Dato Onn Jaafar was born in 1895 at Bukit Gambir, Johor Bahru. His father Dato Jaafar Haji Muhammad was the first Menteri Besar of Johor while his mother, Hanim Rogayah was from Scarcia, Turkey. He was sent to England to study by Sultan Ibrahim of Johor and was the best student in English and French. Upon his return from England he was sent to his father to study Bahasa Melayu in the Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK).

MCA’s president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek really got himself in hot water following his call for gradual removal of the 30 percent bumiputera equity in the recent Chinese Economic Congress. His proclamation expectedly received onslaughts of protests and remonstrations from Malay leaders particularly those from Umno. Some Malay and Muslim organisations – namely, Ikatan Rakyat Insan Muslim (IKIMM), Federal Territory Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kiman), Malay Consultative Council (MPM) and Perkasa – went to the extent of lodging police reports against Chua over his controversial statement. The ultra-Malay right-wing pressure group Perkasa even demanded for Chua to be arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for “degrading national interests”.

1. In 1964 Malaysia held its first elections. The Tunku had an understanding with the Chief Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Kwan Yew that the PAP (People's Action Party) would contest only in Singapore and would stay out of the rest of Malaysia. It was really not a smart kind of agreement. It was not put on paper at all. Only an understanding between two leaders.

Melaka state government through its Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Rustam in July has announced the establishment of a school for pregnant teenagers to curb an alarming epidemic of baby dumping.

On August 11, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz announced that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was happy with Deputy Prime Minister’s Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s performance as the acting Prime Minister during his 10-day overseas holiday early August.

LAST May, PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim came out with a new catchphrase which was rather compelling.

Reading the news recently on a certain residents of this country that’s been giving the enumerators a hard time as they were not able to converse in the national language reminded me of my own frustrating encounters with those from this small section of society. There were a few occasions, during those times I spent at the outskirts, where I tried to converse with these people only to be snubbed just because the persons I were inquiring from didn’t know how to speak Malay and English. It just baffles me that these persons have been living in this country for all their lives yet they don’t know (or refuse to know) how to use their national language.

1. I hate to return to this subject but since the Malaysian papers carry no news about Blair, Malaysians generally consider Blair as another great Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

1. I am merely a Malay Muslim who once led a Third World country. I therefore do not understand democratic politics, the rule of law and justice.

Political analysts are in two minds over whether the recent "hoo-ha" over the misuse of DAP letterheads in Selangor will have any bearing on the people's support for the party, one of three which make up the opposition Pakatan Rakyat pact.

The talk of unity between Umno and PAS have been going on for quite some time now with both parties indicating more openness to discuss on the idea now than they were when it first came in the open last year. Even PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz, who was outraged upon knowing that his henchmen were happily discussing the idea with Umno, had agreed to meet Umno Deputy President Muhyiddin Yassin during the latter’s recent visit to Kelantan. The meeting was reportedly to discuss the forging of cooperation between the two parties in various fields, including in the effort to strengthen Islam and the position of Malays in the country. Then again, the Kelantan menteri besar being open to discussion with Umno leaders on the two parties coming together doesn’t necessarily mean he is warming up to the idea.  

SHOULD non-Muslim Malaysians be afraid of PAS?