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The evolution of crisis

By George Friedman
Aug 11, 2011 | Asia Times

Classical political economists like Adam Smith or David Ricardo never used the term ”economy” by itself. They always used the term ”political economy.” For classical economists, it was impossible to understand politics without economics or economics without politics. The two fields are certainly different but they are also intimately linked.

The use of the term ”economy” by itself did not begin until the late 19th century. Smith understood that while an efficient market would emerge from individual choices, those choices were framed by the political system in which they were made, just as the political system was shaped by economic realities. For classical economists, the political and economic systems were intertwined, each dependent on the other for its existence. Continue reading “The evolution of crisis”

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Welcome to Indonesia’s 34th province

Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
Aug 8, 11

If Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s ‘Project N’, the sequel to former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s ‘Project M’ is realised, Tourism Malaysia will not need use the meaningless ‘Malaysia, Truly Asia’ as its slogan.

It will have to adopt the more apt ‘Malaysia, Truly Indonesia’.

With numerous allegations that 3 million Indonesians have become Malaysian citizens with full bumiputera rights, then perhaps Malaysia, with the exception of Sabah, will soon be known as the 34th Province of Indonesia. Continue reading “Welcome to Indonesia’s 34th province”

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When charity becomes a crime

by Dr Chris Anthony

The ongoing controversy over the alleged raid of the Damansara Utama Methodist Church(DUMN) by Jais brings highlights a very strange phenomenon where doing charity becomes a crime that must be investigated and punished.

We all know that charity is the act of giving money, food or help free to those who are in need because they are ill, poor or have no home. All religions encourage this virtue of charity and in fact it is a basic tenet of every faith.

Most of us regardless of the religion we belong too are at one time or another involved with some acts of charity which is considered noble. Ironically today the virtue that was exalted all these years is at times seen as something terribly wrong.It is distressing that chariry is increasing seen as a crime that must be punished. Continue reading “When charity becomes a crime”

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Malaysia has ‘very high’ religious restrictions, says report

By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Aug 10, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — The government of Malaysia imposes “very high” restrictions on religion, an influential United States research group said yesterday.

The Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life said that it was among 10 countries out of 198 studied with very high government restrictions as of mid-2009 including Egypt, Iran, China, Myanmar and Indonesia.

Other regional neighbours such as Thailand and Singapore were rated moderate in the report while Philippines was considered to have low government restrictions on religious freedom.

“Government restrictions also increased substantially in Malaysia, which, like Egypt, already had very high restrictions to begin with. Although the country’s constitution recognises freedom of religion, Malaysia restricts the observance of Islamic beliefs and practices that do not conform to Sunni Islam,” its report titled “Rising Restrictions on Religion” said. Continue reading “Malaysia has ‘very high’ religious restrictions, says report”

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London riots

By Art Harun
August 10, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

AUG 10 — I have been rather sarcastically asked on Twitter such questions as, “you support freedom of assembly, you want Malaysians to riot like the Londoners?”. Another twitterati asked me, “Art, you support the riots in London?”.

Frankly, I am amused to my bone by such questions.

I am amused because the attempts at justifying the banning of public rallies in Malaysia by referring to the riotous behaviour of some others displays a certain degree of shallowness, if not lack of intelligence. Continue reading “London riots”

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Why can Mara teach Maths and Science in English?

G Vinod
Free Malaysia Today
August 10, 2011

The government wants to abolish the teaching of Maths and Science in English next year but Mara junior colleges will teach the subjects in English under the Cambridge programme.

PETALING JAYA: Even Mara understands the importance of English. Their junior colleges have decided to offer Cambridge programme, said Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (Page).

Page chairperson Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said in a statement this showed that even Mara, which largely caters for rural Malays, understood the importance of the English language.

On Saturday, Bernama reported that Mara would be offering the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education programme, equivalent to an O-Level certificate, at all 45 Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM) in Malaysia by 2016.

Currently, Mara director-general Ibrahim Ahmad said, the programme is being offered at the Tun Adbul Razak MRSM in Pekan, Pahang. Continue reading “Why can Mara teach Maths and Science in English?”

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Great flaw of TBH RCI report – failure to affix responsibility for TBH’s death on MACC despite evidence galore

A great flaw of the Teoh Beng Hock (TBH) Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report is its failure to affix responsibility for Beng Hock’s death on the MACC although there were evidence galore before the RCI proceedings.

It was not just persons, namely various MACC officers led by Hishammuddin Hashim the then Selangor MACC Deputy Director and the “mastermind” of the illegal and massive 33-officer MACC “operation”, who must bear responsibility for Beng Hock’s death but also the institution of MACC as well.

The RCI report only made oblique references to the MACC’s role and responsibility for Beng Hock’s death without going for the jugular to pinpoint directly to MACC’s liability and responsibility.

This is most unsatisfactory and an abdication of responsibility of the TBH RCI on its specific term of reference “to enquire into the death of Teoh Beng Hock and the circumstances surrounding and contributing to his death”. Continue reading “Great flaw of TBH RCI report – failure to affix responsibility for TBH’s death on MACC despite evidence galore”