If prime minister Mahathir Mohamed believed that by dismissing Anwar Ibrahim and accusing him of moral turpitude would destroy his reputation, the people of Malaysia have proved him dead wrong. Showing uncharacteristic defiance, the people have held massive rallies in support of Reformasi, the reform movement launched by Anwar.
Amid uncharacteristically strong defiance, the people of Malaysia have kept the tempo of demonstrations despite the arrest of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim last month.
Anwar was brought to court with a swollen eye and bruises on his right arm, the result of being severely beaten by police when he was first arrested ten days ago.
Dr Amien Rais has been credited with initiating the downfall of president Suharto in Indonesia. Leading the largest Islamic organisation - Muhammadiyah - he is considered a potential successor to B J Habibie in the next elections under the ‘reformasi’.
‘Reformasi’ or reform, has become the rallying cry of opponents of prime minister Mahathir Mohamed in Malaysia since his unceremonious sacking of deputy prime minister and finance minister Anwar Ibrahim on September 2.
The deportation from Malaysia of ‘illegal immigrants’ turned violent on March 26 when a number of refugees were shot and killed in police firing at Semenyih camp in Selangor.
Malaysian pilgrims to the Hajj are often noted by other hujjaj to be among the best organized and most disciplined of the Holy Lands' many annual visitors. It is also often noted that, in contrast to hujjaj from some other countries, they are often young. These simple observations hide a major Muslim achievement which goes far further than simply the successful organization of an annual trip to the Haramain.
It was not too long ago that the term Melayu Baru was the buzz word among the intelligentsia. In the mid-199Os, practically everyone was talking about the great social and cultural phenomenon known as the ‘New Malay’ generation.
The currency turmoil in Southeast Asia is spreading. It started in Thailand but quickly engulfed neighbouring countries Indonesia and Malaysia as well.
Prime minister Mahathir Mohamed of Malaysia may have made a strategic political blunder by tying his political future to solving the deepening currency and stockmarket crisis. He has thus handed his detractors the opportunity to undermine his position.
The economic miracle, now mired in political, economic, financial and ecological setbacks, was to foster a Malaysia Inc, that would lead to a Valhalla of an industrialised Malaysia in 2020.
Dr Mahathir Mohamed’s much-trumpeted Vision-2020 has been forced to have corrective lenses installed in the last few weeks.
The turmoil that has hit Southeast Asian currencies should serve as a reminder to all those who move too fast in trying to catch up with the west or attempt improving their economies.
There is in Malaysia a truly George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four scenario. There is an ‘Anti-Corruption Act’ to nab those who complain about corruption; an Institute of Islamic Understanding to promote an orientalist version of Islam; non-Muslims advising the Muslims how to reform Islam, else Islam will `die off’ due to its failure to change with the time...
When one loses the arguments, he becomes incoherent. He talks about things which are out of this world or age, and of things which had no relevance or connections to the arguments in hand. This seems to be the case with some of our leaders stuck in an Islamic time capsule.
Malaysia has launched its audacious bid to capitalise on the growing possibilities offered by the emergence of information superhighways. In a series of high-level presentations Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammed has started to woo key participants to the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC).
The Developing Eight (D-8) economic cooperation group got off to a shaky start on June 15 in Istanbul as its most passionate advocate, prime minister Necmettin Erbakan of Turkey struggled with his hawkish generals to hang on to power.
In the east Malaysian state of Sarawak, the confluence of the Rajang and Balui Rivers is marked by the Bakun Rapids. Here, churning whirlpools and crashing white water have undone many an experienced boatman.
Malaysia’s controversial mega dam project in the Eastern state of Sarawak is showing signs of stress. Reports of construction mishaps and financial problems faced by Ekran, the main contractor of the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam Project are being blacked out from the tighly-controlled Malaysian press.
