28 August 2024 The Malaysian ‘unity’ government, under the leadership of Anwar Ibrahim, has now been in power for nearly two years. The watchword of Anwar and Pakatan Harapan (PH), the largest coalition in parliament, has been reformasi – cleaning up corruption in politics, ‘strengthening democracy’, and promising a ‘humane’ economy that ‘prioritises the needs of the people’. Yet, […]

Ong Boon Yong, 04 August 2021 Malaysia’s intensifying social and political crisis has reached a new height. Weeks of chaotic infighting within the ruling coalition, which have involved the monarch, led to the de facto collapse of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s majority in parliament. While the ruling class is splitting at the top, the youth […]

Ted Sprague, 05 August 2011 Peace and harmony – the crown jewels of any ruling class in every epoch. On July 9th, a 50-thousand strong demonstration in the heart of Kuala Lumpur robbed the Malaysian ruling class of this peace and harmony. Organized by a coalition of NGOs and civil societies who call themselves the […]

Bruce Boon, 31 August 2007 Today August 31, Malaysia celebrates half a century of independence from British colonial rule. In 1957, the Federation of Malaya, later renamed Malaysia, was born out of the national liberation struggle, pushed by the Malayan Communist Party after World War II, but robbed by the right-wing nationalists of UMNO. At […]