IN my previous column, I had presented two scenarios of how people interpret the law; with one viewpoint from the public and the other from the local council. Indeed, many people have complained about the inefficiencies of local government and the lack of coherence in how things are done, causing a few to disregard due […]
Columns
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: Lessons from Egypt for Malaysia
By Ding Jo-Ann
THE Egypt protests have dominated prime-time news for over two weeks now. After 30 years in power and initially refusing to accede to protestors‘ demands for him to leave, President Hosni Mubarak resigned on 11 Feb 2011 after 18 days of nationwide demonstrations. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak warned Malaysians that demonstrations would […]
Siapa Melayu?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
IF it is true that Malay-rights group Perkasa was able to sabotage the government’s New Economic Model, hence obstructing much-needed reforms for the nation, what is this telling us? It tells us that if the Barisan Nasional (BN) government is so easily held ransom by right-wing race-based groups, it is not fit to govern multiracial […]
Nasihat tentang Hari Kekasih
Secubit Garam oleh Shanon Shah
KEPADA sesiapa yang tergedik-gedik mahu berdating, bermesra dan berdua-duaan sempena Hari Kekasih ini, baca dulu nasihat terbaru kolumnis pujaan ramai, Kak Nora: Assalamualaikum K.No! (Kalau Amerika boleh ada J.Lo, kenapa Malaysia tak boleh ada K.No? Kan kan kan?) Kak, sebenarnya di sebalik gurauan mesra ini, saya amatlah takut sekarang. Baru-baru ini, saya telah berkenalan dengan […]
Regulating the internet: What’s BN afraid of?
Holding Court by Ding Jo-Ann
CAN the Malaysian government actually be thinking of imposing more controls on our already overly-regulated right to freedom of expression? There’s a myriad of laws available to arrest, charge, fine and jail Malaysians for speaking their minds in ways the government disapproves of. But apparently, these controls are still not enough. On 24 Jan 2011 […]
The impossibility of policing the web
By Sonia Randhawa
The endless distractions on Facebook are the bane of my working life. As a freelance consultant, I need discipline and a strict schedule to meet tight deadlines. But then a friend from university announces his baby is having problems feeding, and so I stop my work to suggest strategies for feeding babies. Or to respond […]
A Matter of Interpretation
Ampersand by KW Mak
As a councillor, I have come across some of the strangest interpretations of the law. This can be by council officers who are tasked with implementing the law, or by laypeople at the receiving end of the law. Along with their peculiar interpretations are mixed messages about whether the law works or not, or if […]
Azan issue: A missed opportunity for BN
Sideways by Deborah Loh
THE recent azan controversy was a missed opportunity for the Barisan Nasional (BN) to show how it can be a government for all Malaysians. It could have been a chance for the BN to lead instead of react, by fostering dialogue, understanding and respect among different ethnic groups and religions. But the government and some […]
Nasihat tentang Tahun Baru Cina
Secubit Garam oleh Shanon Shah
AGAK rindulah juga saya terhadap sanak saudara dan kawan-kawan di tanahair setelah beberapa bulan saya bermastautin di London kerana melanjutkan pelajaran di peringkat sarjana. Untuk mengubat sikit perasaan rindu, saya rajin juga membaca tulisan kolumnis pujaan saya, Kak Nora. Saya mahu berkongsi di sini nasihat terbarunya untuk seorang pembaca yang serba salah tentang sambutan Tahun […]
Green issues: Top 10 in 2010
As If Earth Matters by Gan Pei Ling
WHAT were the environmental highlights and low points of 2010? Do we stand a chance in conserving Malaysia’s amazing biodiversity and rich natural resources? With the help of several “greenie” friends, I made a list of 10 major environmental happenings in Malaysia in 2010. These events give us an indication not only of how the […]
