Saturday 16 August 2008

Desperate and tainted: Malaysia's leadership crisis

Desperate and tainted: Malaysia's leadership crisis, a well-written article.

"Until the resignation in 2003 of prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, politics were entirely predictable. Now they are becoming highly unpredictable."

"The Government has only itself to blame. The media is closely controlled and widely disbelieved. The vacuum of information and opinion has been filled by two websites - malaysiakini.com and malaysiatoday.com - which have become highly influential, outspoken and merciless towards the Government."

"Corruption is rife in UMNO, which has become a vehicle for personal enrichment."

"Undoubtedly the system of positive discrimination in favour of Malays has outlived its usefulness, but any reforms will be difficult and potentially fraught. Hopefully the kind of change that Malaysia now requires can, in time, be achieved without losing its most precious achievement. "

--Martin Jacques

Tuesday 12 August 2008

Should we talk about it or should we pretend it's not there?

Malaysia spat erupts over curbing religious debate

"Government leaders insisted that Malaysia was not ready for freewheeling dialogues about religion that could undermine multicultural tolerance and social peace."

"Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein urged Malaysians 'not to think that openness is an absolute right.'"

"Tony Pua, an opposition member of Parliament, said that if lawyers were 'not allowed to hold open discussions in relation to our constitution and its laws, then it makes a complete mockery of our legal system.'"

"Complete mockery of our legal system"? I've always wondered if our laws are there to protect the people and the country or just to show that Malaysia is not lawless... and there were countless times... I was convinced of the former...

Thursday 7 August 2008

Malaysian court rejects woman's bid to leave Islam

Makes you think twice about marrying a Muslim (in Malaysia)

Apparently Avril is bad for you... (what B.S.)

Malaysia's hardline Islamists want ban of Avril Lavigne concert

come on Malaysians... we're not seriously gonna let these people say anything as preposterous as this anymore... or worse... let them rule the country... are we? *gasps*

Is someone gonna shut them up or what?

Monday 4 August 2008

Political Sex Scandals Rock Modest Malaysia

Political Sex Scandals Rock Modest Malaysia

This article written by Thomas Fuller for the NYTimes draws a gloomy picture of the current state of Malaysia, but I think it is the most objective article that describes everything Malaysia is facing right now.