Chandra Muzaffar

COMMENT | Retaining the people’s trust in him will be Adenan’s greatest challenge.

COMMENT | It is loyalty to these principles and practices that should take precedence.

COMMENT | Citizenship would be lopsided if citizens fail to appreciate their responsibilities.

COMMENT | What is an elected representative supposed to do in a democracy?

COMMENT | Integrity, economic realities, political structure, religion and ethnic relations.

COMMENT Need to examine declining English from a broader perspective.

If Ukraine is on the brink of a catastrophe, it is mainly because the present regime in Kiev and its supporters, backed by certain Western powers, had violated a fundamental principle of democratic governance. They had ousted a democratically-elected president through illegal means. President Viktor Yanukovich, who had come to power through a free and fair election in 2010, should have been removed through the ballot-box.

National Unity Minister Joseph Kurup suggested recently, “Maybe it’s time we remove the need to state our race on any form in the country.” ( Sunday Star , Feb 23, 2014).

When a nation with a multi-ethnic population is confronted with a serious economic challenge, it has to be concerned about how it will impact upon ethnic relations. This is especially true when the ethnic situation, prior to the economic challenge, is already problematic.

It would be unwise to restore the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Of the many features of the ISA, it was detention without trial which had evoked widespread condemnation, because it allowed incarceration without independent judicial evaluation of evidence, it was regarded as an affront to the rule of law and a violation of the principle of justice. Many Malaysians therefore welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, on Sept 15, 2011 to abolish the ISA.

Internationally Malaysia has maintained that China does not seek regional or global dominance which may have disturbed the US.

COMMENT Yayasan 1Malaysia puts forward ideas for new scholarship policies aimed at reducing the disappointment felt by young Malaysians and their families.

COMMENT The Arab uprising is no longer what it was.  Its complexion is changing.

COMMENT How ethnic interests are addressed in the nation's development will be a major determinant in the success or failure of 1Malaysia.

COMMENT The recent cow head incident has brought to the fore certain important prerequisites for the maintenance of peace and harmony.

comment Pak Lah must take responsibility and step down. Elsewhere, these reflections on five major, inter-related concerns reveal that all are part of the problem and the solution in the current political situation.

Merdeka series What is Malaysia's greatest achievement in the last 50 years of Merdeka? It is our ability to maintain a remarkable degree of inter-ethnic peace.