Making elections better
Underneath the team colours and the performance, the cheering and the competition – whether in the US or in Malaysia – what are elections good for? And how can they be improved?
View ArticleRenewing Petaling Jaya leasehold titles
IN June 2011, the Selangor government promised Petaling Jaya Old Town house owners they could renew their 99-year leasehold land titles for a mere RM1,000. What has become of this promise? And more...
View ArticleWhy are Malaysians living in the dark?
KLANG Valley youth these days probably own a few electronic gadgets from smart phones and laptops to digital cameras. But why are there whole communities in Malaysia still without electricity? And why...
View ArticleUncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: Maintaining the monarchy
MALAYSIA’s internet community has been buzzing with the 2 Nov 2012 arrest of Ahmad Abdul Jalil for allegedly posting insulting remarks about the Johor sultan. The Nut Graph speaks to political...
View ArticlePluralism: The new bogey
THERE is a new threat against Muslims in Malaysia and its name is pluralism. But just what kind of threat does pluralism pose to Malaysian Muslims? And what are other nations, which also experience...
View ArticleSome light in Malaysia’s human rights tunnel
At no other time does Malaysian civil society need to push harder than ever for greater recognition of human rights in our country. For despite piecemeal reforms and an impotent Asean Human Rights...
View ArticleWajah Islam di Indonesia dan Malaysia
MALAYSIA dan Indonesia ialah dua negara berjiran yang ibarat saudara kandung. Kedua-duanya penduduknya majoriti beragama Islam dan dari rumpun Melayu. Walaupun masyarakatnya banyak persamaan, namun...
View ArticleA green gift guide for Malaysians
From shopping local to donating to worthy causes, here’s a green guide to making Christmas and the New Year meaningful and environmentally friendly.
View ArticleBatu Caves condo: What they’re not telling you
A lot of accusations and allegations have been made in the recent case of a condominium development near Batu Caves. Who is telling the truth: BN or PR? And what else aren’t they telling us?
View ArticleNew year resolutions for the BN
IT’S a new year and the countdown to the next general election has begun, expected within the next 100 days. What new year resolutions should political parties be making to perform well at the...
View ArticleNew Year resolutions for Pakatan Rakyat
PAKATAN Rakyat's People's Uprising Rally, dubbed KL112 by some, passed without any major incidents last Saturday. Is Pakatan Rakyat (PR) any closer to winning power federally? What resolutions should...
View Article“Allah” issue: The battle over Bahasa
The “Allah” issue is likely to spark partisan jockeying and deep division until we build consensus on a fundamental question. Is our national language of Bahasa Melayu – or is it Bahasa Malaysia – the...
View ArticleEnvironmental “hot potatoes” in 2013
POLITICIANS today ignore environmental issues at their peril. The year 2012 year saw major environmental protests against controversial projects in Malaysia. What environmental “hot potatoes” will...
View ArticleBatu Caves condo cancelled: Who suffers?
PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak promised to scrap the controversial Dolomite Park Avenue condominiums near Batu Caves if BN takes over Selangor at the next elections. Selangor Menteri Besar Tan...
View ArticleLearning from green movements in the US and China
There are valuable lessons that local environmental groups, and our state and federal governments, can draw from the US and China. Two documentaries tell us what they are.
View ArticlePlaying by the rules
Is the Menara Warisan Merdeka project playing by the rules? Just how many other development projects are not playing by the rules either? Perhaps this is why local councils and developers seem...
View ArticleThe problem with Malay unity
One of the exhortations to Malay Malaysian voters as the general election looms is to vote the party that will ensure Malay and Muslim unity. When politicians, academics and royalty start to promote...
View ArticleUncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: Lahad Datu — How might Malaysians vote in...
THE Sulu militants who invaded Sabah on 9 February 2013 now appear to be on the run after being attacked by Malaysian armed forces. But why did it take three weeks for the Malaysian government to take...
View ArticleCan MBPJ’s promises be believed?
Buyers of an abandoned low-cost housing project were recently told that MBPJ would solve their woes by reclaiming the land, developing the project, and selling it at half price. This sounds like great...
View ArticlePR Manifesto: Sustainable?
THE Pakatan Rakyat (PR) manifesto professes to improve Malaysians’ standard of living by raising household incomes and the minimum wage, and creating new jobs. But does it say enough about developing...
View Article
