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In an astounding reply to the Parliament and to reporters at the Parliament, the Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Datuk Mustapa Mohamed claimed that:read more...  

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed today defended the proposed expo centre in Jalan Duta from controversy after the RM628 million project was given to Naza TTDI, saying the government was getting it for free. read more...  

Yes, SIN Chew daily, Guang Ming, Nanyang Siang Pau, China Press - all controlled by Sarawak tycoon Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King's Rimbunan Hijau - are the antithesis of what good journalism is all about. While others stand for objectivity and accuracy, for the SIN Chew group, spreading lies and character assasination is a corporate culture. read more...  

Negotiations for a date for fresh MCA polls will come under additional pressure after an announcement today that the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) scheduled for this Saturday is still on. read more...  

The Election Commission (EC) scored a minor victory today in blocking a High Court order forcing it to issue a notice that would effectively set the ball rolling for a by-election in Kota Siputeh. read more...  

The nation's mismanagement of talent could have serious repercussions not only on its ambitions to become a high income economy on par with that of developed nations but could also lead it to fall further behind even its counterparts in the region. read more...  

Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh ridiculed the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan's statement that if the police are forced to stop questioning witnesses after office hours, it is tantamount to asking the police station to close at 5pm. read more...  

Beg your pardon, Mr Deputy Prime Minister, did we hear your correctly? No forgiving Chin Peng, you say? read more...  

I chaired a panel discussion at the national symposium on “Pakatan Rakyat and the Making of a Two-Party System” on Saturday. The symposium was organised by Institut Kajian Dasar, under the leadership of a good friend, Khalid Jaafar. read more...  

The signs are grim and gloomy for a country run (riot) by politicians:

The nation's mismanagement of talent could have serious repercussions not only on its ambitions to become a high income economy on par with that of developed nations but could also lead it to fall further behind even its counterparts in the region. read more...  

It is an indictment of our system that IJM is able to compete internationally for contracts but yet is required to work as a sub-contractor to Bumiputera companies on the North-South Highway in Malaysia. read more...  

Ketua Umum Pakatan Rakyat Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menang kes saman fitnah terhadap akhbar New Straits Times (NST) yang menyiarkan satu rencana, tujuh tahun lalu, didakwa mengaitkannya sebagai ejen Amerika Syarikat (AS). read more...  

The Perak government plans to increase the participation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the running of local councils by invoking provisions under Local Agenda 21.read more...  

OVER dinner in the past week, the conversations have taken a worried turn. “Where are we heading?” was the predominant question. read more...  

I'M not a fan of Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat or his party, PAS. In fact, I am personally downright against PAS ever winning the federal or any state government. This is because what PAS stands for is not in line with my own liberal beliefs in terms of religious freedoms and social issues. read more...  

About this time each year when Transparency International in Berlin releases its Corruption Perceptions Index, there are many in high places chewing their sticky, dirty fingers while keeping them crossed, hoping against hope, that the world would be kinder and Malaysia's score on the corruption league table would come out more favourably than last year's and all the previous years since the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index was first released in 1995. read more...  

High Court (Appellate and Special Powers) judge Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin dismissed an application by incumbent assemblyman Abu Hassan Sarif and the Election Commission for a stay on a decision she had made on Nov 16 that the state seat in Kedah had been vacated. read more...  

IF you drive down Jalan Duta in Kuala Lumpur today, along the road that runs from the Sri Hartamas housing estate to the foot of the majestic Masjid Kuala Lumpur, most of the journey will be flanked on your right by a large temporary wall. That wall girds the borders of the new Istana Negara construction site, slated for completion in 2009 or 2010. read more...  

(1) Ignoring and dismissing the majority will of the party central delegates in wanting to remove the top two leaders by claiming that they lack the two-third vote to effect the dismissal, but not acepting the fact that the top two lack the support of more than half of the grassroots delegates. read more...  

A former secretary to Anwar Ibrahim today lodged a police report on the purchase of shares amounting to RM2 million by PKR vice-president Azmin Ali and his wife.Anuar Shaari, 40, made the report at the Commercial Crime Investigation Department at Bukit Aman. read more...  

