Ming
Opening up PKFZ’s skeletons
‘Problematic’ voters may sway it
In the first part of this article, I highlighted five problems with the electoral roll which were not addressed in the report by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Electoral Reform.
Major problems in electoral roll (Part 1)
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reform report, which was released earlier this week, highlights 22 recommendations on how to improve the electoral process.
Yin Shao Loong
Fleeing soft authoritarianism
O NE of the new roadside banners from Barisan Nasional declares “Malaysia is Ours”.
Regime change - the next democratic step
I MISSED the first March 8. You know, that March 8 five years ago. I was held up in the US. trying to get my PhD proposal cleared so I could get back to Malaysia and conduct my dissertation research.
Beating authoritarianism with consistency
LONG exposure to authoritarian, race-based politics has shaped who we are on a moral, intellectual, and cultural level, including our ideas about authority, argument, acceptable speech, group identity, and national destiny.
The CIA Man and the Malayan Emergency
Marcus van Geyzel
Merdeka deserves better
T here are very few things that observers of Malaysian politics can regularly agree on.