Brave New World
GE13: Finally, to the polls we go
A truly democratic system of governance, coupled with a paradigm shift away from the divisive one we have become so used to, are worth fighting for.
Politics is like a game of football
Just like the game, GE13 is proving to be exciting and unpredictable as we await the big kick-off.
The rule of law
When the law is seen as being used in a discretionary manner, that is to say it is being applied to some and not to others, not only is this clearly wrong, but it will also lead to extreme anger.
Oh! How little have we changed
Egyptian kings loved their massive mega projects, all built to announce their greatness as well as to instil awe and fear among the populace. Today, all around the world, we see the same mad egotism practised by the powerful.
No justification in invasion
DESPITE the emotional calls of the invaders that they are simply taking what is theirs, what they have done is deeply wrong and unlawful. In international law there is no justification for the use of arms except in self-defence.
Non-partisan care for environment
Long-term systemic changes which include good transparent governance, strong legislation and proper access to the judiciary are key to protecting the environment.
Mind those shackles
OUR university students have been in the news recently. The most high profile coverage of course went to K.S. Bawani, the UUM law undergraduate whose attempt at getting her views across at a university forum was rather unceremoniously shut down by an overzealous moderator who apparently did not like what the young woman had to say.
People and smartphones
They say living in the technological age and being wired to the Web is deemed necessary to get ahead in the modern world.
What’s in store for New Year?
There will be no more predictions next year. Just like the end of the world fiasco, we have had some loony predictions in this country. And the thing is we have all been proven wrong.
Overzealous officials on ‘khalwat’ trail
RELIGIOUS departments across the country have many and varied responsibilities. Arguably one can say there are far more pressing matters than making sure couples don’t smooch.
Why ideals are a must in life
Declarations look good at first glance, but read between the lines and one will find escape routes to shirk the very responsibilities spelt out for those in power.
There’s more to a varsity than rankings
It is unwise to choose a university purely based on its position in the ranking table as many excellent universities are not even ranked.
Death knell for higher education
There is a growing obsession with form over substance and nowhere is this more evident than in the unhealthy interest taken with university rankings.
Building a more just and caring nation
It is important for us to embrace the ideal that all sectors of society must be helped if they need help.
Minister must be there for Question Time
Although not compelled by law, a Cabinet minister should turn up during parliamentary debate over matters that concern his or her job.
Killing innocents is never the answer
Violence only begets violence, and once more the poorest and the weakest suffer most.
Have independent mediation service
This should be considered as going to court is a costly and unpleasant business for most people and really should be avoided.
Double standards in sentencing
There are times we hail court decisions and there are times we find them bizarre. But if we ignore the incredible disparities in some court decisions, it is only at our own peril.
Oddities in law
To the layman, what PKR’s Rafizi Ramli and former bank clerk Johari Mohamad did was for the greater public good when they exposed a scandal involving millions of ringgit which came from public coffers. So why prosecute them?
Stop playing race game
The country has changed so much since 1969 that to keep using the argument that we are on the verge of race war is rather obsolete.
Interesting read on the monarchy
Although the book ‘Ampun Tuanku’ can be critical, it does so in a constructive manner with an underlying theme that suggests the monarchy has a role to play in Malaysian society and with greater thought and wisdom, this role can be a positive one.
Misrule worse than no rule
Can someone be charged for an offence when at the material time there was no offence?
The charm of old cinema
Times have changed and the memories of the past have long faded with the new experience.
Bucking the set trend
There is a constant need to grow and push intellectual boundaries, without which there can only be stagnation and eventually regression.
Of burgers and butts
The recent wave of protests has set a precedence of sorts, where it appears that it is perfectly all right to gather anywhere just as long as you ask first.
Peaceful assembly a legal right
The Bersih organisers, the police and DBKL should have met and sorted out the logistics of getting such a huge number of people together in Dataran Merdeka for a couple of hours.
A cute display of defiance
It is good that students are becoming more outspoken and imaginative in the assertion of their right to expression. But are their demands reasonable?
Still early days in Myanmar
Asean is calling for an end to sanctions on Myanmar and early reports seem to suggest that the European Union will be sympathetic to such a move. But this may be jumping the gun way too early.
It boils down to discernment
In a way, film and film appreciation is a reflection of real life, with the world becoming more and more enamoured by the flashy surface at the cost of any real substance.
Practising the state of being impartial
Impartiality is a simple word and many of our problems can be solved by just appreciating and practising this term.
No strings attached, please
Granting autonomy to a few of our public universities looks wonderful. But it will be an exercise in futility if each faculty or department is not free to determine its path.
Assets - it’s all about trust
Many MPs have their own businesses and professional careers, and frankly they need it. An MP’s pay is simply not that great.
Winning back public confidence
It is not enough that our judges must be seen to be independent, we also need to know that the decision to prosecute or not is made without fear or favour.
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