PAUL Tan is director of studies at Genting Highlands’s Highlands International Boarding School. He studied in Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur, where his contemporaries included Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and tycoon Tan Sri Dr Francis Yeoh. Fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin was his senior in school. Paul Tan is also […]
Exclusives
Will BN be replaced?
By Deborah LohDESPITE his own dilemma about remaining in the MCA, party deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek believes the Barisan Nasional (BN) has a chance at regaining voter confidence, but not if it doesn’t muster the political will to change. He thinks the BN has a shot at reform under new Prime Minister Datuk […]
“What do you mean by liberal Islam?”
By Shanon ShahDR Alwi Abdurrahman Shihab is a prime example of Indonesia’s political legacy post-President Abdurrahman Wahid: he is not only a politician, but an intellectual to boot. Abdurrahman was himself a leading scholar before being elected to lead Southeast Asia’s largest democracy, and the world’s largest Muslim country. Alwi is currently the President of Indonesia’s Envoy […]
“Religion should make you affirm human rights”
By Shanon ShahBEFORE President Barack Obama, there was presidential candidate Rev Jesse L Jackson, Sr. Although the Baptist minister had previously worked for Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, many were sceptical of his chances when he wanted to run for US president in 1984. Observers — including from his Democratic Party — thought he would garner fringe […]
Manikumar’s baptism by fire
By Shanon ShahS Manikumar S MANIKUMAR, 35, has many fires to fight. The Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate for the Bukit Selambau by-election has to firstly compete against 14 other candidates for this state assembly seat. Secondly, there are the criticisms that he is too young, inexperienced and not media savvy. On top of this, despite strenuous […]
Malay dominance and rights
By Deborah LohIN five short years, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has emerged from the sidelines in Umno to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Jerlun, and now a popular candidate in the Umno Youth chief race. Despite his soft-spoken demeanour, he has not shied away from controversy, no less because of his ties to his outspoken father, […]
Being Mahathir’s son
By Deborah LohDATUK Mukhriz Mahathir is his father’s son and proud of it. Without any prompting during the interview with The Nut Graph, he dives right into how the leadership style of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is sorely needed in the current economic and political crises. Undoubtedly, “Mahathirism” is deeply entrenched in the Malaysian […]
“We don’t want another KT”
By Shanon ShahTHE upcoming by-election in Bukit Selambau, Kedah, on 7 April will be tricky. At least in Bukit Gantang and Batang Ai, by-elections were called as a result of the incumbents’ deaths. The Bukit Selambau by-election was called because the incumbent, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)’s V Arumugam, tendered his resignation after alleging that he was bribed […]
“Obama will still back Israel”
By N Shashi KalaTHERE’s a new American president in the Oval Office. And while hope for a new America, and perhaps a new world order, is understandable, the truth is that US foreign policy on militarism is long and entrenched. That’s why despite the goodwill and rhetoric emanating from Washington, DC since President Barack Obama took office, American […]
Representing Israelis and Palestinians
By Shanon ShahFEW believe that peace will break out in Gaza anytime soon, with Israel and Hamas adding demands to their hostage exchange negotiations. In the meantime, the dominant discourse on Israel in Malaysia is still that the Jews and the West are out to disempower and even destroy Islam and Muslims. But exactly what sorts of […]
