Ramon Navaratnam

I am appalled at the unprecedented executive order from the US President Donald Trump to ban Syrians and Muslims from some Arab countries from the US at this day and time.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has made a flying start in his race to prepare for the 2050 National Transformation (TN50) discourse.

Grand corruption can cripple our economy. Indeed it is already causing the decline of public confidence and widening a growing trust deficit. Unless the deepening corruption and consequent economic inefficiencies are addressed firmly and urgently, the socio-economic and political prospects and our social stability can be seriously endangered.

Malaysia and Malaysians can be proud and hopeful that we could be the first country to fully implement the United Nations-inspired Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under the UN Agenda 2030.

COMMENT | The rakyat want reforms and a more united, prosperous, fairer and better Malaysia.

COMMENT | We must adapt to changing times, be more innovative in our planning and implementation.

Most Malaysians are wondering why the chairperson of the National Consultative Committee on Political Financing (NCCPF), YB Paul Low, and his able committee members have casually recommended the removal of the cap on funding and spending during future election campaigns?

It is regrettable that 59 years after Merdeka, we are still so uptight over the continuing problems of unaffordable housing. How come this basic need has been so neglected and remains unsolved for so long? This sad state of affairs is not acceptable and the Budget 2017 can and should reduce this major problem and provide much more affordable housing.

It's a breath of fresh air and a source of much pride to me and many, to read in The Star yesterday (Sept 4, 2016) that a former diplomat, Alwi Jantan, has come out strongly to support our cherished national values of secularism, liberalism and pluralism.

The Khazanah Research Institute (KRI), the Khazanah leaders and the managing director of KRI, Charon Mokhzani, should be commended and not criticised for presenting us with the professional report entitled ‘State of Households 11'.

COMMENT | Hopefully, some really big fish will now be caught and not get off the hook?

COMMENT | If we play it too cool we can face a rising pool of deeper problems.

Our Second Finance Minister Johari Abdul Ghani rightly stated, “We have to look at our capacity - the ability to have the revenue to do what we need to to do.” He was speaking to the press after receiving a briefing at the 31st National Economic Briefing at the Malaysian Institute for Economic Research (MIER) yesterday.

The appointment of the new Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner will be made on Aug 1. This important appointment can have a very strong impact on the country's future in all fields - political, social and economic.

Like millions of Malaysian nationalists, I am deeply concerned over the outcome of tomorrow’s (June 8) crucial Barisan National meeting to consider the hard hudud issues.

I believe that millions of Malaysians will agree, when I say that we should all salute the Group of 25 (G25) prominent Malay/Muslim former top senior civil servants, for rejecting the ‘Hadi Bill’ that could lead to hudud.

The important announcement made by the chief secretary, Ali Hamsa, of the new exit policy for the 1.6 million civil servants, is most welcome. It has been long awaited by most Malaysians who want to have a more efficient and effective civil service to bring greater progress to the nation and better services to all Malaysians. The timing is also useful as it comes after several necessary salary increases, which also call for more  productivity.

COMMENT | MACC’s latest proposals to fight graft - for Malaysians, these are certainly not comprehensive nor holistic enough!