Karpal SinghTHERE was one awkward moment when I interviewed DAP national chairman Karpal Singh on 20 Jan 2010. He had not printed out the list of questions I had sent in advance, and wanted to see my list on a paper in front of me. He asked me to slide the paper across the table […]
Deborah Loh
Karpal on the DAP
By Deborah LohDAP chairperson Karpal Singh is not one to shy from criticising his own political comrades and allies. For him, principles come first. And because of this, the fiery veteran has had no qualms about putting his colleagues in their places, often giving fodder to media speculation that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is on the verge […]
For Karpal, the personal is political
By Deborah LohFIVE years ago, in the blink of an eye, life changed for the Lion of Jelutong. A car accident close to midnight on 28Jan 2005 now keeps Karpal Singh confined to a wheelchair and under constant supervision and assistance in order to perform the simplest of tasks. That incident has not dampened the Bukit Gelugor […]
Umno Youth a year later
By Deborah LohKhairy, after he was elected Umno Youth chief during party elections in March 2009 (Pic courtesy of theSun) KHAIRY Jamaluddin wasn’t the clear favourite when he was elected Umno Youth chief. A jeering crowd accused him of bribery after he trounced two other contenders in the party elections in March 2009. But Khairy has emerged […]
Citizen of the universe
By Deborah Loh“THIS country runs on fear. Decisions are made out of fear,” declares artist Ahmad Zakii Anwar on what he doesn’t appreciate about Malaysia. The Nut Graph met the painter on 14 Jan 2010 to probe him on how his Malaysian identity influences his artwork, including of the nude male body — a touchy subject for […]
Questions for MPs
By Deborah LohPETALING JAYA, 20 Jan 2010: Readers who voted on which question to pose to all Malaysian Members of Parliament (MPs) under the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project were overwhelmingly interested in a Freedom of Information Act. The second and third most popular questions were a tie. They were what MPs would do to strengthen […]
Khairy Jamaluddin’s new image?
By Deborah LohIS Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin crafting a new image for himself? Gone are the years when he was dogged by rumours of scandal while his father-in-law, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, was prime minister. Indeed, there is a new, though still emerging, picture of the 34-year-old politician. But what is this emerging identity all about? […]
Stay or go?
By Deborah Loh(Pic by dljt / sxc.hu)THERE seems little to look forward to, having just come out of 2009, which ended with religious tension that’s spilling over into the New Year. All over what to call God. The dispute over “Allah” dates back to the 1980s. But last year, it was just one event in a string […]
Get real, Pakatan Rakyat
By Deborah LohONE odd thing about the Pakatan Rakyat (PR)’s inaugural convention on 19 Dec 2009 was the fact that none of the grassroots level members were given the chance to debate the common policy framework. Instead, those who “debated” the document after it was unveiled were mainly second-tier leaders from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), PAS and […]
Understanding GST
By Deborah LohMalaysia is among the last in the region to impose goods and services tax (© Sanja Gjenero / sxc.hu) MALAYSIA is among the last in the region to impose goods and services tax (GST) but it still shelved its original implementation in 2007. It was only after spending the last two years in consultation with […]
