ARE you Malay first? Or Malaysian first? But is the question really about which should come first? Why does it seem to matter so much? And which of the two labels — one about race and the other about citizenship — is more profoundly important to us as Malaysian citizens?
Umno
Assessing Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor
By Ding Jo-Ann
WHAT has the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Selangor government achieved after two and a half years in power? If one relied on traditional media reports or Umno’s “Save Selangor” roadshow, the answer may well be, “Not very much”. But the reality is much more nuanced, as demonstrated in the book The Road to Reform: Pakatan Rakyat […]
Umno’s Perkasa dilemma
By Koh Lay Chin
What exactly is Umno’s stand on Malay rights group Perkasa? At one time, Umno leaders appeared to lend Perkasa their tacit support. But recently, a few have sought to dissociate Umno from the group. Is there a real split in the party over Perkasa, or is Umno just weighing its rhetoric carefully? However it plays out, Perkasa seems to have caught Umno between a rock and a hard place.
Soi Lek on managing Malaysia
By Deborah Loh
IN the first part of his interview with The Nut Graph, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek spoke about the need for the MCA to be more assertive in voicing the concerns of Chinese Malaysians. But the things the MCA supports – a secular state, a liberalised economy – puts it at odds […]
What made Zaid change his mind?
By Ding Jo-Ann
WHAT political game is Datuk Zaid Ibrahim playing? In May 2010, he announced that he had no intention of running for a leadership position in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and wanted to “focus on strengthening Pakatan Rakyat”. He reiterated that message in August. The PKR supreme council member has now announced he will contest a position. What made him change his mind?
Umno leaders’ advice on racial remarks
By Ding Jo-AnnWHEN racist remarks are made against non-Muslim non-Malay Malaysians, Umno leaders call for calm and for these citizens not to be “clouded by emotions”. But when non-Malay Malaysians raise legitimate demands for fair and equitable treatment, they are told that Malay Malaysians are “sensitive”, prone to “uneasiness and anger”, and should not be provoked. Is Umno saying that non-Malay citizens’ feelings are less important, and that Malay citizens are less capable of restraint?
The parade of “Muslim sensitivities”: Where is it taking us?
Shape of a Pocket by Jacqueline Ann Surin
AND so Perkasa has made the news again. And this time by its own doing, not because a media bent on sensationalism tried to cultivate the Malay nationalist group in order to increase readership. In the latest of Perkasa moves, its Petaling chairperson, Zainal Abidin Ahmad, lodged a police report against a Protestant church in […]
Umno = Perkasa?
By Tarani PalaniIS it a coincidence that the rhetoric used by both Umno and Perkasa, in support of Malay Malaysian privileges and the right to use “Allah”, is so similar? Or perhaps there is no such thing as a coincidence?
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: Will PAS and Umno ever unite?
By Ding Jo-Ann
AS part of its “Malay unity” rhetoric, Umno has been making overtures to PAS once again to have unity talks. PAS was a component party of the Barisan Nasional from 1974 to 1978, before the cooperation broke down and PAS left the coalition to become part of the federal opposition. Despite being rebuffed, Umno continues […]
Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: What does Malay unity mean?
By Ding Jo-Ann
“MALAY unity” and “Malay special rights” are grabbing headlines again. On 5 July 2010, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin reminded Malay Malaysians that they faced losing political power if they remained divided. On 28 July, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak warned the DAP not to highlight the issue of bumiputera and Malay […]
