Democracy cannot be restricted to participation in elections every four or five years to a group of ‘professional politicians’ acquiring power. Rather, it should be about the conscientisation and empowerment of the rakyat, says Francis Loh in our cover story.
Still, the way elections are carried out is also important. We carry more submissions to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms. This time P Ramakrishnan calls for fixed dates for elections, anti-hopping rules, and automatic voter registration.
The press too needs more freedom to operate. But for this to happen, more support is needed not just from press freedom activists but from a broader spectrum of society, says Ross Tapsell. Soon Chuan Yean showcases Penang Forum 4, a continuing initiative to broaden public participation in local democracy, good governance and decision-making in development.
Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah looks back at the evolution of the Malaysian economy. Malaysians, he says, need to examine our political economy to find out if there has been a fusion of money politics and the neo-liberal policies – the worst of both worlds.
We also need to break barriers and become a more inclusive society. With this in mind, Mustafa K Anuar takes to task those intent on dividing society and promoting exclusivism while stressing the universality of Islam.
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On a related note, Wong Chin Huat reviews ‘Building bridges, crossing boundaries’, a book edited by Francis Loh that looks at everyday forms of inter-ethnic peace building in Malaysia.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
Thank you Aliran. But that article was about Indians during Samy Vellu’s time and Mahalingam already passed away and Sothinathan no more MIC secretary-general. What we want is the latest conditions of Malaysian Indians, stateless Indians, what Barisan done to up-lift their standard of living AND most importantly during 12GE Pakatan gave so many promises to Hindraf and Indians. Indians gave more than 90% of their votes and the political tsunami created by Hindraf enabled Pakatan to win 4 new states besides PAS’s Kelantan and deny Barisan two third majority in Parliament. But all the facts, figures and information shows Pakatan treating Indians inferior to Chinese and Malays. DAP has down graded its Indian leaders to lower rank without any voice and power. PKR never let the 22% Indian membership to choose their own leaders but Anwar nominates his cronies. In PKR Chinese membership is about 11% given most important positions and in DAP except Karpal Chinese control the whole party. We need a fair, true facts and information what the most marginalised, poorest Indians getting. Aliran must show itself as a fair NGO and not… Read more »
We just want to ask why Aliran has not written any articles on 80% Malaysian Indians being marginalised and neglected and what has Barisan and Pakatan done so far to uplift these people and put them back into the main stream of national development. Even a columnist named MARIAM MOKHTAR can understand the problems these people faces more clearly than any politicians. In one of her articles she wrote – the forgotten race in Malaysia – and gave her reasoning why these poor people cannot be compared to Malay/Chinese/Indian poor. Please do write an article explasining what these people go through and how BN and PR cheats Malaysian Indians and also the stateless Indians. Thanks.
Have a look here, for instance:
http://aliran.com/archives/monthly/2000/11c.html
Its Ross Tapsell (not Rapsell).
Thanks for the correction.
democarcy is based on race n religion- divide n rule has been the agenda her?? whre are meaningful n sound policies in nation building?? 50 years merdeka- natio n still divided. poverty is ramapnt n corruptionis rife?? any honest man n woman left here?? a sad day for malaysia