IN recent weeks, we have once again found ourselves drawn into an uncomfortable debate sparked by the claims of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) linguistics professor Dr Solehah Yaacob. Her latest assertion that the legendary Iban warrior Rentap possessed Malay blood and was a descendant of the famed Malacca hero
IN recent days, a commentary by political scientist Wong Chin Huat questioning whether the Election Commission (EC) is delimiting Sarawak’s electoral boundaries at the instruction of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has sparked debate. While academic scrutiny of democratic processes is both welcome and necessary, it is equally important that such
“Democracy is good, but it is not perfect, simply because there is little chance of seeing a great man elected through elections.” – Mwanandeke Kindembo, Congolese author SPECULATION is once again swirling over whether Malaysia will head to the ballot box earlier than expected. Although the current parliamentary term can
YESTERDAY, I examined in my weekly column the proposal to limit the prime minister’s tenure to two five-year terms. That piece was about strengthening democratic institutions. Today, let’s take the next logical step: strengthening the federation itself. More than six decades have passed since independence in 1957 and over half
After 10 years, the country needs new ideas from a new prime minister. The term limit ensures the government remains receptive to fresh thinking. – Dr Azmi Hassan (Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow) When Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stood before congregants after Friday prayers in Banting recently and
“Still a long way off … Who knows? You can do the calculations yourselves.” – Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg (in reply to reporters’ queries on the 13th state election date) THE political drumbeats are beginning to grow louder across Sarawak. The 13th Sarawak state election may
The seamless, flowing motion used to form cursive letters stimulates brain synapses and the synchronisation of the hands and eyes, unlike the disjointed taps of a keyboard. – https://www.lwtears.com/ A FACEBOOK story about Sweden bringing more books and handwriting practice back to its tech-heavy schools caught my attention, and I
“I am simply a ‘book drunkard’. Books have the same irresistible temptation for me that liquor has for its devotee. I cannot withstand them.” – LM Montgomery, Canadian author I WAS barely six years old when I first discovered the quiet magic of reading. That discovery did not come from
Sarawakians are no strangers to disappointment when it comes to federal interpretations of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). But the recent argument advanced by Law and Institutional Reform Minister Datuk Azalina Othman Said, that MA63 contains “nothing” on oil and gas ownership or regulation, has struck a particularly raw nerve
“The best fighter is someone who never has to fight because they control the situation.” – Bruce Lee SUNDAYS often give me the space to reflect, not just on current events, but on the quieter forces that have shaped who I am. Yesterday, my thoughts returned to martial arts, prompted