The exhumation of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock at the Nirvana Memorial Park, Semenyih this morning has been carried out satisfactorily and the second autopsy will be carried out at the Sungai Buloh Hospital tomorrow. read more...  

Speculation is rife that Datuk Patrick Wong was killed for reasons other than robbery or business rivalry. read more...  

Several days ago, I received an urgent message from a friend inviting me to a seminar on ‘Corruption Prevention in Business Sector 2009' organized jointly by the MACC, MACC Consultation and Prevention of Corruption Panel and the Business Ethics Institute of Malaysia. read more...  

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim challenged Pakatan Rakyat (PR) states today to be role models of good governance and reforms in order for Malaysia to move towards a two-party system. read more...  

Only a Chinese character “? (five)” is printed on the cover of the latest issue of Time magazine. read more...  

Simon Lim, a top aide to MCA president and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, has resigned after the MCA central committee (CC) meeting on Wednesday. read more...  

MCA Central Committee Member Dato'Ti Lian Ker has recently made some untruth allegations against Sin Chew Daily in his article posted on his blog. English language daily The Star accorded the story with significant space and quoted Ti's statement. read more...  

When the MCA delegates decided to sack both Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek in the Oct 10 EGM (“1010 EGM”), the Chinese community stood up and took notice of the courage of the MCA delegates. This has not happened for a very long time, but what the delegates did on 1010EGM obviously earned the respect and admiration of many in the community. read more...  

Pada 31 Oktober yang lepas, Pakatan Rakyat Perak telah mengadakan Konvensyen Pakatan Rakyat yang diadakan di Hotel Syuen, Ipoh. Oleh kerana Pakatan Rakyat Perak dianggotai oleh Pas, PKR dan DAP…maka, Konvensyen tersebut hanya dihadiri oleh ahli-ahli parti. Mereka yang bukan ahli parti, tidak layak untuk menghadiri konvensyen tersebut walaupun Pakatan Rakyat melaungkan Ketuanan Rakyat. read more...  

The fathers of the three pupils who drowned in the recent Kuala Dipang bridge collapse tragedy have filed a RM105mil suit against the Malaysian Government and Education Ministry.  read more...  

32 Members of the Malaysian Bar have received the Executive Diploma in Islamic Law (Islamic Banking), awarded by the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM). The convocation was held on 14 Nov 2009 at the IIUM campus in Gombak, Kuala Lumpur.   read more...  

Petang Jumaat lalu, saya diundang untuk bercakap dalam forum bertajuk berbicara tentang Perlembagaan anjuran Majlis Peguam Malaysia. Forum itu diadakan bersempena dengan pelancaran kempen yang pada saya cuba merakyatkan Perlembagaan. Tema yang dipilih ialah Perlembagaanku; yang begitu jelas cuba hendak menanamkan sikap mengambil berat terhadap Perlembagaan di kalangan rakyat. Supaya rakyat melihat dokumen Perlembagaan sebagai sesuatu yang mereka miliki dan bukan peninggalan British di negara kita.
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FEATURE LAWYER Sulaiman Abdullah, a native of Penang, recalled that there were, at one time, polls to elect the city mayor other councilors in the state.
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Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan today said those who questioned police action in shooting suspects should consider whether they wanted to support those who upheld the law or the criminals. read more...  

DAP MP for Ipoh Barat M Kulasegaran was unsuccessful in his attempt this morning to move Parliament for an emergency debate on the police killing of five Indians in a shoot-out in Klang on November 8 for being suspected gang members. read more...  

Most Malaysians still need to understand and practise the principles enshrined in the Constitution. The Bar Council has helped to make a start.
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Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai today blasted MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat after the latter reshuffled the presidential council and dropped eight members seen to be aligned to Liow. read more...  

On September 3, a 66-meter submarine named for Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's founding father, glided into the Royal Malaysian Navy base at Port Klang on Malaysia's western coast after a 54-day voyage from France. Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was there to greet them.
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A new system has recently been implemented in all schools with Form Six classes throughout the country. All Lower Six classes from 2009 will have to stay back until 4pm. This new system started in my school in early July. read more...  

