Posted on | Vinoth Ramachandra

What Future for Democracy?

We are often told that in poor countries, democracy is a luxury, and we should focus on feeding the hungry. However, this is a misleading “either-or”. Famines don’t happen in democracies; and democracies that trade with each other don’t go to war. Where in the world do we find a political party that lost a general election being installed as the “government” of that country by a President who belongs to that minority party himself?… Read the article
Posted on | Administrator

Malaysia to introduce ISO anti-corruption certification system in all high-risk sectors of the government

KUALA LUMPUR: In a world first, Malaysia will introduce the International Standards Organisation’s (ISO) anti-corruption certification system in all high-risk sectors of the government, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced yesterday. The ISO 37001 certification for the Anti-Bribery Management System will be applied in all ministries, agencies, departments and government-linked companies (GLCs) that are at high risk in order to prevent corruption and develop a culture of integrity, he said.… Read the article
Posted on | Administrator

The bogeyman isn’t our enemy

by Philip Golingai Malaysians should be wary of those who use divisive tactics to grab power at the expense of unity and harmony.   CAN you feel the heat? I do. The religious and racial tension in our country has gone up a notch or two the last one week. Last Saturday, I had an inkling that this would happen when I watched on Facebook Live an Umno and PAS gathering in Pasir Salak, Perak.… Read the article
Posted on | TK Tan

Sheep and goats

In case we are unclear about where certain political parties, politicians and civil society groups stand, I think the ICERD issue has made things crystal clear. ICERD is about saying no to racial discrimination. And the PH Government wants make Malaysia a signatory, like most of the countries in the world.… Read the article
Posted on | Administrator

Perak Speaker Ngeh: I’m richer than what MACC says

Editor’s Note: This of course references the proclamation that Ngeh had declared the highest amount, according to the MACC asset declaration list. By John Bunyan IPOH, Nov 23 — Perak Speaker Datuk Ngeh Khoo Ham corrected today his asset declaration listed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as RM82 million, not RM75 million as stated.… Read the article
Posted on | Administrator

A street sign is more than just a sign

By Tajuddin Rasdi (Dr Mohd Tajuddin is Professor of Architecture at a local university.) In this article, I would like to emphasise that I do not wish to criticise any authority given the right to change street names. However, I would like to share my personal thoughts about how a street name can have a powerful effect on our common heritage of building this country together as a nation of many “nations”.… Read the article
Posted on | TK Tan

The season to be jholly?

When I saw the images in one whatsapp group I belong to, I thought they were funny in a Malaysian humour kind of way. Malaysians like lame puns and use them to poke fun at serious issues. Just look at the way we abuse Najib’s name. And soon the media started to cover the story and I found that this was not an individual’s attempt at humour but a store selling “jholly” products with a Christmas theme.… Read the article
Posted on | Administrator

Persevering faith

God’s seasons are not at your beck. If the first stroke of the flint does not bring forth the fire, you must strike again. God will hear prayer, but He may not answer it at the time which we in our minds have appointed; He will reveal Himself to our seeking hearts, but not just when and where we have settled in our own expectations.… Read the article
Posted on | TK Tan

ICERD revisited

I was dismayed by headlines of demonstrations against ICERD by the malay-muslim community, led by UMNO-PAS. Then the next day the headlines read, “Malay-Muslims will ‘run amok’ if ICERD ratified, Zahid warns”. Mahathir though had a good ripose: ICERD won’t cause riots unless Zahid stirs up trouble. But the writing is on the wall.… Read the article