A dear friend and former media colleague, K Parkaran, wrote an interesting piece in his Free Malaysia Today column a few days ago. Titled Doctors grouse over why MPs get so much more money, the article highlighted the disparity in allowances paid to doctors in public service and legislators. The article was prompted by a Health Ministry statement on doctors' allowances with two doctors' groups picking out the difference, with MPs getting RM400 for a few hours while doctors get RM200 for a ..

Every move by the MIC is now being watched closely and there have been reports of the party seeking the advice of former PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak as to whether to stay or leave the BN. The party is overwhelmed with fears and worries about its future and the reactions as well as political fallout among Indians and others. The MIC leadership has to resolve whether it needs to evolve or dissolve at this crucial juncture of the party's existence. Over the decades the party gradually began to lose ..

Indias foreign policy dilemma: A reaction to global pressures The recent vote by India in favor of Palestine at the United Nations, amidst the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, has sparked a debate about Indias foreign policy stance. India on Friday voted in favor of a resolution in the UN General Assembly that endorses the New York Declaration on peaceful settlement of the Palestine issue and implementation of the two-state solution. The resolution, introduced by France, was adopted with an ..

A lash on Indonesia and Nepals governance: Ideologies clash and violence splash The recent upheavals in Indonesia and Nepal land like a lash on governance itself. Citizens, especially the young, are no longer content to remain silent. Their frustrations, fueled by economic uncertainty, political decisions, and restrictions on freedom, have erupted in protests that turned from hope into hostility. I am not a fan of such protests, particularly when they spiral into violence. Yet I see them as ..

The American author Mark Twain quipped that history does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes. With European economies promising to up their defense expenditure to 5 percent of GDP, are we repeating the 1930s, when the Western powers all used defense spending to pull themselves out of the Great Depression? The inter-war years were dominated by Western (including Japan) powers, with the rest of the world under colonial yoke. The First World War between the European powers did not settle old ..

Malaysia Day a day to reckon our strength and empower our youths Malaysia must move beyond rhetoric to safeguard its peace, unity, and prosperity amid a shifting global landscape in 2025. With the world destabilized by economic battles and geopolitical power plays between the US, Russia, China, India, and the rising BRICS coalition, ordinary people everywhereincluding my young Malaysian nephew facing job loss in the USfeel the direct impact of policies shaped by unpredictable and polarizing ..

I believe that even if the University of Malaya (UM) does not admit Edward Wong Yi Xian, there will be other universities, especially private ones, willing to accept himperhaps even offering him a scholarship to study his first-choice course in accounting. Offering Wong a scholarship to study in other universities may solve Wongs personal problem, but it doesnt solve the bigger issuethe problem with STPM. There have been many similar cases in the past, and there will be many more in the future. ..

The real threat to our nation isnt stateless children, its betrayal of trust When news broke of five high-ranking army officers being arrested for smuggling and drug-related offenses, Malaysians were shocked. The very individuals sworn to protect our borders allegedly leaked intelligence and facilitated syndicates that raked in millions from contraband and narcotics. This betrayal cuts deep. Soldiers are entrusted with the nations security, yet some allegedly chose wealth over duty. It shows us ..

The recently concluded SCO summit in Tianjin displayed Indias ability to balance ties with different groupings. Contrary to views, New Delhis attempts to resolve its differences with Beijing are not due to tariffs imposed by Donald Trump, though these are a factor, but a desire to restore normalcy along a vexed border. Since the Modi-Xi meeting at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024, there has been steady mending of fences. Trumps tariffs were only a catalyst. National Security ..

Why must we still tick race and religion after 62 years? Every Malaysian knows the drill. Whether it is a school registration form, a university application, a government scholarship, or even a simple survey, the first questions often demand the same information: race and religion. For decades, these boxes have been quietly filled in by millions of Malaysians. To be fair, there are contexts where such information is necessary. For example, in population censuses, for targeted health data, or ..