Hua Zong (Federation of Chinese Associations of Malaysia) president Tan Sri Pheng Yin Huah says the government should help fund the development of independent Chinese secondary schools as they help the government educate its citizens and nurture talents.
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Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) chief Datuk Paul Low today thanked the federal government for using its global anti-corruption index as a key performance indicator (KPI) to improve its public service delivery system but, in the same breath, advised the prime minister to “walk the talk” after Malaysia's score dropped to 4.5 for the first time ever. read more...  

A Malaysian private investigator in hiding for more than a year after recanting a sensational statement connecting Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to the murder of a Mongolian translator has surfaced to reaffirm his allegations and to say he had been offered a 5 million Malaysian ringgit ($1.49 million) bribe to disappear by a businessman said to be connected to Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor. read more...  

Malaysia is now seen to be more corrupt than ever, anti-graft watchdog Transparency International (TI) said in its global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2009 launched today. read more...  

Sometimes, I wonder how many anti-corruption commission officers are required to cope with so many cases within the country. read more...  

The parents of the three young girls who died in the recent bridge tragedy in Kuala Dipang will be filing a RM105mil suit against nine parties, including the Education Ministry, the bridge's sponsor and contractor, at the High Court here this Friday. read more...  

(15 Nov 2009) Various women's and human rights groups in the country explain why the law on “enticement” has no place today. read more...  

JANAGI and Rajoo were married. After Rajoo left Janagi, Janagi approached Maniam to live with him. Displeased that Janagi was living with another man, Rajoo charged Maniam for "enticing away" Janagi to have "illicit intercourse" with her. The court decided that since it was Janagi "who sought [Maniam] out", it was she who had "seduced" him. Maniam went free.
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There was deep disappointment and angry resignation when the Federal Court panel of five sat on Nov 5 to hear the Nizar vs Zambry appeal, immediately after rejecting Nizar's request for a full panel to hear the case. read more...  

DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang ( pic, left ) today challenged Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak over the raging issue of oil royalty for Kelantan, asking whether the prime minister or his father, the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, had lied over a state's entitlement to oil royalties. read more...  

The High Court has ordered the Election Commission to call a by-election for the Kota Siputeh state seat in Kedah. read more...  

People love seedless fruits. It is convenient for our consumption. The value of the fruit ends the moment it enters our digestive system. But a fruit with seeds can maintain continuity if placed in the hands of a creative and resourceful owner. read more...  

The pace of social and economic reform in Malaysia is likely to slow over the coming months but the country remains committed to opening its heavily regulated economy to more competition in the long term, Prime Minister Najib Razak said Friday. read more...  

Now you know why we come out with this revelation in series. Most Malaysians have short memories and can only absorb a limited amount of information at one time. Give them too much in one go and they can't focus and start going off in the wrong direction. So we have to give this information in small bits and pieces and allow it time to sink in before you offer them more. read more...  

The Government realises that more excitement and buzz need to be created about Malaysia in its efforts to transform the country into a knowledge-based economy.  read more...  

Don't marry young virgin girls; marry single mothers or widows instead. This was a suggestion made recently by a Kelantan state official to would-be polygamists.  read more...  

The High Court here today struck out Pakatan Rakyat Speaker V. Sivakumar's suit against Perak State Secretary Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim for abuse of power, which was filed ahead of the controversial Sept 2 assembly sitting in a hotel here. read more...  

“Show us any provision in the Perak Constitution empowering the Sultan of Perak to sack Nizar”. That was fundamentally the gist of the submission made by Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin's legal team in the recently concluded appeal at the Federal Court. read more...  

I laughed my head off. The mee rebus which I had for lunch is now threatening to make its way upward and later, outward. read more...  

I went to primary school at the dawn of the 90s. In fact, it was 1990. I went to school wearing shorts while others were already wearing slacks. Girls wore pinafores, regardless of their race or religious views. read more...  

FINALLY, after months of internal squabbling, discord and defections in the PKR, its adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has given the order to the rank and file – shape up or ship out. read more...  

