Impact of information & knowledge explosion

One of the major and most fundamental reasons for our society to be increasingly opinionated as well as argumentative is certainly the fast explosion of information and almost instant accesses to knowledge of all sorts as predicted by futurists Alvin & Heidi Toffler some 30 years ago. It is really time for those who have not read their books to do so in order to understand the dynamics that are changing our world fast. The ability to manage ideational differences in peaceful manners and with civility has become useful in resolution of conflicts and discords. Of course, if ideational diversity is properly handled, it is a source of social, economic and also political progress for our nation and people.

Anwar asks US not to be soft on human rights

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has reportedly asked the Obama administration in the United States to be more concerned with the "excesses" of the Malaysian government, including detention without trial and discrimination against religious minorities. There is indeed an observation that the Obama presidency is softening human rights committment as compared to previous administrations in USA. There is also a serious concern among many Muslims in Malaysia that the sudden highlight of Islamic 'extremists' and/or 'terrorists' threats in the mainstream media may be exploited by the BN Government to harass and persecute legitimate dissents and/or Opposition activists.

Observations on America' s SEA policy change

PM Najib's decision to ban sport betting right

PM Najib Razak has certainly made a right decision on sports betting. Banning it is now a bipartisan idea which enjoys multi-ethnic support. PAS, DAP and PKR must also be congratulated for the people's victory.

Question requiring Vincent Tan's clarification

Question requiring Vincent Tan's clarification

There is absolutely a very real and pressing need for Mr . Vincent Tan to stand forward and publicly reason it himself whether gambling and betting is a form of "Chinese culture" and "non-Muslims ' way of life".

Controversy over sport betting divides UMNO

Controversy over sport betting divides UMNO

On the particular issue of sport betting, UMNO Youth evidently differs from Dr. Mahathir, Dr. Rais Yatim as well as Nazri Aziz . Other UMNO elements which are also opposed to sport betting includes the party' s state committees in Johore and Perak. No licence has been issued yet for Mr. Tan to run his 'world-class' business which would showcase our nation as a 'modern', 'inclusive' and 'tolerant' Muslim-majority society.

Dr Rais: gambling is non-Muslims' "way of life"

Dr Rais: gambling is non-Muslims' "way of life"

Information , Communication and Culture Minister Dr. Rais Yatim has been reported as arguing that gambling is non-Muslims ' "way of life", which should be " respected " by all Muslims in a multi-ethnic society. Very soon, we would probably hear the artful sophistry (for Americans' and Europeans' consumption) that UMNO's Muslims are 'moderate' and 'tolerant' because they accept legalised sport betting for non-Muslims and this makes them different from the ' extremists ' in PAS and PKR. By the way, if and when the 'Gaming Commission' proposed by Rais is established, the possibility of ex -IGP Hanif Omar being appointed as a Commissioner or even the Chairman cannot be dismissed as a joke as there are not many ' moderate' Muslims nowadays in Malaysia who also master the trade for the services of Bangsa, Negara and Agama.

Nazri under fire for stereotyping non-Muslims

Nazri under fire for stereotyping non-Muslims

A leading political scientist Francis Loh has come forward to criticise Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Nazri Aziz for the sophistry that for the BN Federal Government to grant licence to Vincent Tan to run sports betting is "to respect non-Muslims ' rights". Nazri's view on "non-Muslims ' rights" is indeed songsang and haprak. Also, it is my own opinion that the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) should make a public statement in response to Nazri Aziz's sophistry which shows utter disrespect for all non-Islamic faiths in our country.

Chinese objection to sport betting intensifies

Internal constraint on Turkey's eastward shift

Although there are clearly discernible moves to shift Turkey's foreign policy orientation "eastward" , there is also a domestic constraint. It is going to be a political contest between two social forces in Turkey. The Revolution in Information and Communication Technology (RICT) certainly plays a critical role in the ideational struggles for the hearts and minds of the Turks, in their quest for a balance between identity and stability as a constitutionally secular and republican nation -state that, as SP Huntington observed, sits astride two civilisational poles. Meanwhile, Russia, which is re-covering fast economically, politically and also militarily, is still in the immediate neighbourhood of Turkey. The Eurasian nation also shares land border on its east side with Iran that has been challenging Western value and interest for many years.

