SIMPANG Renggam Member of Parliament (MP) Liang Teck Meng's response to the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project, which asks all 222 MPs six questions. (source: parlimen.gov.my)Name: Liang Teck MengConstituency: Simpang Renggam Party: GerakanYears as MP: Since 2008 Government position: None Party position: � Central committee member � Youth vice-president Membership in parliamentary committee or caucus: Public Accounts Committee member...

IN the first two articles about town planning, I dealt with planning that was done after Petaling Jaya (PJ) was founded. However, it is important to note that PJ was developed in 1952. This is significant because PJ's founding clearly predates the legal provisions that the state government or local council are now using to impose planning on the city....

LIBERALISM, or rather, what some would have us believe is liberalism, has been accused as the source of all sorts of wickedness and chicanery from sexual immorality to high treason. But what is liberalism really, especially in the Malaysian context? Can Malaysia be considered liberal at the moment? Is there such a thing as Malaysian liberalism? Locke (left) and Rousseau...

AT least on the surface, the Barisan Nasional (BN) agrees with the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) on two things: ethno-religious inclusion and governmental reforms. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia and Government Transformation Programme are basically the BN's answer to the PR's ketuanan rakyat and "competency, accountability and transparency". But the two coalitions now differ on one thing: local government...

THE following Members of Parliament (MPs) have not replied to the six questions under MP Watch: Eye on Parliament as of Wednesday, 10 March 2010, the end of a two-week deadline. Their responses will be updated if and when they reply. (source: parlimen.gov.my) Name: Kong Cho HaConstituency: Lumut Party: MCAYears as MP: Since 2004� Government post: Housing and Local Government...

KUBANG Kerian Member of Parliament (MP) Salahuddin Ayub's response to the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project, which asks all 222 MPs six questions. (source: parlimen.gov.my) Name: Salahuddin Ayub�Constituency: Kubang Kerian�Party: PAS (Opposition)� �Years as MP: Since 2004�Government post: None Party position: Vice-president Membership in parliamentary committee or caucus:� � Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus member� Oil royalty caucus member Blog/website:...

IN this final of a four-part series on education, The Nut Graph attempts to examine the problems that have become entrenched in the national school system. While public schools were reliable and multi-racial centres of education for Malaysian children not too long ago, today, parents who can afford it are sending their children to private schools. Those who can't, opt...

Shanthini Venugopal, with son Hari and cat (All pics courtesy of Shanthini Venugopal)SINGER, actor, director and teacher Shanthini Venugopal has been in the Malaysian theatre industry for nearly three decades, having worked with various theatre companies since 1981. She is a pioneer member of The Instant Cafe Theatre Company. She has starred in films, including Hollywood blockbuster Anna and the...

THE following Member of Parliament (MP) has not replied to the six questions under MP Watch: Eye on Parliament as of Tuesday, 9 March 2010, the end of a two-week deadline. His response will be updated if and when he replies. (source: parlimen.gov.my)Name: Lim Kit SiangConstituency: Ipoh Timur Party: DAP (Opposition) Years as MP: 1969-1974 (Bandar Melaka)1974-1978 (Kota Melaka)1978-1982 (Petaling...

� � "Islam is a religion of compassion and mercy. It is not about corporal punishment. That is the last resort. "That's how it should be practised. We must not go overboard."�� � � Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak commenting on the sentencing of Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno in July 2009 to six cane strokes after she pleaded guilty...

IN this third of a four-part series on education, The Nut Graph attempts to examine the problems that have become entrenched in the national school system. While public schools were reliable and multi-racial centres of education for Malaysian children not too long ago, today, parents who can afford it are sending their children to private schools. Those who can't, opt...

BESUT Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Dr Abdullah Md Zin's response to the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project, which asks all 222 MPs six questions. (source: parlimen.gov.my)Name: Abdullah Md Zin Constituency: BesutParty: Umno� Years as MP: Since 2004�Government position: Religious advisor to the prime minister Party position: Besut division treasurer� �Membership in parliamentary committee or caucus: Commonwealth Parliamentary Association...

THE following Members of Parliament (MPs) have not replied to the six questions under MP Watch: Eye on Parliament as of Monday, 8 March 2010, the end of a two-week deadline. Their responses will be updated if and when they reply. (source: parlimen.gov.my) Name: Ismail Mohamed SaidConstituency: Kuala KrauParty: UmnoYears as MP: Since 2004 Government post: NoneParty post: Kuala Krau...

PERMATANG PAUH Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's response to the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project, which asks all 222 MPs six questions. (source: parlimen.gov.my)Name: Anwar IbrahimConstituency: Permatang PauhParty: PKR (Opposition) Years as MP: 1982-1999 (Permatang Pauh, under Umno)  26 Aug 2008-present (Permatang Pauh, under PKR)   Government post: None Party position: Party advisor Membership in parliamentary...

IN this second of a four-part series on education, The Nut Graph attempts to examine the problems that have become entrenched in the national school system. While public schools were reliable and multi-racial centres of education for Malaysian children not too long ago, today, parents who can afford it are sending their children to private schools. Those who can't, opt...

Is Malaysia on the way to becoming more democratic? (© flydime Flickr) IT has now been two full years since the historic March 2008 elections in Malaysia. But during this period, what have Malaysians actually learnt about the nature of democracy? Is Malaysia on the way to becoming more democratic? Citizens can use several indicators to measure Malaysia's democratisation....

THE following Member of Parliament (MP) has not replied to the six questions under MP Watch: Eye on Parliament as of Thursday, 4 March 2010, the end of a two-week deadline. His response will be updated if and when he replies. (source: parlimen.gov.my)Name: Ismail Abd MuttalibConstituency: MaranParty: Umno Years as MP: Since 2004Government post: None Party position: Maran division deputy...

KUANTAN Member of Parliament (MP) Fuziah Salleh's response to the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project, which asks all 222 MPs six questions. (Source: parlimen.gov.my) Name: Fuziah Salleh  Constituency: Kuantan Party: PKR (Opposition)  Years as MP: Since 2008 Government position: None Party position: Elections committee director Central Leadership Council member Membership in parliamentary committee or caucus: House committee Asean Inter-Parliamentary...

ENTAH bagaimana saya terjumpa segulung kertas lama di rumah saya. Di manakah saya mendapatnya? Tidak mungkin saya membelinya di kedai buku dan terlupa — kertasnya terlalu tua. Mungkinkah saya terbawa pulang setelah saya melawat Lembah Bujang di Kedah tahun 2009 lalu? Apa-apa pun, saya terlalulah tertarik dengan apa yang tertulis di atas kertas yang semakin menguning ini. Ia seperti dipetik...

THE following Members of Parliament (MP) have not replied to the six questions under MP Watch: Eye on Parliament as of Thursday, 4 March 2010, the end of a two-week deadline. Their responses will be updated if and when they reply. (Pics source: parlimen.gov.my) Name: Abdul Rahim BakriConstituency: Kudat Party: UmnoYears as MP: Since 2004Government position: Deputy minister of transportParty...