Features

(Band graphic (© Gerald Senger/Dreamstime) EMOTIONS ran high during dangdut artist Inul Daratista’s 2008 Malaysian visit. Inul was first slated to perform in Stadium Larkin, Johor Baru on 19 July, but the concert was cancelled. Inul’s tears and near-fainting during a press conference after this announcement was widely publicised in the Malay-language press. A replacement […]

EMPLOYING the power of the internet is easier said than done. After the Barisan Nasional (BN)’s drubbing in the 8 March 2008 general election, the effective use of the internet by the opposition was identified as one of the reasons for the ruling parties’ losses. So, it wasn’t much of a surprise that BN leaders […]

Party president Ong Tee Keat (centre) with his fellow leaders at the end of the assembly’s proceedings SIGNALLING the seriousness of their intent to reform the party, delegates to the just-concluded 55th MCA annual general assembly on 19 Oct voted for candidates they felt could deliver the goods. And now all eyes will be on […]

(© Sanja Gjenero/sxc.hu) FOR many Malaysians, the economy is about putting food on the table, keeping the children in school, ensuring business is profitable, and saving for the future. But we are very much affected by global price fluctuations, especially in regards to oil and food prices. As such, the sudden increase of petrol and […]

Candidates waiting at the MCA headquarters on nomination day WITH the MCA party election just days away on 18 Oct 2008, the delegates are gearing up for the keenest contest in years. Eager to sweep away the memories of the drubbing suffered during the 8 March general election, the MCA is determined to turn a […]

PAIN is almost always expected when dealing with Malaysian government agencies. We are surprised by helpfulness and efficiency, sometimes to the point that people are thrilled enough to write happy letters to the editor. More often than not, we expect bureaucratic feet-dragging, wildly inconsistent adherence to standard procedure, and no follow-up. When we do choose […]

Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon calls for a return to multiracial politics during the national delegates conference FOR now, the tough issue of whether Gerakan should leave or stay in the Barisan Nasional (BN) has been put to rest. President Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon found the perfect foil to sidestep the issue: […]

How severely are the streets of Malaysia paved with dirty money? (© Stephen Finn / Dreamstime) PERCEPTION, it is said, is everything. And when it comes to corruption in the government, Malaysia just cannot seem to shake it off. Despite strides taken to cut bureaucracy and increase transparency in government services, the country’s overall score […]

There will soon be a new face on this poster as Abdullah bids farewell to the prime ministership AFTER a stormy five years at the helm, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is bidding adieu to the infighting within his own Umno party, and the Malaysian political stage. But there is no quiet exit planned for […]