POLITICIANS today ignore environmental issues at their peril. The year 2012 year saw major environmental protests against controversial projects in Malaysia. What environmental “hot potatoes” will politicians have to deal with carefully this year, especially with the general election around the corner?

IF we could bring back local government elections, councillors could at least be held accountable for giving the nod to projects without the communities’ knowledge and approval.

MOST of us living in Peninsular Malaysia take electricity for granted as we have hardly experienced a blackout since the 1990s. But how many of us have stopped for a moment to think where the electricity, that allows us to turn on our TVs and computers, comes from? What are the impacts of the power [...]

IN Oct 2010, indigenous rights activist Nicholas Mujah was arrested and remanded for three days with seven others from his village for an alleged fire in a logging camp. The Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) secretary-general has been fighting for the rights of Sarawak indigenous peoples to their native customary land since around 1980 and [...]

IN March 2010, indigenous peoples from Long Teran Kanan, Baram in Sarawak were overjoyed when they won a 13-year legal battle against IOI Pelita Plantation. The Miri High Court recognised the Kayan and Kenyah communities’ native customary rights over the disputed land. However, their joy was short-lived. IOI Pelita Plantation filed an appeal against the [...]

A CHILD is reportedly raped by her bus driver in Petaling Jaya. Government agencies, and an opposition Member of Parliament, call for immediate and strict action. Compare that to the responses or lack thereof that greeted evidence that Penan girls and women were being raped by truck drivers from logging companies in the Sarawak interiors.