NO, The Nut Graph did not forget that 16 Sept is Malaysia’s real birthday, and that in 2009, Malaysia turns 46, not 52. Discussions on 16 Sept seem less passionate and visible this year, unlike last year when the date was also the subject of a much-hyped takeover of the federal government by the Pakatan […]
Columns
Power, politicians and brutality
By Dr Farish A NoorFOR a region that prides itself for its so-called Asian values, we in Southeast Asia don’t seem to practise what we preach. We talk about how the region’s peoples are peace-loving, but we forget — and we continue to erase and forget — the historical fact that Southeast Asia has been one of the world’s […]
The Malaysian tragicomedy: Life imitating art
By Nick ChooWE know how art can imitate life, but oftentimes in Malaysia, it seems that life can also imitate art. So, what are the 10 ways the Malaysian sociopolitical landscape can be analogous to a theatre performance? 1. Flash factor (Pic by David Ritter / sxc.hu)A production can be boosted by extra-theatrical elements such as […]
The economics of waste
By Datuk Abu Bakar JaafarWaste can be valuable as recyclables (© Zsuzsanna Kilián / sxc.hu) WHAT is the difference between “waste” and “resource”? There is hardly any, except in socio-economic value. Both can be treated as commodities, though waste is usually priced less than resource. Despite the price differential, waste is nevertheless sorted out into a number of streams […]
Berdialog dengan PAS
Oleh Shanon ShahDialog anjuran musicForum (Gambar oleh musicForum) “MINTA maaf ya, ustaz, saya ada pengakuan,” kata saya. “Dalam kolum saya, teruk juga saya tibai ustaz tentang pendirian Pemuda PAS berkenaan konsert Michael Learns to Rock.” Ketua Pemuda PAS, Nasrudin Hassan at Tantawi, senyum selamba saja. “Saya tak ambil hati. Kalau macam tu, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim pun mengkritik […]
Upholding what is sacred in Islam
By Hadil El-KhoulyA real dialogue (All pics courtesy of Mas Hamzah) AS a Muslim foreigner coming to Malaysia from the Arab world, I was filled with curiosity and excitement at the chance to witness Islam in a country like Malaysia which we look up to as a developed, thriving Muslim country rich in cultural and religious diversity. […]
Time to be afraid
By Jacqueline Ann SurinMalaysians are being told to be afraid (© Marcelo Terraza / sxc.hu) “BE afraid. Be very afraid.” That, in essence, was what the protestors against a Hindu temple relocation in Shah Alam were saying. But they were not just saying it to their Hindu neighbours in Section 23, Shah Alam. They were also saying it […]
Dining with the DAP
By Deborah LohFOR dinner one day last week, I decided to visit the DAP’s Rocket United Café which opened a month ago. Choosing to eat there felt a wee bit odd, as if one were making a political statement by deciding to patronise the outlet. And considering too, that there are numerous other food outlets and a […]
Addicted to violence
By Wong Chin Huat(Syringe image by Yosia Urip; pills by Richard Dunstan / sxc.hu) WE have celebrated Merdeka Day and will usher in Malaysia Day, the real national day, just a week from now. But why are we celebrating the birth of our nation? Indeed, why celebrate the birth of any nation? This is not another article lamenting […]
Tales from a Councillor: Bad Company
By KW MakAS a councillor, I often face difficult, even dangerous, situations even though facing such situations should not be part of the job scope. There are no morals here, save those that readers choose to interpret for themselves. Gangsters It was the night when the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) was supposed to tear down an […]
