DR Khong Kim Hoong studied economics in Universiti Malaya (UM) from 1966 to 1969. He was elected as deputy president of the University of Malaya Students’ Union (Umsu) in his second year, and was made president for the 1968-1969 term. During the 1969 general election, he was one of the student leaders who toured 13 […]
Interviews
The decline of the student movement
By Gan Pei Ling
IN the second of a two-part interview, self-taught people’s historian Fahmi Reza tells The Nut Graph more about the 1960s student movement, why their history has been under-documented, and what happened to it after its climax in 1969. TNG: Is there a particular reason why you named your lecture Student Power? Fahmi Reza: Yes, Student […]
“Mahasiswa jurubicara rakyat”
By Gan Pei Ling
ON 11 Aug 2010, the cabinet reiterated its decision that students are not allowed to be involved in political parties. However, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the education minister, said this should not prevent students from discussing politics and current affairs. Citing the speaker’s corner in some universities, Muhyiddin said […]
Safe spaces for dangerous conversations
By Tarani Palani
REVEREND Sivin Kit isn’t just any ordinary pastor. The leader of the Bangsar Lutheran Church believes it’s important to have “safe spaces for dangerous conversations”. Even – or maybe especially – in present-day Malaysia. Kit, 38, is one of the most committed religious leaders when it comes to interfaith dialogue. He was one of the […]
Wee Ka Siong, the kampung boy
By Koh Lay Chin
HE says he believes in 1Malaysia because he has really lived through it. A politician for 18 out of his 42 years, Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong is currently MCA Youth chief and deputy education minister. He is also now the Member of Parliament for Ayer Hitam in Johor, but he still has fond memories […]
The long wait to be Malaysian: The foreign spouse experience
By Deborah Loh
BINA Ramanand and Asha Lim are just two among what is believed to be many more with a predicament because they live in Malaysia. They are foreign spouses married to Malaysians who have waited years and in some cases, decades, for their permanent residency (PR) applications to be approved. As of June 2010, the Home […]
Money politics vs public interest
By Ding Jo-Ann
POLITICAL parties legitimately need money to carry out their functions in a democracy. After all, to stand any chance of being elected, candidates will need to tell voters who they are and what they stand for. All this costs money. Even after a representative is elected, money is still needed to do a politician’s work. […]
Education and the agenda of political parties
By Deborah Loh
THE year 2010 is the year of creativity and innovation for Malaysia. And yet, a common lament when discussing the country’s state of affairs or the quality of education is that we lack in precisely these areas. What, then, of the government’s plans to make Malaysia a high-income nation? Where do we even begin in […]
Bucking traditions of inequality
By Deborah Loh
BUKIT Mertajam Member of Parliament Chong Eng bucked some traditions in her younger days. Coming from a Chinese new village, she was the first girl in her family who managed to persuade her father to let her continue secondary school. Her interracial marriage later on was also considered uncommon, given her background. Born in 1957 […]
Making UM the best again
By Deborah Loh
YESTERDAY, Universiti Malaya (UM) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Ghauth Jasmon talked about what public higher education needs to do in the larger national agenda of making Malaysia a high-income nation. In the final installment of a two-part interview with The Nut Graph, Ghauth talks about the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) he has instituted since his […]
