Malaysian Digest - Malaysia News and Current Affairs

This morning, a group of former soldiers gathered outside Bersih co-chairperson Datuk Ambiga Sreevenasan's home. They were seen bending over sticking their butts out. It was supposed to be a protest against the April 28 Bersih rally. Some were carrying placards that said Tolak Ambiga, Anwar Gila Kuasa (Reject Ambiga, Power-Crazed Anwar).

Rudi, as our friendly gardener is fondly called, is an Indonesian.

A High Court has ordered a newspaper columnist to pay RM500,000 in damages over tweets that apparently defamed a businessman. It again goes to show that freedom of speech does not mean freedom to slander.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the Barisan Nasional (BN) must come up with a creative and effective method of resolving the problems of the people in this modern era. We could see that the Prime Minister’s call was taken to heart following the imaginative ‘symbolic shticks’ by various BN/Umno-linked groups in the past few weeks.

Tougher laws on dog owners must be drawn out and effectively enforced following the dog attack which killed 74-year-old jogger Yip Sun Wah in Subang Jaya two days ago. Seeing as this was not the first case of a fatal dog attacks, the government should seriously consider stricter rules when it comes to issuing licenses on certain breed of dogs, especially those that are known to be vicious.

IF I could write a letter to the Saudi Arabia government, it would be to ask the government to not carry out its threat to impose restrictions on Malaysians performing haj and umrah.

Prior to Bersih 2.0, I cautioned the organizers that we must be careful about using street demonstrations lest trouble should erupt and the Government should declare an Emergency. The practice of democracy in our country is tenuous and we should be extra-careful in our actions so that irresponsible parties cannot take advantage of the situation to bring chaos.

The civil society movement demanding electoral eforms through peaceful assembly by non-governmental organisations (NGO), which was actually in line with the government's political transformation, is said to have been derailed by its own associates from opposition parties.

The call for the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans to be abolished, and Malaysians be given free tertiary education has attracted many debates.

Suaram’s claims that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak sought a US$1 billion (condition) for a meeting between French company DCNI and him in 2001 for the Scorpene submarine deal is way out of logic.

I’ve been to rallies before, as a student and Malaysian citizen but Bersih 3.0 was my first Bersih event.

You can always tell the politicians apart. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, for sure, is one.