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. […]
Barisan Nasional
Who pays our political parties?
By Ding Jo-Ann
EVER wondered where political parties get their money? And what they use it for? While skeptics may think that political parties just use their money for handouts and bribes, in fact, they also legitimately need money to carry out proper functions. For example, political parties need to maintain their party machinery, conduct voter education and […]
MP Watch: Who replied, who didn’t, and why
By Deborah Loh and Koh Lay Chin
THE number of Members of Parliament (MPs) who fully participated in the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project is just slightly more than those who did not, at 113 to 109. There are a total of 222 MPs in the Dewan Rakyat. Pakatan Rakyat (PR) MPs were the most participative, with 61 or 80.2% out […]
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: Whither MACC?
By Ding Jo-Ann
ONE year ago, on 16 July 2009, DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock was found dead at the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in Shah Alam. Teoh had been interrogated for almost 11 hours. The inquest into his mysterious death is still ongoing. More recently, the MACC summoned two Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Selangor […]
“Sarawak will remain with BN”
By Ding Jo-Ann
KUALA LUMPUR, 13 July 2010: The Barisan Nasional (BN) will continue to rule Sarawak for at least two more state elections, said a Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) political scientist. Citing the latest Merdeka Center for Opinion Research poll on Malaysian political values, Faisal S Hazis said the perception that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) could take […]
Malay Malaysians under siege? Utusan Malaysia reports
By Ding Jo-Ann
Are Malay Malaysians really under siege? Are non-Malay Malaysians becoming the majority? Read what Utusan Malaysia has to say about this in Found in Quotation.
Cabinet or Umno: Who calls the shots?
By Ding Jo-Ann
PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s recent announcement of the government’s most recent u-turn on legalising sports betting raises questions, once again, about Umno’s dominance within the Barisan Nasional (BN). Najib announced the Finance Ministry’s withdrawal of approval for Ascot Sports’ sports betting licence directly after an Umno supreme council meeting on 25 June 2010. […]
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat:
Surprise elections?
By Ding Jo-Ann
Malaysia’s constitution requires a general election to be called at least once every five years. However, the prime minister can also request for Parliament to be dissolved at any time within that five years. But should the calling of a general election be a surprise? The Nut Graph speaks to political scientist Wong Chin Huat for his views.
Privatising rubbish collection: Who benefits?
By KW Mak
THE federal government wants to privatise rubbish removal services under the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) and have local councils focus purely on enforcement. Technically, the federal government cannot legally force a local government to enter into a privatisation contract. A contract’s signatories would have to be representatives from the government entering the contract itself. However, […]
Bumiputera-ness: who decides?
By Singa Pura PuraMINISTER in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz’s recent assertion respecting the bumiputera-ness of Siamese Malaysians piques my interest to no end. Who or what decides on the bumiputera-ness or the bumiputera-less-ness of a Malaysian citizen? Is it the Federal Constitution? Was it the Reid Commission? Is it the cabinet, or […]
