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Trending: Ernest Zacharevic, Malaysia’s answer to Banksy

By BBC Trending
What’s popular and why
13 November 2013 Last updated at 18:40

Malaysia has its own version of Banksy – street artist Ernest Zacharevic. His latest piece of work, which highlights the problem of crime, has been painted over by the authorities – but not before being widely shared on social media.

Across the water from wealthy Singapore is the Malaysian city of Johor Bahru, known as one of the country’s crime hot spots. Late last Thursday evening, 27-year-old street artist Ernest Zacharevic was at work on a wall there with his spray can. Zacharevic is from Lithuania but is a permanent resident of Malaysia, and is well-known in the region for his street art.
Continue reading “Trending: Ernest Zacharevic, Malaysia’s answer to Banksy”

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In Parliament, when might is right and sledgehammers rule the day

NEWS ANALYSIS BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
November 14, 2013

Parliament, the place for civilised debates and arguments, turned into an arena to put a government critic in place. Using their parliamentary majority, the Barisan Nasional lawmakers approved a motion to suspend Padang Serai MP N. Surendran for six months.

His crime? Ostensibly insulting Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia yesterday over an emergency motion Surendran tabled to discuss the demolition of a century-old Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur.

While the Speaker had rejected the first-term MP’s emergency motion, his BN colleagues’ motion to suspend Surendran was accepted amid an uproar in parliament which led to a voting boycott.

That did not stop the BN lawmakers from voting to suspend Surendran for six months.

The thing is, the BN and the Speaker can use parliament proceedings as a shield to protect the government and its actions but Malaysians are more savvy and intelligent than many of these YBs. Continue reading “In Parliament, when might is right and sledgehammers rule the day”

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NST to apologise for ‘plot to destablise gov’t’ report

Lawrence Yong
Malaysiakini
Nov 13, 2013

It was a victory for responsible journalism in Malaysia today when mainstream daily New Straits Times (NST) had to bend to demands from four NGOs to apologise for publishing a fabricated story.

The apology was part of the conditions set by polls reform movement Bersih 2.0, human rights group Suaram, Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and pollster Merdeka Centre, for dropping their defamation suit against the “oldest English newspaper in the country”.

NST’s website claims that it has been publishing since 1845.

NST also agreed to pay RM120,000 to the four parties, for reporting more than a year ago that the NGOs were plotting to overthrow the BN government.

“The damage was done at that time… I certainly hope this doesn’t become a habit for the NST to write a fabricated story and then apologise for it later,” Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan told reporters outside the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

“The apology is not the end of the matter. What we want to see is responsible journalism.” Continue reading “NST to apologise for ‘plot to destablise gov’t’ report”