IT feels like only yesterday but it’s been three years this week since the historic Bersih rally of 10 Nov 2007 that demanded for free and fair elections. For certain, that 40,000 strong rally, together with the subsequent Hindraf demonstration in Kuala Lumpur, was partly responsible for the political tsunami of the 2008 general election. […]
The many forms of vote-buying
By Gan Pei Ling
ARE transportation reimbursements, alms for the poor, land titles and welfare allocations given during a by-election just different forms of inducement? Even PAS is not exempt from the very thing it accuses the Barisan Nasional of. Perhaps the only difference is which party the Election Commission dismisses.
Chinese Malaysians in Galas
By Gan Pei Ling
ONE thing many were waiting to see from the recent Galas by-election was whether Chinese Malaysians would continue supporting Pakatan Rakyat (PR). After all, that has largely been the trend for this ethnic group in almost all by-elections since the 2008 general election. It was not to be. In fact, Chinese Malaysian support for Barisan […]
Harith Iskander’s “Race Malaysia”
By Jacqueline Ann Surin
STAND-UP comedian Harith Iskander Musa is dead serious when it comes to being Malaysian. Of Malay and Scottish descent, he had a hard time ticking a box within the racial category when he was growing up. “Why don’t we get rid of the four boxes and just have one box. Race: Malaysia,” he tells The […]
Winning Galas for BN: Can Ku Li do it?
By Gan Pei Ling
BARISAN Nasional is banking on Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah‘s star power to win the Galas by-election. The Kelantan prince, fondly known as Ku Li, was appointed to lead the BN’s campaign because of his popularity among Gua Musang constituents, and his much-respected authority. Indeed, Ku Li’s persona eclipses that of the two candidates themselves, […]
Poverty and politics: The Orang Asli vote in Galas
By Gan Pei Ling
ORANG Asli votes are seen together with the Chinese Malaysian votes as capable of determining the Galas by-election results on 4 Nov 2010. But unlike the Chinese, the Orang Asli are likely to pose a tough challenge to the PAS campaign. With close to 1,900 registered voters in the Galas constituency, they make up around […]
History a pass subject, but whose version?
By Ding Jo-AnnAt Umno’s recent 61st general assembly, the prime minister advised the nation to stop questioning Malaysia’s “social contract”. This was swiftly followed a clearly political decision requiring SPM takers to pass History from 2013. But whose version of history will this be?
“Crazy” business ideas
By Ding Jo-Ann
CRAZY IDEAS. Instinct. Gut feeling. It’s all part of what it takes to start a business. This was discussed during The Nut Graph’s fifth Found in Conversation event on 24 Oct 2010 on creativity and innovation in business. AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani, The Body Shop managing director Datin Mina Cheah-Foong and Red […]
Creativity and innovation in business
By Gan Pei Ling
THE Nut Graph‘s fifth Found in Conversation forum focused on Creativity and Innovation in Business. The Body Shop Malaysia managing director Datin Mina Cheah-Foong, AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani and Red Communications founder Lina Tan shared their pioneering experience in their respective industries. The event was held at Leonardo’s Dining Room & Wine […]
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: What’s PKR’s elections all about?
By Ding Jo-Ann
PARTI Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has become the first major Malaysian political party to hold direct elections which are currently ongoing. The elections will allow the party’s approximately 400,000 members to vote directly not only for their division chiefs but also their president, deputy president, vice-presidents and supreme council members. The elections has already seen some […]
