THE Barisan Nasional (BN) has recently emerged triumphant from two by-election victories in Kerdau and Merlimau, its fourth and fifth consecutive victories so far. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said the wins showed the people’s growing support for the BN. Can these BN achievements be interpreted as such? And what does this mean [...]

WHAT will it take for the Election Commission (EC) of Malaysia to be independent? Or at the very least, to be seen as trying to be independent even if it can’t really be so, according to the EC’s own explanation? At a Bersih 2.0 public forum on 21 Feb 2011 in Petaling Jaya, what was [...]

WHAT political game is Datuk Zaid Ibrahim playing? In May 2010, he announced that he had no intention of running for a leadership position in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and wanted to “focus on strengthening Pakatan Rakyat”. He reiterated that message in August. The PKR supreme council member has now announced he will contest a position. What made him change his mind?

SNAP poll next year? Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s popularity rankings are higher than ever before. Some have suggested that the Barisan Nasional (BN) might want the next general election, due only in 2013, called earlier to coincide with the Sarawak state elections which must be held by June 2011. But there is one [...]

An 88-year old voter casting her vote in the Hulu Selangor by-election ELECTION watchdogs have become a regular feature in Malaysian polls since at least 2005. In that year, Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) monitored the Pengkalan Pasir by-election. Mafrel was even officially recognised by the Election Commission (EC) in 2007 as an [...]

“['Push factors'] in some countries of origin have also unfortunately played a part, including a lack of intellectual liberties and fair economic opportunities. “To reverse the brain drain into a brain gain, we need to create the right liberal ecosystem and to stimulate creativity. There should also be a fair ecosystem to reward and encourage [...]