On the eve of polling in the March 8 2008 general election, a close friend enquired whether Anwar Ibrahim could be trusted or not, given his chameleon-like political career that saw him change his affinity in rather dramatic ways several times. This question about Anwar Ibrahim's trustworthiness has become all the more topical now that he is scheduled to come back to our Malaysian political arena on full steam next week. read more...  

On the MACC prescription to curb corruption headlined in the NST yesterday, firstly, the case for a pay rise of legislators must be considered on its own merit. read more...  

Ever since her story was broken in the Borneo Post in Sarawak on Oct 29, the story of Marina Undau has stirred up an undercurrent of outrage in the newspapers, on the Internet, and in countless coffee shops throughout Sarawak. read more...  

Penang lost out on a multibillion-dollar foreign investment because it does not have enough experienced electrical and electronic engineers, state officials said. read more...  

A meeting to explore common ground between Hindraf's chairman and Pakatan Rakyat coordinator Zaid Ibrahim issues in an understanding that could see both work together with GE13 in mind. read more...  

A few days after America's Capitol Hill celebrated the historic passing of their Health Care Bill, we hear some shocking and illogical statements in our “Capitol Hill”, the Parliament. read more...  

Pakatan Rakyat MPs today presented the alleged key witness that may support their claims that senior lawyer VK Lingam and former chief justice Tun Eusoff Chin had planned their New Zealand trip together.
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The newly appointed state Public Accounts Committee will make its rounds at government departments which it feels were under-performing, its chairman Datuk Seri Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar said.
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After decades of marginalisation by being selectively used for politically expedient ends, the Federal Constitution receives a proper public introduction.
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I totally believe in, and support, the MyConstitution Campaign.

One of the most shocking things I learnt doing the Article 11 Campaign is the lack of awareness among lawyers (not just the public) about the Federal Constitution. It would be interesting to do a general poll amongst lawyers:
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Below is a Malay Mail report dated 6 November 2009. It is about Datuk Kadar Shah's divorce proceeding. The report also mentions that Kadar Shah is afraid to return to Malaysia. The judge, however, does not see any reason why he should be afraid to return to Malaysia. After all, it is his maid who was gang-raped, not him. read more...  

DESPITE flare-ups in PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is on track to becoming a formal coalition, says Datuk Zaid Ibrahim who was tasked with developing a common manifesto for the opposition coalition. read more...  

Surely a competent, unbiased and diligent thing to do is to assign this very important case to Judges who have not been involved in any of the ‘Perak Cases' before -- so that the public would not view or perceive any bias on the part of the Judges, especially when the Judges who are now sitting have decided against Nizar (and in favour of Zambry) in one or two of the ‘Perak Cases' before. read more...  

DESPITE flare-ups in PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is on track to becoming a formal coalition, says Datuk Zaid Ibrahim who was tasked with developing a common manifesto for the opposition coalition. read more...  

It would appear that there are some in Malaysia who are fearful of the influence of Wahabis in the country, and what this might entail in the future.  read more...  

A few of us were chatting and one in the group quipped, “Hey did you see the video footage of that parliamentarian?” To this curiosity, another friend seated next to us immediately raised his voice, “THAT goon?  read more...  

The Federal Court has deferred judgement on Perak crisis but regardless who is the winner, it is not going to end the Perak political turmoil. Political issues still need to be resolved through political means. read more...  

LAWS OF MALAYSIA
ACT 144
PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT ACT 1974
Incorporating latest amendment - Act A842/1993
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Some of you may have been too young in 1998 to remember the first Anwar Ibrahim sodomy trial. With the latest court ruling on Anwar's second sodomy trial ( http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/28387/84/ ), maybe it is time I take you for a walk down memory lane so that you can get a better understanding of how the first sodomy trial was conducted.  read more...  

A mere footnote at the bottom of a page of Malaysia's political history or a tome on political change that recreated and revitalised a sick and openly corrupt society into a vibrant and prosperous democracy for all? read more...  

Najib's 1Malaysia propaganda campaign, now in full swing, has taken on the uncanny appearance of a blitzkrieg that would have the Fuehrer of the Third Reich double up in the Reichstag in uncontrollable ecstasy.  read more...  

