Are Malaysians sufficiently educated on how to vote? It is widely assumed that marking “X” next to a candidate’s name is the only legitimate way to vote. It is not. Civil society groups now train volunteers to be election monitors, booth agents and polling and counting agents. They also cover training on doubtful votes, due to concerns that dubiously marked ballots could end up influencing an election outcome. Can this really happen?
Bayu Utomo: “Racism is like sin”
By Koh Lay Chin
Bayu Utomo Radjikin has won various accolades and awards for his abstract and cultural works. He is known for his evocative works dealing with local and international social commentary as well as the “Malay warrior” identity.
Who says the EC is independent?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
FRANKLY, I wasn’t surprised at all when it was reported in late April that both the Election Commission (EC) chairperson and deputy chairperson were Umno members. Even without evidence of party membership and despite the EC deputy chairperson’s subsequent U-turn and denial, it would not be a stretch to imagine both the chairperson and his […]
The stories of Bersih 3.0
Work in Progress by Hwa Yue-Yi
IF you’re a Malaysian reading this, you will have seen what happened at Bersih 3.0. Whether or not you were in Kuala Lumpur on 28 April, or glued to Facebook or Twitter, you must have encountered images, videos, or reports of the colossal rally that started as a festive sit-in and ended in tear gas. […]
The print media’s failures in Bersih 3.0
By Ding Jo-Ann
IT’S been all about Bersih 3.0 this past week. Stories, tweets, photographs and videos have been shared. And numerous reports have been published by the national press. And yet, anybody reading just the national print media would be left with an incomplete picture of one of the most historic moments in Malaysia’s political development. Ding Jo-Ann shows how the press in Malaysia failed readers in their coverage of Bersih 3.0.
“All-very-rojak” Liyana Fizi
By Koh Lay Chin
In this Found in Malaysia interview, singer-songwriter and solo artiste Liyana Fizi talks about her rojak heritage, Malay privilege, a Raya tree and a woman’s midriff.
Inconsistencies in the MBPJ
Ampersand by KW Mak
Notwithstanding that the PJ Local Plan 1 is arguably an invalid document, how has the MBPJ measured up against its own local plan and what does it mean for PJ residents? A former councilor explains.
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: What does Bersih 3.0 want?
By Ding Jo-Ann
ON 28 April 2012, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) will hold its third major demonstration in the city known as Bersih 3.0. Despite the government’s efforts at electoral reforms, the movement remains unsatisfied. What really is Bersih 3.0’s purpose?
Joanne de Rozario: “Why is race important?”
By Koh Lay Chin
TV personality and producer Joanne de Rozario has fond memories of the Malaysia she grew up in, and big hopes for the country she thinks it could be. She often wishes she could mark “human” when asked to tick her race in official forms.
What’s wrong with Bersih 3.0?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
IF we were to believe everything the Barisan Nasional (BN) is saying about Bersih 3.0, the movement for free and fair elections is indeed problematic in several ways. According to BN elected representatives, the planned 28 April 2012 sit-down protest at Dataran Merdeka, known as Bersih 3.0, is “unnecessary”. It has been hijacked by, or […]
