MALAYSIANS are no strangers to censorship. So many things get censored in this country, local or foreign: books, films, television shows, theatre performances. The items censored are sometimes perplexing. For example, current reruns of the 1990s family sitcom The Nanny on the Hallmark Channel are missing out on the slightly risqué jokes and overtly Jewish […]
Current Issues
Sponsoring Nik Aziz
By Koh Jun Lin“Orang nak bawa saya pergi ke Mekah, kenapa saya nak tolak. Saya pergi ke Mekah, jarang belanja saya sendiri. Orang tolong bayar. Semua orang berebut (untuk membiaya saya ke Mekah).” Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat admits receiving sponsorship worth RM65,000 to perform his pilgrimage to Mecca. However, he opined that it […]
MCA central committee rejects 28 Nov EGM: Ong
KUALA LUMPUR, 19 Nov 2009: A meeting of MCA central committee (CC) members today rejected an emergency general meeting (EGM) slated for 28 Nov as it was against the party constitution, said party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat. Ong said besides that, the notice issued by the group of 16 CC members who wanted […]
Minister acted arbitrarily in banning book, court told
KUALA LUMPUR, 18 Nov 2009: A former home minister had acted arbitrarily in banning a book, Muslim Women and the Challenge of Islamic Extremism, published by Sisters in Islam (SIS), the High Court heard today. Counsel K Shanmuga said the order issued by the then minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, to ban the book […]
Nazri’s remarks over Lingam case “irresponsible”
By Ding Jo-AnnPETALING JAYA, 18 Nov 2009: Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz‘s challenge to Karpal Singh to prosecute VK Lingam himself has come under fire by senior lawyers who have described his remarks as irresponsible. Former Bar Council president Yeo Yang Poh said the remark by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department was “not responsible” because […]
The relevance of Gerakan
By Koh Lay ChinTHE words come often, and ruthlessly so: Irrelevant. A waste of time. A joke. These are currently used to describe Gerakan, and its members know it. Once, it claimed its place as the “Voice of Reason” within the Barisan Nasional (BN). But since the 2008 general election, the party has seen its fortunes and influence […]
We build this city
By Shanon ShahON 27 Oct 2009, four journalists — from the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia — were taken to dinner in Perth, Australia, by a representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Walking down the banks of the Swan River, the four, including this writer from The Nut Graph, could not stop remarking […]
No obstacles to caning Kartika
By Shanon ShahPETALING JAYA, 18 Nov 2009: Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno should already have been caned by now according to the law, the Kuantan syariah court and a syariah lawyer said. “Initially there was this issue of syubahah (doubt) in the implementation of the sentence. But the prisons department has already assured us that it has syariah-compliant […]
EC to take action pending court decision on Friday
KUCHING, 17 Nov 2009: The Election Commission (EC) will take necessary action pending the decision of the Kuala Lumpur High Court on its application for a stay of execution of the order to call for a by-election for the Kota Siputeh state seat in Kedah. EC chairperson Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said the […]
Defending a Victorian-era law
By Ding Jo-AnnA Victorian wedding portrait (Source: Wiki commons) JANAGI and Rajoo were married. After Rajoo left Janagi, Janagi approached Maniam to live with him. Displeased that Janagi was living with another man, Rajoo charged Maniam for “enticing away” Janagi to have “illicit intercourse” with her. The court decided that since it was Janagi “who sought [Maniam] […]
