IN an age when there are good reasons to ditch the idea of paper greeting cards and opt for e-cards, Chak Onn Lau has chosen to buck the trend. In 2008, he teamed up with two partners to set up Foldees. It is a portal linking designers with funky greeting card designs and a market […]
Columns
KT and the DPM
By Wong Chin HuatIF the Permatang Pauh by-election indirectly shortened Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s political life, the Kuala Terengganu by-election will not be much kinder to his chosen successor. It has been reported in Malaysiakini that incoming prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak sees this by-election as a do-or-die battle for the Barisan Nasional (BN). […]
War without end
By N Shashi KalaA US air force helicopter during the Vietnam War, 1970 (Public domain) IS humankind addicted to war? Can we ever live without conflict? I started to ponder these questions while perusing the latest on the Israeli assault on Gaza, which started on 27 Dec 2008. The bombings and air raids have so far claimed the […]
Duelling astrologers!
By Zedeck Siew(Earth © Enimal / sxc.hu; universe © Makkk / sxc.hu) MALAYSIANS will know popular astrological guru Matthew Chan from his column Planets of the Rich and Famous in a popular but short-lived, local, lifestyle magazine. Chan now commands quite an online following. I found this recent post on his blog, where he takes the other […]
Nasyid rock!
Oleh Shanon ShahNASYID rock? Itulah label yang digunakan oleh kumpulan Algebra untuk menerangkan konsep muzik mereka. Mengambil nama sempena cabang ilmu hisab yang diterokai oleh sarjana Islam, al-Khawarizmi, Algebra mengaku orang ramai mungkin merasa janggal jika melihat mereka buat pertama kali. Siap dengan berserban, vokalis Ahnaf Jamal mengaku, “Kami tak segan dengan imej yang ditonjolkan. Lagipun apa […]
A better 2009
By Jacqueline Ann SurinCover for A Complaint Free World OVER the Christmas break, I read Will Bowen’s A Complaint Free World. Bowen, a minister based in Kansas City, Missouri has a simple but profound message: If we stop complaining and focus on the positive, we are capable of creating happier lives for ourselves and the people around us. […]
The future of Hindraf
By Tricia YeohMORE than one year after Hindraf supporters stormed the streets of Kuala Lumpur, the question remains: has the plight of Indian Malaysians been successfully addressed? Despite Hindraf leaders taking the forefront in anti-ISA (Internal Security Act) vigils, making international headlines, and creating awareness, are Indian Malaysians any closer to achieving their goals than they were […]
NAG-ging questions about art
By Zedeck SiewThe National Art Gallery (public domain / wikipedia.org) IN the last decade or so, the National Art Gallery (NAG) — or Balai, as it is informally known — has accumulated a dismal reputation. In Malaysian art circles, the institution has been accused of shirking its duties as a national culture custodian, being remote from both […]
The Muharram dilemma
By Marina MahathirThe Sultan Ahmed mosque in Istanbul (© Travis Reitter. Source: wikipedia.org) MY mother used to tell us children that she was born on Awal Muharram, the Muslim New Year. This was a matter of trivial interest to us because we think of her birthday as falling on 12 July. That date happened to fall on […]
Hijrah reflections
By Aloysious MoweFireworks commissioned by the Zabbar Parish Church (public domain / wikipedia.org) NEW YEAR celebrations are generally marked by excess and glitz. The midnight sky over big cities in most countries is lit up with firework displays, and most people seek out crowds and companionship as the chimes of midnight sound. We talk of “seeing in” […]