Identity drives Turkey's foreign policy change

Chinese objection to sport betting intensifies

Public objection or opposition to sports betting has clearly intensified in recent days in the Chinese-language media despite MCA' s support. Many Chinese parents and also teachers are opposed to sport betting. Objection to sport betting cuts across ethnicities and belief-systems. Opposition to gamblings has always been in existence in all societies.

Chinese-majority party in BN opposes betting

Chinese-majority party in BN opposes betting

Gerakan, a Chinese - predominant BN component party, has declared that it is "against gambling and betting". To be simply fair, PM Najib Razak' s Federal Government has not issued licence to anyone to run sport betting yet despite lobbying by ex-PM Mahathir for Vincent Tan. CM Lim Guan Eng' s PR state government in Penang has disallowed it.

Stereotyping not conducive to national unity

Stereotyping not conducive to national unity

From my own daily reading of Chinese-language newspapers and also online publications, the opposition to legalising sports betting in the Chinese community is quite strong . Although I am not a statistician, my own political instinct as a Ipoh street boy and ex - MP for Kampar has told me that the sentiment of decent folks should not be ignored. Creating and perperuating stereotype of any ethnic group or cultural community with negative traits or behaviours is absolutely not right. In a multi-ethnic society like Malaysia, stereotyping is not conducive to national unity as it breeds communal mistrust and social discords.

MCA's support for betting on sports debatable

MCA's support for betting on sports debatable

Actually, there are news reports in the Chinese -language newspapers and websites that show that many influential groups and personalities in the community are opposed to the legalisation of sports betting. It is clear that MCA' s stand does not reflect the view of all the Chinese.

Chinese opposition to legalising sport betting

Chinese opposition to legalising sport betting

MCA is reportedly supportive of sports betting, but it clearly does not represent all the Chinese in Malaysia as voices of opposition are loud. The DAP state government in Chinese-majority Penang has banned it

Dr. Chandra vs. Dr. Mahathir on sport betting

Dr Mahathir's claim on Vincent Tan's donation

According to ex-PM Dr. Mahathir, tycoon Vincent Tan who owns Ascot Sports contribute to the political funds on both sides of the divides in Malaysia, but all Malaysians know that PAS, DAP and PKR are opposed to the very controversial sports betting to be run by Mr. Tan' s outfit.

Giving away many old but still fairly useful books to younger relatives to create a larger space in my study and widen their reading interest.

Identity drives Turkey's foreign policy change

According to a latest news analysis in the Associated Press (AP) , the " eastward shift" in Turkey' s foreign policy orientation is rooted in a cause deeper than the mere unhappiness of being still left out of EU. In other words, besides EU' s "push", there is also the Middle Eastern and Central Asian "pull" factor interacting in the dynamic of the shift.

Friends & enemies of Turkey in reorientation

Friends & enemies of Turkey in reorientation

Turkey has certainly found new friends as well as new enemies in the aftermath of the fortilla incident which saw nine of its citizens killed. How it re-calibrates the ' West-Middle East ' balance in the process of its foreign policy re-orientation, whose geopolitical impacts on Israel and also Europe can surely not be underestimated, is worth watching. Following Turkey' s vehement opposition to the fourth round of UNSC sanctions against Iran, America-Turkey relations are also noteworthy.

US concerned with Turkey' s "eastward" shift

US concerned with Turkey' s "eastward" shift

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has been reported as saying that Turkey's eastward shift in its foreign policy is of concern to America. Turkey has long been the most pro-Western Muslim-majority country.

