Star: One to one fight ideal, but not necessary

KOTA KINABALU: The State Reform Party (Star) shares the sentiments of the Democratic Action Party (Dap) that the possibility of one-to-one fights in Sabah to take on the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) at the forthcoming 13th General Election is non-existent. It also agrees with Dap that the Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) was out of synch [...]

Open Letter to Hindraf Makkal Sakthi: Borneo-based and led national 3rd Force in Parliament

Open Letter to Hindraf Makkal Sakthi   Borneo-based and led national 3rd Force in Parliament Dear Waytha and Uthaya, Johore may be set for interesting times as it faces an uncertain future as an Umno bastion. Muhiyiddin is reportedly trying to do a number on Najib here by planning to get rid of Ghani in [...]

Umno/BN’s ‘transformation’ will never affect us

A Letter To DATUK IDRIS JALA, idrisjala@pemandu.gov.my by Joe Fernandez Dear Datuk Idris, I just read your piece, “Why transformation may not be affecting you yet”, carried in the local papers in Kota Kinabalu on Mon 7 May. I have accepted your invite to write to you at idrisjala@pemandu.gov.my on the continuing debate. I am [...]

Sydney Morning Herald : Najib’s Malaysia still stuck in the murk

This is an interesting piece written by Hamish McDonald the Asia-Pacific editor for Sydney Morning Herald. This piece is written just after the Bersih 3.0 gathering on April 28, 2012. As I too was there on that day in Dataran, to me Bersih 3.0 has ushered in an unstoppable move towards greater democratic freedoms in [...]

In Denying a Sex Scandal, Shafie Apdal Focuses Attention on the Issue

In a country that is no stranger to sex scandals in politics, the latest flare-up has been one of the strangest of all. Most notably, it came to broad public attention only because the man at the center of it, Minister of Rural and Regional Development and UMNO Vice President wannabe Chief Minister of Sabah, [...]

Suluk Filipinos make renewed attempt to seize power in Sabah

Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman, a Pathan-Dusun, is a man hogging the headlines once again these days but for the most bizarre of all reasons. The Suluk Filipinos are after his head as they eye the Chief Minister’s post in a renewed bid. Musa, affectionately known as Moses among his fellow Dusuns, has Foreign Minister [...]

Retelling the Sabah Story!

SABAH, once almost synonymous with despondency, has been rising from the ashes of gloom and murkiness. The nearly infamous GDP growth rate of 8 per cent that was termed a miracle more than once is not just where the story begins or ends. The dreadful past that saw this North Borneo state decelerating, deteriorating and [...]

Will Indian Malaysians be taken for a ride again?

Come elections Indians are the most sought after people. This time too political parties are queuing outside the houses of worship, houses of religious leaders, organizations, to woo the Indians ahead of the 13th General Elections which might be called anytime now. Be it Barisan National or Pakatan Rakyat, they all are throwing bait to [...]

Najib and Anwar should debate on ‘more food, less fear, for future Malaysia’

Can you win a general election without having a debate and winning it? Curiously, Najib Tun Razak and Barisan National seem to think so but the principal opposing alliance Pakatan Rakyat’s Anwar Ibrahim do not seem to think so. My take is, Najib Tun Razak and Anwar Ibrahim  should debate about “more food, less fear, [...]

Is Shafie Apdal the hidden hand behind KDM Malaysia?

The shadow boxing by certain UMNO politicians using Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) a Barisan National component in Sabah and the Kadazandusun Murut Association Malaysia (KDM Malaysia) may be a precursor to a battle for the gaddi in Kuala Lumpur. Sabahans often accuse their politicians of being short-sighted. Judging by the rhetoric’s, lobbying, mudslinging, conniving and [...]