THE spat between Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP over the appointment of Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai (MPSP) president Mokhtar Mohd Jait began with a boycott, by PKR councillors, of Mokhtar’s swearing in. This then led to DAP leaders calling for the resignation of Johari Kassim, the PKR whip in MPSP which led the boycott. […]
Watching Malaysia change
By Zedeck SiewUpdated 22 June 2009, 5.16pm DATUK Ambiga Sreenevasan’s reference point for how aware Malaysians are about issues is the taxi driver. The respected lawyer and former Malaysian Bar president is no stranger to being scolded by taxi drivers while she is dressed up in her courtroom garb. “‘Aiya, this judiciary, can buy,’ one told me,” […]
Hudud, and more
By Yow Hong ChiehTHE current conversation about PAS’s plans for an Islamic state and the ipso facto imposition of syariah is incomplete. With everyone latching onto hudud as the locus for debate, it would seem the larger picture has been obscured somewhat. This inquiry into the implications of syariah will begin with an examination of a couple of […]
Muthupalaniappan’s about-turn
By Gan Pei Ling“I feel that Samy Vellu should be challenged in the interest of MIC, the Barisan Nasional and the [Indian Malaysian] community.” Former MIC vice-president Datuk M Muthupalaniappan, when he announced in November 2008 that he would challenge party president and former ally Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu for the March 2009 presidential nomination. (Source: MIC […]
Unity through division
By Yow Hong ChiehWE need more division in Malaysian society. We need it to foster oneness. It may be pessimistic to think that the goal of inter-ethnic harmony will never be achieved otherwise but the fact is, large-scale relations in our society are still organised exclusively along communal lines. One need only look to the proposed “unity” talks […]
Tok Guru vs Tok Guru
By Shanon Shah“If you are not a fisher[folk], you cannot talk about fishing. It’s the same with SIS (Sisters in Islam), if you do not have knowledge about Islam, you cannot talk about Islam.” PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, on why he is adamant that the Muslim women’s non-governmental organisation should still be silenced despite […]
Funding our MPs
By Deborah Loh(ATM pic public domain / Wiki Commons) PARLIAMENT’S suspension of Puchong legislator Gobind Singh Deo‘s allowances and benefits for a year is revealing. That Gobind, who has filed a suit against his suspension, is an opposition Member of Parliament (MP) makes the whole exercise more telling. The episode betrays a mindset about the concept of […]
Educating Americans about Muslim voices
By Vishakha N Desai, Karen Brooks Hopkins and Mustapha TliliA panoramic view of Cairo (© JasmineElias / Wiki Commons) PRESIDENT Barack Obama has extended an open hand of friendship in his landmark Cairo speech to the Muslim world — seeking to engage Muslims with a commitment of mutual respect. No one can doubt his sincerity. From his first days in office, he has emphasised […]
What’s the matter with SIS?
By Jacqueline Ann SurinWHAT do you know? Politicians from across the divide are actually united on an issue. The issue? The threat that Sisters in Islam (SIS) poses as a Muslim women’s rights organisation that may be deviating from the faith. The latest spotlighting on SIS — just one of many through the 20 years of the non-governmental […]
Picking the right battles
By Deborah LohIN his interview with The Nut Graph yesterday, Puchong Member of Parliament (MP) Gobind Singh Deo spoke about being suspended from attending the Dewan Rakyat, and how the loss of an MP’s salary affects an elected representative’s service to constituents. Gobind, who is blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin’s lawyer, was suspended for alleging Datuk Seri Najib […]
