THERE is a new threat against Muslims in Malaysia and its name is pluralism. But just what kind of threat does pluralism pose to Malaysian Muslims? And what are other nations, which also experience cultural and religious diversity, doing about pluralism that we may learn from them?

The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) rallied in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, 27 Feb 2011, to protest against the use of the novel Interlok in schools. However, the exercising of fundamental citizens’ rights in a democracy has been met with opposition, criticism and police action. Who are the people who would oppose and demonise freedom of assembly and expression?

ON 17 June 2010, a startling accusation was made against the Malaysian armed forces. The father of Sergeant N Tharmendran said in a police report that his son, who has been charged with stealing two jet engines from the Sungai Besi air base, was tortured by officers to confess to the theft. The Royal Malaysian [...]

“The government has the best interests of the people and nation at heart.” DATUK Seri Najib Razak elaborating on his announcement, on his first day as prime minister, that 13 Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees would be released from the Kamunting detention centre. (Source: Najib: Release of 13 shows we care, New Straits Times, 5 [...]

“Don’t poison the well that you drink from…We must be grateful. If people are good to us, we should return the gesture. This is part of Chinese culture, too.” Datuk Seri Najib Razak, speaking to the Chinese Malaysian electorate of Kuala Terengganu in the Bandar state constituency on 13 Jan 2009. Chinese Malaysian voters were [...]

ULTIMATELY, the heart of the battle for Kuala Terengganu was always the Malay Malaysian vote, which was, by extension, a referendum on the relevance of Umno. But the fact that Chinese Malaysians largely stayed with the Barisan Nasional (BN) is perhaps indicative of the DAP’s and Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s inability to penetrate non-Malay enclaves on [...]