Quote 1 “We found that since the organisers had personally met us and agreed to abide by the rules we set, we gave the permission to carry [it] out. The organisers kept their word and everything went smoothly.” The Selangor police chief DCP Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar commenting on the rally held by Universiti Teknologi […]
Challenges in Kuala Terengganu
By Ong Kian MingCorrected on 8 Dec 2008 at 1.00pm The architecture for the Crystal Mosque in Kuala Terengganu’s Islamic Heritage Park has some Chinese characteristics (Pic by Danny Lim) BY-ELECTIONS, either at the state or parliamentary level, receive national attention because they are often seen as bellwethers of the political climate. The upcoming Kuala Terengganu by-election, which […]
PKR, EPF, single school system
Translation by Leong Lai MingFor the week of 29 Nov to 5 Dec, the Chinese media highlighted Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)’s congress, forms for Employees Provident Fund (EPF) members to maintain their contribution at 11%, and the reactions towards Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir’s proposal for a single education system to promote unity. PKR congress On 1 Dec, Lum Chih Feng’s […]
A sacking, racial debate and smoking fatwa
Translation by Shanon ShahTHE sacking of Datuk Zaid Ibrahim from Umno; continuing debate on racial integration; and disputes over a new fatwa were among the issues raised by the Malay-language press from 30 Nov to 4 Dec 2008. Umno vice president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin foreshadowed Zaid’s eventual sacking in a statement captured on Sinar Harian‘s front page […]
Backlash against Mukhriz’s proposal
Translation by Sevan DoraisamyFOR the week of 29 Nov to 5 Dec, the Tamil newspapers focused on the reactions to the proposal for a single integrated education system; increasing the number of Indian Malaysians in the civil service; and the possibility of Datuk S Sothinathan becoming the MIC deputy president. The suggestion to close vernacular schools in favour […]
Shahrizat backs national child support agency
by Zedeck SiewKUALA LUMPUR, 5 Dec 2008: Wanita Umno deputy Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil supports the formation of a national child support agency. “That will be one of our top priorities,” Shahrizat said, speaking as chairperson of the Muslim Women Protection and Empowerment Secretariat (Senada) during a press conference, yesterday. Shahrizat puts formation of national child […]
The constitutional right to unbelief
By Hafidz BaharomTHE Rukunegara‘s first principle emphasises belief in God, in case anyone has forgotten. In our Federal Constitution, Article 11 upholds freedom of religion. Personally, I view both items to be out of touch with the rakyat of today. During a recent roundtable on the future of this country, I said that as a democracy, Malaysia […]
Myth-makers in our midst
By Jacqueline Ann SurinONE of the common beliefs I sometimes grazed against as a child in a Catholic family was that menstruating women were unclean, and hence unfit to serve in church. It didn’t matter that this belief contradicted what I had learnt from catechism about how God made everything. Including, I presumed, the female body and all […]
Understanding Islam
By Shanon ShahMANY applauded when PAS Member of Parliament (MP) for Shah Alam, Khalid Samad, stepped into the Catholic Church of the Divine Mercy after his 8 March 2008 general election victory. In this second and final part of an exclusive interview with The Nut Graph, Khalid responds to the recent fatwas banning tomboys and yoga, and […]
Zaid to do it “my way”
By Deborah LohKUALA LUMPUR, 4 Dec 2008: The question on everyone’s mind now is which political party Datuk Zaid Ibrahim will join next. But the former minister, who was sacked from Umno on 2 Dec, is keeping his options open, downplaying his political affinities for now, while not ruling out a return to politics in the future. […]
