In the book The March to Putrajaya, author Kim Quek asks some hard questions and got the reply he may not have wanted – a government ban on his book. But it is a decision as baffling as the controversies Quek broaches. As hard as I read, I could not find the ‘not suitable for … Read more
Human nature is such that there are two kinds of human behaviour when it comes to charity – the pretentious and the altruistic donor. I have always doubted the sincerity of those who give to charity by proclaiming it under the flashbulbs of press photographers. In these amusing photo ops, you see the donors … Read more
Tidak disangkal lagi apabila kita mengatakan bahawa minum teh tarik dan meratah roti canai di restoran mamak menjadi kecenderongan masyarakat bandar berkumpul serta bersosial. Atas kesibukan kerja sehingga lewat malam, penduduk di kawasan bandar jarang pulang ke rumah untuk makan dan mengharapkan kedai-kedai makan di luar bagi memenuhi selera mereka. Suatu kajian yang dijalankan … Read more
The journalism fraternity needs to stand firmly by the Malaysian Insider and its reporter, who have now become the latest targets in a running series of attempts to intimidate reporters, bloggers and media houses, and to gag dissident or critical opinion through police action. Thinking is not a crime. Having an opinion is not … Read more
Perdana Menteri Najib Razak mahu membantu Amerika Syarikat menangani Islamophobia supaya masyarakat di sana lebih memahami Islam dan menghapuskan persepsi negatif terhadap agama itu. Apabila direnungkan, mungkin matlamat pertama itu telahpun tercapai tanpa apa-apa bantuan dari pihak kerajaan Malaysia. Rakyat Amerika Syarikat boleh membaca dan melihat berita setiap hari bagaimana setengah-setengah penganut Islam di … Read more
A modern Asian myth has it that Lee Kuan Yew is the only man to ever ride a communist tiger without being eaten by the ‘beast’. In the mid-50s he teamed up with the incorruptible, dedicated and charismatic Lim Chin Siong (left), a left wing trade unionist, to form the People’s Action Party (PAP). But … Read more
by Kim Quek I refer to the banning of my book The March to Putrajaya and the various reasons given by the Home Ministry secretary-general Mahmood Adam as reported by Bernama and relayed by various web portals and blogsites yesterday (Sept 30). The ban was effected by invoking sub-section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and … Read more
Sarawak adalah negeri terbesar, yakni, 37.5% kawasan tanah Malaysia serta mempunyai hutan hujan tropika yang amat luas. Pada awal tahun 70an dulu, seorang penulis Perancis, Mady Villard telah menggambarkan pengalamannya semasa penggembaraan beliau di hutan Sarawak lebih kurang seperti “… hutan tebal yang penuh dengan pokok-pokok besar dan diselubungi oleh bunga-bunga benalu di samping ranting-rantingnya … Read more
Pada Sept 6 baru-baru ini, agensi berita nasional Bernama telah memetik tokoh sejarahwan Prof. Emeritus Khoo Kay Kim sebagai berkata, “Rakyat Malaysia dari mana-mana kaum yang mempersoal atau mempertikaikan Perkara 153 dalam perlembagaan negara yang mengiktiraf kedudukan dan hak istimewa orang Melayu dan Bumiputera adalah buta sejarah dan tidak memahami perlembagaan.” Mengikut Khoo, masyarakat kini … Read more
Amidst the recent heightening of racial rhetoric, mainly originating from the incumbent ruling power Umno, former premier Mahathir Mohamad created a minor sensation when he warned that Malays will lose their power and a Chinese or an Indian may become prime minister, if opposition Pakatan Rakyat were to come to power. This statement was … Read more