Israel's military forewarns Erdogan on voyage

MPs in M'sia ask America not to protect Israel

As expected, the United States is perceived or felt by some Malaysian members of parliament, during the debate on the motion to condemn Israel's controversial security action on a Gaza-bound fortilla recently, to be over-protective of the Jewish state. Malaysia has no diplomatic relations with Israel. Malaysians are barred from visiting the country. America's committment to Israel's security is, meanwhile, bipartisan. In my observation, the majority of Malaysians are sympathetic to the Palestinian civilians but there are also some reservations on some of the adjectives, superlatives as well as hyperboles used against Israel. I think all Malaysians support the call for easing the blockage in Gaza.

Street protest in M' sia against Israel peaceful

Israel's military forewarns Erdogan on voyage

Israel's military has reportedly issued warning to Turkey's PM Erdogan against sailing to Gaza as that would be construed as "an act of war". Anti-Israel sentiment in Turkey as well as throughout the vast Muslim world , including Indonesia and Malaysia, is obviously widespread and intense while Turkey' s PM Erdogan is now a folk hero among Muslims worldwide. Turkey still maintains diplomatic relations with Israel and it is still allied with America in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

Turkey conducts foreign policy reorientation

Turkey conducts foreign policy reorientation

On the strategic level, one of the major issues in the fortilla incident to watch is the continuing change of Turkey's foreign policy direction. It is now obviously attempting to project a global image of being the most active, vocal and ' daring' champion of the cause of Palestinians in sharp contrast to its American ally whose bi-partisan committment to Israel is very often declared to be "unshakeable" for some reasons. In 2003, Turkey rejected the American request for stationing 60 ,000 troops on its territory to open up a northern front for the war in Iraq. Earlier this year, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the (US) House of Representatives passed a resolution to condemn the massive killings of ethnic Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during WWI as genocide. Turkey still maintains diplomatic relations with Israel and it is still an US ally in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), although its full membership in the European Union (EU) hasn't been accepted yet.

Street protest in M' sia against Israel peaceful

Despite the immature chants with excessive sentiment of some adik-adik, the huge demonstration held in Kuala Lumpur yesterday against Israel's controversial security action against a Gaza-bound fortilla was physically peaceful as well as incident-free from the beginning to end.

On excessive sentiment against Israel's action

On excessive sentiment against Israel's action

It is trite but it still needs to be reiterated: criticising Israel's security policy and military operation is acceptable and calling indiscriminately for "war against Jews" and/or "destruction of Israel/US" is excessive. To be sure, it is also necessary for the government to be transparent and accountable on the controversy over Apco Worldwide in Malaysia.

Israeli ship raid impacts on Indonesian streets

Obama delays Indonesia & Australia trip again

Hate it or love it, President Obama has once again postponed his trip to Indonesia and Australia. Domestic considerations obviously prevail over foreign committments, and there is diplomatic cost to be borne. Personally, it is probably understandable as the presidential workload does seem to be extraordinarily heavy in Washington D.C these days.

On postponement of Obama's Indonesian tour

Israeli ship raid impacts on Indonesian streets

Several friends in Jakarta has observed that, although the Indonesian administration has condemned Israel 's raid on the Gaza fortilla, anti-Israeli sentiment on the streets is still running high, and there is also criticism against America for its extremely close relations with Israel. US President Obama is scheduled to officially visit the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world soon, after postponing it earlier.

M'sia condemns Israel's action on Gaza fortilla

M'sia condemns Israel's action on Gaza fortilla

The condemnation in Malaysia against Israel's disproportionate use of its defence forces against the Gaza fortilla is certainly loud and clear. Indeed, Israel has to be more accountable for its controversial action. Whether the sentiment would itself become excessive as the result of political showsmanship to serve unrelated agendas is worth watching.

Britain debates royal request for more money

The British economy is admittedly not in good shape, but Buckingham Palace has requested for an increase of allocation of public fund. It is being debated very openly in the public sphere as Britain is not only a constitutional monarchy , but also a democracy where citizens as well as MPs can scrutinise royal expenditures and behaviours with no fear. Still, the English language is a fairly important language in this world and many aspects of the British culture are well-liked by many people even in America whose independence was heroically achieved through a republican and revolutionary rebellion against Britain's monarchists.

Nepal's ex-king struggles with power outages