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have risen over the last two centuries, with current and accumulated emissions per capita from rich nations greatly exceeding those of the Global South. The last six millennia have seen much higher carrying capacities, soil fertility, population densities, and urbanization in the tropics than in the temperate zone. Most of the worlds population lives in tropical and subtropical areas in developing nations, now increasingly threatened by planetary heating. ..

This is not the first-time dress, and not victory, became the focus When a Malaysian woman succeeds, the bigots will use emotional blackmail to belittle her efforts and try to put her down. Perhaps, they are envious of her achievements. It matters little that the woman is a Malay or a non-Malay. So, whilst the nation rejoices in the woman's success, the conservatives in our society will attack her appearance as well as her dress code, and belittle her victory. More often than not, they dismiss ..

Nations have always watched one another. What happens in one becomes a mirror for the other. In that sense, peoples of different countries often see themselves through the lens of their neighbors experiences and actions. What they take from these mirror images, however, and how long it will take them to change the course of events in their own societies, cannot be predicted with certainty. The 1896 Philippine revolution and the 1898 declaration of independence from Spain showed Indonesians what ..

When the Jalur Gemilang was slowly raised during the 2025 BWF World Championships podium ceremony in Paris, I could see on the TV screen our triumphant mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei fighting hard to hold back tears while softly singing _Negaraku, tanah tumpahnya darahku.._ standing on the podium. I was emotionally overwhelmed, feeling excessively elated and proud, as with millions of fellow Malaysians witnessing the historical moment live on their TV or device screens, the ..

Bersatu's future is restricted by its dependence on outdated leaders The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) general assembly held over the weekend went just as expected: leaders on stage portrayed the party as the savior of the nation, while chaos broke out among the delegates over who should be presidenta scene that ended up looking like a farce. Bersatu has long carried the image of a gathering place for disillusioned politicians looking for a new platform. Each paints himself as a ..

Umno flexes its muscle as Urban Renewal Bill stalls The Urban Renewal Bill hit a sudden brake in parliament - debate and voting postponed until October, leaving behind a string of question marks. The bill was initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, led by Nga Kor Ming, with the DAP going all out to push it through. The bill carries politically correct justifications: it can spur urban development, improve residents quality of living, and even draws on successful models from ..

Handshake diplomacy: How Xi, Modi and Putin signal a new world order A photograph can sometimes reveal more than a summit communiqu or hours of diplomatic negotiations. This week, one such image ricocheted across global media: Chinas Xi Jinping, Indias Narendra Modi, and Russias Vladimir Putin standing shoulder to shoulder, smiling, clasping hands at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. For some, it was a fleeting tableau of diplomacy. For seasoned observers, it was a moment ..

Malaysian shuttlers Pearly and Thinaah are true icons of unity, not Akmal At a time when Malaysian politics feels increasingly divided, it is often difficult to find common ground. Yet on the night of August 31, one force reminded us that unity is still possiblesports. The National Day celebration this year was marred by the so-called upside-down flag controversy. Instead of celebrating, many Malaysians felt discouraged from even hanging the Jalur Gemilang. Opportunistic politicians like Dr ..

A healthy Muhyiddin is not healthy to lead Malaysia again Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin is in good health and is actively leading the party, party secretary-general Azmin Ali has claimed. Azmin said on Tuesday that he was communicating with his boss regularly, especially ahead of the partys annual general assembly this weekend. He said this in response to a Facebook post last week by former Selangor Bersatu secretary Hasnizam Adham that Muhyiddin had been hospitalized as he was reportedly ..

Will heads roll over this shocking incident? Or will it be business as usual? Malaysia has had its fair share of serious accidents (tourist coach crashes), major corruption cases (like in Felda), illegal deaths (like deaths in custody), and security failures (like MH370); but despite the seriousness of the situation and the tragedy of the incidents, we will find that no person of authority resigned or was sacked, after the investigation. Why are we so tolerant towards the lack of accountability ..

