IT’S a new year and the countdown to the next general election has begun, expected within the next 100 days. What new year resolutions should political parties be making to perform well at the impending elections?

IF all goes smoothly, Penang will hold local government elections by year end, something not done in Malaysia for almost 50 years, because of the Local Government Elections (Penang Island and Province Wellesley) Enactment 2012. What challenges are in store for the return of local government elections? And how will citizens benefit?

ARE support letters by elected representatives and councillors necessary to maintain good public relations, or are they a political liability that are open to misuse and abuse?

KUALA LUMPUR, 22 Oct 2009: The Gerakan national delegates conference on 31 Oct and 1 Nov 2009 will discuss amendments to the party constitution, said party secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow today.  “As announced by the president, we will be proposing a few amendments to the party constitution, one is to amend the appointment of office [...]

KUALA LUMPUR, 24 July 2009: Will the Gerakan central committee (CC), which is scheduled to meet tomorrow, review the decision of the party’s central working committee (CWC) to suspend vice-president Huan Cheng Guan for three years? That is, at least, what Huan and his supporters are hoping for. Huan said he has submitted a five-page [...]

PETALING JAYA, 1 June 2009: Gerakan will issue a show cause letter to its vice-president Huan Cheng Guan for making statements that have “tarnished” the party. These statements include his threat, made through the media, to leave the party in three weeks. Huan (Source: batu-kawan.com.my) Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow said the party’s central working [...]