SOMEONE should tell the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department that Malaysia is not an egg. Last week, Datuk Ahmad Maslan reportedly confirmed that Biro Tatanegara (BTN) participants are given eggs to signify how “fragile” our community is. There may indeed be beneficial lessons to be learnt from egg-caring as demonstrated by a US […]
history
Dismantling divisive barriers
By Ding Jo-AnnDATUK Karam Chand Vohrah, better known as KC Vohrah, almost didn’t study law. “I was supposed to have been a medical student,” the respected former Court of Appeal judge says. “I won an award to study medicine in India but when I arrived there, I was rejected because I had problems with one eye. They […]
The meaning of “Malay”
By Shanon ShahAnthony Milner“BIAR mati anak, jangan mati adat.” Quoting the Malay proverb that places culture above one’s child, Prof Anthony Milner argued on 21 Oct 2009 during a lecture in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) that Malay-ness was defined by civilisation, and not descent or bloodlines. The lecture by Milner, who is Basham Professor of Asian History […]
“Emerging dominance” of Islam in M’sia
By Shanon Shah and Koh Jun LinKUALA LUMPUR, 4 Nov 2009: Malaysia is a country witnessing the “emerging dominance” of Islam even though it was not always a Muslim-majority country, the chair of a United Nations (UN) body on inter-religious relations said. Gary D BoumaProfessor Emeritus Gary D Bouma¸ who is Unesco Chair in Inter-religious and Intercultural Relations — Asia Pacific, […]
“That means you’re Chinese”
By Nick ChooAT five foot five, Terry Ong says he has never been made to feel insecure about his height as much as he has been made to feel insecure about a more fundamental and unalterable aspect: his own heritage. Ong, 29, is an emcee and voiceover talent. But he is also known because he is a […]
Watching Malaysia change
By Zedeck SiewUpdated 22 June 2009, 5.16pm DATUK Ambiga Sreenevasan’s reference point for how aware Malaysians are about issues is the taxi driver. The respected lawyer and former Malaysian Bar president is no stranger to being scolded by taxi drivers while she is dressed up in her courtroom garb. “‘Aiya, this judiciary, can buy,’ one told me,” […]
Unity through division
By Yow Hong ChiehWE need more division in Malaysian society. We need it to foster oneness. It may be pessimistic to think that the goal of inter-ethnic harmony will never be achieved otherwise but the fact is, large-scale relations in our society are still organised exclusively along communal lines. One need only look to the proposed “unity” talks […]
The hybrid-Malay Malaysian dilemma
By Shanon ShahDR Farish Noor is a prolific academic. The founder of The Other Malaysia project writes on the politics of Malaysia, Indonesia, Islamism, and old Malay hikayats with gusto and insight. He has been published everywhere. Well, nearly. It makes one wonder what he does to de-stress. “I repair old batik, I knit and I stitch,” […]
History should be core subject: Scholar
KUALA LUMPUR, 6 May 2009: A scholar today proposed that history be made a must-pass core subject in all schools and universities in the country to help forge the Malaysian identity, especially among the younger generation. The director of Universiti Malaya’s Academy of Malay Studies, Assoc Prof Datuk Zainal Abidin Borhan, said this would not […]
The confidence of being Malaysian
By Jacqueline Ann SurinCHEE Sek Thim used to be based in Petaling Jaya, shuttling back to Penang on a monthly basis. But over the past one year, the reverse has been happening after he moved back to his family home. Chee, a theatre practitioner and art educator, is rediscovering his home state of Penang. The shift to Penang […]