ByBernardus Agus Rukiyanto / The Jakarta Post / ANN From tragedy to reform: Rethinking democracy and public ethics in Indonesia ByBernardus Agus Rukiyanto / The Jakarta Post / ANN On the evening of Aug. 28, a young online motorcycle driver named Affan Kurniawan was killed by a tactical police vehicle during a demonstration in Jakarta. He was not a protester or a provocateur, just a gig worker trying to deliver food who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. His death, tragic and avoidable, ..

For too many Malaysian children, school is not a place of safety but of fear. Behind classroom doors, bullying takes the form of insults, exclusion, violenceand increasingly, cyberbullying that follows children home. This is not harmless mischief. It is a child protection crisis. Bullying cases are rising fast. Ministry of Education data show 3,883 cases in 2022, 4,994 by October 2023, and 6,208 by October 2024. Online, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission received 3,199 ..

Fat cats stir trouble, Indonesia in turmoil, a warning for Malaysia The protests in Indonesia, which have escalated to the point of blood being spilled on the streets, are not, strictly speaking, caused by the violence of the people, but by the misdeeds of the fat cats. The fat cats here are Indonesias 580 members of parliament. Not long ago, they orchestrated a move to grant themselves perks. The deputy speaker of parliament announced a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah (about ..

Flag Controversy: The best response to sabotage is to be constructive For years, incidents of misprinting or displaying the national flag wrongly have recurred. This year, my colleagues and I became the first casualties. Three enforcement agencies took turns questioning us as if we were criminals in a major case. We nearly ended up spending a night at the police station. Then came suspension from duty, followed by anxious waiting to see if charges would be filed. Although we eventually received ..

Where do Malaysian Chinese stand in the story of Merdeka? Every August, Malaysians are called to remember the image of Tunku Abdul Rahman at Stadium Merdeka, his fist raised high as he proclaimed Merdeka! seven times. That moment has become the visual shorthand for independence, a symbol of national pride and unity. Yet, as the country approaches its 68th year of independence, the memory of Merdeka is far more layered than the triumphant image suggests. For many communities, including the ..

When families doubt the initial postmortem results The mother of 22-year-old cadet Syamsul Haris Shamsudin suspects foul play in her son's death, despite the official version which said that there were no criminal elements involved. Syamsul died on July 28 during Palapes training at the Army Combat Training Center (Pulada) in Ulu Tiram, Johor. Palapes is the Reserve Officer Training Unit. He was a cadet at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). His training started on July 27 and was ..

Malaysias obesity time bomb: A national crisis in the making Malaysia has long been labeled the fattest nation in Asia. Ultra-processed foods and sugar- sweetened beverages (SSBs) have become cheaper, more convenient, and heavily marketed, keeping consumption high despite stagnant incomes and rising living costs. Notably, it empirically derived that SSB intake should be limited to **less than one serving per week**far below Malaysias daily habits. Obesity is closely tied to non-communicable ..

Wayward MDIO officers put national security at risk The report that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has expressed concern over the arrests of two officers from the Malaysian Defense Intelligence Organization (MDIO) should not surprise anymore. After all, this is a very serious case, and the prime minister himself has warned that it could pose national security risks. When intelligence officers, especially from a unit as sensitive as the MDIO are arrested, the implications go far beyond a simple ..

The Global South had little voice, let alone influence, in shaping the economically neoliberal and politically neo-conservative globalization leading to contemporary geopolitical economic conflicts. Pacifist non-aligned cooperation for sustainable development offers the best way forward. Realizing non-alignment for our times should begin with current realities rather than abstract, ahistorical principles. 2025 is also the 70th anniversary of the beginnings of non-alignment, first mooted at the ..

Artificial intelligence and big data are not merely new technologies; they represent civilizational shifts that may eclipse even the Industrial Revolution in their impact. Jobs will vanish, new industries will emerge, but wealth will continue to concentrate in the hands of a shrinking global elite. The central questions of ownership, control, and the potential abuse of big data must be addressed. At stake is nothing less than the rewriting of the social contractone in which governments will ..

