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Eulogy to a friend – Koh Yeow Tong

by Allan CF Goh

Excuse me for misusing this site to eulogize a friend, who has just said his last goodbye. Koh Yeow Tong was, and will always remain, a valued classmate of the Class of ’59 of the Batu Pahat High School.

Classmates fondly call him the super-athlete. He ruled over the field and track events on every Sports Day in the school, district and state. He also excelled in games, and played in the Asian All Blues (a bunch of blue-ribboned sportsmen from Asia) in rugby, challenging the mighty European teams.

On field, he was the demon sportsman; off field, an impish gentleman, generous to a fault, always concerned with fellow classmates. We will certainly miss him. He will live on in our collective memory.

May his soul rest in peace.

The Race
(Dedicated to Koh Yeow Tong)

The group of young athletes,
Muscled in superb condition,
Mass at one end of the field,
In suppressed anticipation.
Getting ready for the race,
They do their warm-up exercise.
They stretch and windmill their arms,
They are tense and well energized. Continue reading “Eulogy to a friend – Koh Yeow Tong”

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Stop this public lynching

by Dr. Lim Teck Ghee
Friday, 19 July 2013

Commentary

The decision of the AG to charge Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee marks the half-way point in the public lynching of these two young people.

What were they guilty of?

A moment of unthinking madness; an act of stupidity and idiocy; a prank in bad taste; racial and religious insensitivity; youthful arrogance – yes, these criticisms and much more in the way of scorn and public shame and odium can be heaped on their foolish and misguided attempt to draw attention to themselves.

But to charge them for sedition and for a criminal act under the penal code! And then to deny them bail as if they are a major threat to public peace and order. Please!

Let us not forget that prominent politicians guilty of even more in your face racial and religious taunting have got away scot free, with the last notable racist political figure even put up as a candidate during the recent election. And what about even earlier incidents such as kris brandishing? Continue reading “Stop this public lynching”

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Titillating TITAS

By Tunku Abidin Muhriz | JULY 19, 2013
The Malay Mail Online

It’s not just me: students who I meet at innumerable forums tell me that their history textbooks (and the inane methods of learning) are more likely to induce catatonia than an appreciation of our past; retired soldiers who I meet at war memorials and regimental dinners forlornly remark that important battles of a generation ago are completely forgotten; and retired bureaucrats, senior judges and politicians of the “old school” I have the pleasure to know are resigned to the fact that their heroes — King Ghaz, Tun Suffian, Dr Mohamed Said — will never be household names again.

As for those names which every Malaysian does know, it can be argued that they are simply put on pedestals without sufficient appreciation of their life stories. Ironically, there are many excellent biographies, autobiographies and collections of the writings of our early patriots (the books of Tunku Abdul Rahman could constitute a whole course!), but they don’t seem to be used as teaching materials.
Continue reading “Titillating TITAS”

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End impunity for the powerful, reform institutions

– Josie Fernandez
The Malaysian Insider
July 18, 2013

Corruption with impunity is undermining democracy, socio-economic advancement and the independence of Parliament, state and legislature in Malaysia.

Corruption with impunity is a major challenge stifling efforts to reform institutions such as the Elections Commission, Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission, the Police and Political Parties. Election fraud is another indicator that impunity has been institutionalized.

Reforms proposed by civil society groups such as Transparency International Malaysia to restructure the Elections Commission, for a more independent MACC and for removal of laws that curtail the independence of the media have been ignored by the government.

Recent surveys such as the Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) 2013 results have shown that approximately 70 percent of the Malaysian Public does not have faith in the government. Results from the GCB 2013 reveal that the public perceive the police to be the most corrupt, followed closely by political parties, civil servants and the Parliament/Legislature.

Bad behavior in Parliament is yet another strong indicator that impunity is the driver of such behavior. Often the prosecution of political and public officials is hindered by collusion, interference of government bureaus, personal influence and institutional pressures. Continue reading “End impunity for the powerful, reform institutions”

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Deracialising M’sian journalism

by Eric Loo
Malaysiakini
Jul 18, 2013

We find strength in numbers. Shared goals prompt us to unionise for collective bargaining and associate for mutual affirmation. Hence, we have clubs and fraternities, guilds and societies, centres and institutes. We identify with the group’s creed, culture and calling. But when journalists’ associations are founded on racial positioning instead of editorial mission, it piques my interest in their political motivation.

In a democracy we’re free to associate and assemble along racial lines. I understand the motives for Perkasa’s existence; likewise the reasons for Hindraf and Dong Zong’s founding. But let not our journalists be defined by racial differentiation.

When media practitioners assemble under exclusivist racial umbrellas, when they see themselves first as Malay, Chinese or Indian journalists instead of journalists who happen to be a Malay, Chinese or Indian, it raises a range of ethical issues. The main being their professional integrity and capacity to report fairly and truthfully when they are confronted by race-related issues and moved to write about it. Continue reading “Deracialising M’sian journalism”