“IS Umno its own worst enemy? Does it need to lose power before it can reform?” These questions and more were posed to Members of Parliament (MPs) Khairy Jamaluddin, Tony Pua and Nurul Izzah Anwar at The Nut Graph’s recent forum, Found in Conversation: Creativity and Innovation in Politics. “Why does our prime minister have […]
Features
Who’s protecting workers’ rights?
By Ding Jo-Ann
MALAYSIAN labour law is being reviewed. Why should we care? Because at stake could be the job security of thousands of workers who may not even know what’s in the offing. To date, the proposed government amendments have been classified “secret”, which in itself is problematic. Still, those who have caught wind of the amendments […]
Strengthening Dewan Negara
By Gan Pei Ling
THE Dewan Negara, or Senate, has long been perceived as a “rubber stamp” of the Dewan Rakyat or Lower House in Malaysia. In a Westminster parliamentary democracy, the Senate is meant to provide checks and balances on the Lower House. Indeed, healthy democracies thrive because of checks and balances. That the Dewan Negara in Malaysia […]
PKR and patronage
By Deborah LohPKR’s sixth congress in Kota Baru PARTI Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is the future, its president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail declared at the party’s 2009 congress held at the end of May in Kota Baru. But if that were so, the congress showed little direction as to how PKR would lead the Pakatan […]
Who qualifies as a syariah lawyer?
By Ding Jo-AnnCan non-Muslims practise in the syariah courts?LAWYER Victoria Jayaseelee Martin made headlines in mid May with her quest to be admitted as a syariah lawyer in the Federal Territory. The Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council had refused admission to Martin because she was not a Muslim. On 14 May 2010, she was granted leave to have […]
Watching our elections
By Deborah LohAn 88-year old voter casting her vote in the Hulu Selangor by-election ELECTION watchdogs have become a regular feature in Malaysian polls since at least 2005. In that year, Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) monitored the Pengkalan Pasir by-election. Mafrel was even officially recognised by the Election Commission (EC) in 2007 as an […]
Third vote conundrum
By Deborah LohTHE Penang government has started removing hurdles in the way of restoring local council elections, and its next stop could be the Federal Court. Lawyers consulted by the state assert that local polls are possible because: • The federal law which governs the polls was never abolished. This law is the Local Government Elections Act […]
Strengthening PKR
By Ding Jo-AnnTHE knives have been out for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) since its candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim lost the Hulu Selangor by-election to the MIC’s P Kamalanathan. Analysis and commentaries have emerged calling PKR the Pakatan Rakyat (PR)’s “weakest link”. There have also been “unnamed sources” citing internal bickering, a weak election machinery, and lack of […]
Voting and race
By Deborah LohORANG Cina Malaysia, apa lagi yang anda mahu? queried the headline of an Utusan Malaysia editorial last week following the 25 April 2010 Hulu Selangor by-election. Indeed, Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians are trying to understand just what it is that will make Chinese Malaysian voters return to the BN’s fold. Not all Chinese Malaysians voted […]
Winning Hulu Selangor
By Deborah Loh and Ding Jo-AnnA victorious Kamalanathan with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (left) and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak THE Barisan Nasional (BN) has wrested back Hulu Selangor from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), but who is the real winner — MIC candidate P Kamalanathan, or Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak? Kamalanathan polled 24,997 votes […]
