Brian McKinnon Class Brothers 2008 Acrylic and foam on canvas 152 x 91cm (Artwork courtesy the artist and Indigenart — Mossenson GalleriesImage © the artist, courtesy Indigenart — Mossenson Galleries) THERE is a visual artwork by an Aboriginal Australian artist, Brian McKinnon, called Class Brothers. It is a striking political poster art, and has a […]
Commentary
Overriding the religious state
By Shanon ShahZalman Kastel leading a multi-faith prayer A POPULAR former state mufti has just been arrested by the Islamic religious authorities. A Muslim woman who drank alcohol must be whipped. Those who question the sentence on her must be silenced. The proposed relocation of a Hindu temple was met by a Muslim-led protest threatening bloodshed. Christians […]
Umno, not racist?
By Ding Jo-AnnDATUK Seri Najib Razak‘s assertion over the weekend that only “one or two Umno leaders” have made racist comments and that they do not represent the party’s views belies belief. Umno’s top leaders have in fact publicly and repeatedly championed the Malay agenda over the legitimate interests of other Malaysians. In some instances, intimidation […]
Shameful behaviour in Perak
By Deborah LohLIKE the 7 May 2009 sitting, proceedings in the Perak legislative assembly today, 28 Oct 2009, were again a showcase of unparliamentary behaviour and the state of political affairs at their worst. The Pakatan Rakyat (PR)’s challenging of the forced seizure of its state government in February 2009 through defections and desertions is still morally […]
Will Najib succeed?
By Shanon ShahNajib and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at a press conference after the closing of the general assembly “THIS 60th Umno general assembly is among the best I have attended,” party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak declared in his winding up speech today, 16 Oct 2009. “This assembly has made the most significant, […]
Najib’s uphill battle
By Shanon ShahNajib greeting delegates HALFWAY through his policy address today, 15 Oct 2009, Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak defined a form of insanity. “It is when you do something repeatedly in the same way but hope for differing results,” he said. The analogy was used to justify Najib’s market liberalisation measures to make Malaysia more […]
Umno reforms meet inertia
By Shanon ShahKhairy, Rosnah and Shahrizat (Rosnah pic courtesy of Merdeka Review) THE 60th Umno general assembly has been touted as one in which the biggest political party in Malaysia will set much-needed reforms in motion. But if the party’s Youth, Wanita and Puteri wings’ assemblies on 14 Oct 2009 are any indication, it looks as though […]
The myth of Malaysian diversity
By Shanon ShahHERE’S a statistic to think about: the nine by-elections since the March 2008 general election have seen a total of 36 candidates contesting. Only two, or less than 5.6%, of these candidates have been women. The two were L Sarala, who contested in the record-breaking Bukit Selambau by-election in April 2009, and Aminah Abdullah, who […]
A bizarre week in Bagan Pinang
By Shanon ShahWorshippers at Masjid Qariah MASJID Qariah Bagan Pinang, Port Dickson, is sandwiched between a major Barisan Nasional (BN) operations centre and PAS’s main by-election headquarters along Jalan Pantai. On Friday, 9 Oct 2009, the mosque was bursting at the seams with worshippers. In his khutbah, the imam said Islam is a religion of unity and […]
Dishonesty in Bagan Pinang
By Shanon ShahStrange (and dishonest) BN math THERE is a ubiquitous campaign billboard in Port Dickson now. It says, “For 63 years, Barisan Nasional (BN) has protected you. Don’t destroy the country’s security.” The arithmetic is baffling. The BN was officially registered as a coalition in July 1974. As at October 2009, this would make the BN […]
