Steven Gan

September 11 has given a free-hand to Islamophobes in proclaiming that while not all Muslims are terrorists, all terrorists are Muslim, says Dr Munawar A Anees.

exclusive For someone who was jailed at the behest of Mahathir, biologist and author Munawar A Anees surprisingly harbours some grudging respect for the man.

exclusive He was back in Malaysia early this year - the first time since he left in 1999 on completing his sentence - for court hearings of his appeals.

Malaysiakini readers have spoken - it's John Kerry for US president. Erik Ossemig, the American expatriate who offered his vote to malaysiakini readers, has marked his postal ballot.

Anwar Ibrahim's former speech writer says he does not need exoneration as badly as those who have committed crimes against him. But he will pursue his case to overturn his sodomy conviction, and vow not to forgive nor forget.

The innocent who were steamrolled by the relentless wheels of the Malaysian government machinery when they sought to crush Anwar Ibrahim should not be forgotten, says Anwar's former speech writer and close confidant.

Who will be the next US president? You decide. Ex-US Army serviceman Eric Ossemig is letting malaysiakini readers decide who he should be voting for in the Nov 2 American presidential elections.

On one side, we have 'government cheerleaders' who parrot Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in blaming the country's economic problems on outside factors. On the other, we have the free-market advocates. But there is little attempt to draw lessons for the future.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has often accused his protege-turned-nemesis Anwar Ibrahim for failing to handle the 1997-98 financial crisis. However, economist K S Jomo says the outgoing prime minister's initial measures to combat the crisis made things worse.

The outgoing premier's lack of consultation, transparency and accountability on economic policies have resulted in 'very expensive mistakes', says Prof K S Jomo.

exclusive Even for an untrained eye, the patch of what was once 10,000 acres of virgin forest belonging to Umno Pahang could be easily spotted from satellite images.

The American journalist who exposed her government's exaggeration of Iraq's military threat to Saudi Arabia after invading Kuwait in 1990 defended her report against claims by the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur that it was 'false'.