ON 15 Dec 2010, 32 year-old Azwan Ismail, a Malay-Muslim Malaysian, posted a video on YouTube in which he declared, “I am gay and I’m OK.” One week later, he told the media that he feared for his life. And who could blame him? He now has the de facto minister of religion, the Perak […]
bloggers
To the media’s defence
PETALING JAYA, 17 Aug 2010: A new non-governmental organisation, the South East Asia Media Legal Defence Network (SEAMLDN), is all set to provide journalists in the region with legal protection. SEAMLDN, which was soft-launched in Kuala Lumpur on 23 July 2010, will provide legal assistance, including payment of legal fees, to journalists and media organisations. […]
Different takes on Merdeka
THE long weekend was a good opportunity to catch up with friends over a meal or drinks. Over breakfast on the eve of Merdeka Day, some friends chatted about the constitution the nation never had: the People’s Constitution, which was drafted 10 years before Malaya gained independence from British rule on 31 Aug 1957. (Pic […]
Kurup lashes out at bloggers
KENINGAU, 1 June 2009: Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup has criticised certain bloggers who continue to use blogs as a platform to instill hatred against the government. He said it was sad that some of these bloggers were educated and had received government assistance including scholarships for further studies. “For […]
Bloggers must help make 1M’sia a success
KUALA LUMPUR, 23 April 2009: Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim has called on bloggers to help inculcate the 1Malaysia concept and make it a success. He said this genre of writing which had become increasingly popular via the Internet could spur members of society to work with sincerity and forge […]
Rais: No hasty action against govt critics
KUALA LUMPUR, 14 April 2009: The Information, Communications, Arts and Culture Ministry will not take hasty actions against government critics as long as they do not flout the Communications and Multimedia Act. “We are planning to hold a briefing session on the act for bloggers. If they do not heed the advice, we will be […]
Difficult terrain at Batang Ai for PKR
THE hand-to-hand combat has begun in earnest for the 7 April 2009 Batang Ai by-election between the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). It is a torturous and expensive battle for both the contesting parties. Lodged under the shadow of the mountain range that separates Sarawak from the Kalimantan side of Indonesia, Batang […]
Singapore bloggers setting up community moderation panel
(© Simon Cataudo / sxc.hu) PETALING JAYA, 14 Nov 2008: While Malaysia has been debating for the past 30 years about whether or not to form a media or press council, Singaporean bloggers are planning to start their very own community moderation panel. According to Assistant Professor Cherian George, one of the 13 bloggers who […]