Welcome Address by Edmund Bon Tai Soon, Chairperson, Constitutional Law Committee, Bar Council Malaysia at the first occasion of Conversations on the Constitution: Anand Grover, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health - “Right to Health: A Constitutional Perspective?” held on October 29, 2009 at the Bar Council. . read more...  

The Federal Court today heard all submissions in toppled Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaludin's appeal to be reinstated but reserved judgment to a later date. read more...  

The current uproar over the arrest of Dr. Asri, former Mufti of Perlis interests me. I am not particularly interested in the political and ideological dimension of it; rather in how this issue will develop in this hypermodern country plagued with internal contradictions.read more...  

The legitimately elected but illegally ousted Perak mentri besar, Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin, had applied for a full quorum of 11 Federal Court judges to hear his appeal tomorrow. read more...  

Which side you may ask? Well my previous article should give you some clues so let's just say you won't see the word “rakyat” being mentioned much in my articles. But hey, at least I don't go pretending on being all neutral or non-partisan like many of you out there, right here and right now. read more...  

On a recent visit to my hometown Kuching City, I chose to stay at the Holiday Inn overlooking the limpid water of the lazy Sarawak River. read more...  

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It is becoming loud and clear that the Malaysian Police have become extremely unruly and disrespectful to fellow citizens. It is more like watching the age old cowboy movies of yesteryears. read more...  

At long last, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on the mother of all scandals, the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) , has been tabled in Parliament, together with several tombs of documents, viz verbatim minutes of 13 PAC meetings on the subject from 11th June to 3rd September 2009, Price Waterhouse Coopers' report on position review of PKFZ and its appendices. read more...  

WHILE driving from Miri back to Kuching some time ago, I stopped for a rest and a spot of refreshment at a roadside stall, sitting right smack in a sprawling oil palm plantation somewhere near Bintulu. read more...  

Bolehland continues to boast of the world's one and only State with two Chief Ministers (Menteris Besar), two Speakers, two State Governments and two State Assemblies conducted simultaneously under one roof. read more...  

Malaysia is again at the centre of adverse international publicity despite our tourist promotion of Malaysia as a harmonious and model multi-religious nation and the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak's new slogan of 1Malaysia.  read more...  

In a few days the Federal Court will hear one of the most important constitutional appeals in recent times: Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin vs Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir. While many readers are familiar with the facts leading to this appeal, it is useful to recapitulate the key events.  read more...  

Two weeks before the Pakatan Rakyat Perak state government fell I suggested they seek an audience with the Sultan of Perak and request that the Perak State Assembly be dissolved to make way for fresh state elections.   read more...  

After waiting for hours at the Shah Alam Sessions Court this morning, Sabak Bernam Umno MP and former Sg Air Tawar assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakri was charged with graft.  read more...  

The Registrar of Societies has re-instated Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek as the MCA deputy president.   read more...  

DATUK Seri Najib Razak 's assertion over the weekend that only "one or two Umno leaders" have made racist comments and that they do not represent the party's views belies belief.   read more...  

The High Court will decide on December 1 whether to revoke the sacking of Perak's 816 Pakatan Rakyat-appointed village chiefs as ordered earlier this year by the Barisan Nasional government. read more...   |   read more...  

The corruption trial of two former state executive council (exco) members from the Pakatan Rakyat saw the video clip showing sexual acts allegedly committed by one of the accused being viewed for the first time in open court. read more...

Tourism in Perak has always been a promising sector. It has a multitude of premium products such as Pangkor Island, Cameron Highlands, Belum Rain Forest and a Food Haven that is Ipoh. read more...

Sudah banyak spekulasi tentang pembubaran DUN Perak. Namun setakat ini, spekulasi hanya tinggal spekulasi. Semuanya tak menjadi kenyataan.  read more...

Bekas Mufti Perlis Dr Asri Zainul Abidin telah ditangkap oleh pihak polis dan pegawai JAIS jam 12.15 tengah malam tadi.  read more...

The Najib administration will come under pressure to take action against a former Cabinet minister and several senior officials after the Public Accounts Committee presents its report on the Port Klang Free Zone scandal in Parliament tomorrow.  read more...