A timely reminder for every MalaysianSalam Merdeka During the hour-long Grab ride from Damansara to KLIA, I found myself in an unexpectedly deep conversation with the drivera man whose tired eyes reflected the weight of daily struggles, yet also an unmistakable spark of hope. His story unfolded not as a polished speech, but through candid words and heartfelt truths that gripped me, inspiring a reflection on what it truly means for Malaysia to rise again this Merdeka. Look, boss, he began, ..

Anwar, Fadhlina must not underestimate the impact of Zaras case I have been away from campus for a long time and when it comes to bullying, my most vivid experiences and memories are of workplace bullying. Returning to the topic of this article, whether bullying occurs on campus or in the workplace, once it is tolerated, it will only intensify. What is most chilling is often not the bullying itself but the inaction of those supposed to bear responsibility for oversight and governance. In cases ..

In 2024, Malaysia was shaken by the tragic death of 29-year-old Rajeswary Appahu, better known as Esha. After enduring relentless cyberbullying, she took her own life. Her loss sparked a landmark legal reform: the Penal Code Section 507D (2), now known as the _Esha Clause_, criminalizing severe forms of cyberbullying. Just a year later, the nation was again jolted when 13-year- old Zara Qairina, a Form One student in Sabah, died after being brutally bullied at school. Her ordeal reignited ..

Please invest in prevention of bullying in schools The tragic death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, possibly linked to bullying, has ignited a nationwide dialogue on bullying in schools and spurred the government to seriously consider the problem. We hope this will not be limited to a media cycle but will bring concerted change that will reduce the huge problem of bullying in schools and institutions of higher education. We are concerned that current measures by the government are predominantly ..

Dr Akmals political saga continues with Johor support Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh was slapped with a charge of allegedly causing public fear on Friday. About 300 Umno youth members and supporters from Penang, Kedah, Selangor, Kelantan and Kuala Lumpur were present to show support, turning the court proceedings into a political show. Dr Akmal, who pleaded not guilty, told the media outside the magistrates court that the crowd at the Bukit Mertajam court was not there to support ..

Flag mistake: Unity Government shooting itself in the foot I am completely confounded this Merdeka, because our homeland has been messed up by irresponsible politicians eager to hype up issues and instigate intercommunity confrontation and suspicion. I am utterly terrified this Merdeka, because fear has become the common poison forced into our society. A simple flag-hanging action out of pure patriotism could become a subject of political bullying, facing potential police summoning or even ..

**Approved investments vs FDI: Manipulation, or truly a non-issue? ** In the past few years, every time the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) publishes the figures for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), certain quarters tend to compare the FDI figure against the Foreign Investment (FI) data captured by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA). Allegations tend to follow on how they believe the MIDA numbers are fudged to achieve a feel-good factor. Never mind that since ..

Resurging nationalism in Southeast Asia: A blessing or a curse? We define nationalism as an assertive identification with the nation-state, often linked to cultural pride, sovereignty and resistance to foreign influence. Renowned scholar Benedict Anderson, in his foundational work _Imagined Communities_, describes nationalism as a product of imagined connection. He argues that nations are cultural artifacts through which people cultivate a sense of belonging and unity, even without direct ..

Wings of Unity, Borneo for You: Perfect tags for AirBorneo Six months after Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg announced the establishment of AirBorneo following the February 12 signing of the sale and purchase agreement between the Sarawak government and Malaysia Aviation Group, Sarawakians have been updated with the latest development on August 21. Im very pleased that the GPS Government has informed the people of whats happening in AirBorneo. Because of its significance, Sarawakians must be ..

AI in Malaysia: Caution without strategy is its own mistake Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahims warning on the perils of artificial intelligence (AI) spending captures Malaysias dilemma: spend without discipline and billions will be wasted, hesitate too long and the nation risks being left behind in the next wave of technological sovereignty. Whatever AI may be, Malaysia must strike a balance: rigorous safeguards against waste and corruption, alongside bold investment to ensure the nation is not left ..