Editor's Note - Issue 2004:7
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In this month�s lead story, Abang Benet declares tongue-in-cheek that UMNO is good for democracy. Indeed, all the political parties in Malaysia might be swept aside by the tide of history and creeping globalisation if, like their communist counterparts of the former Soviet empire, they disallow contests for top positions and debates of new ideas and visions.
The back cover story is the fourth instalment of Datuk George Seah�s probe into the 1988 judicial crisis. The sacking of the five Supreme Court judges, along with the Lord President, was tantamount to the suspension of the entire Court, he maintains. The High Court decision involving legal custody for the children of Shamala Sathyaseelan, whose estranged husband had converted their children to Islam without her consent, was a controversial one. Rizal bin Chek Hashim discusses the conflicting jurisdictions of the civil and syariah courts. Pushpa Ratnam of AWAM looks at the same issue but via the perspective of women�s rights. AM also carries commentaries by the Bar Council, Sisters-in-Islam, the MCCBCHS and the Malaysia Hindu Sangam. Our problems are not simply a lack of democracy in the parties nor an emerging syariah-civil courts conflict. K George reminds us that Malaysian workers continue to be denied their right to organise and to enjoy the benefit of collective bargaining. Follow developments concerning Anwar�s health and his appeal to the authorities to respect his right to seek medical treatment abroad. In Heart-to-Heart, we carry a call by Nik Nazmi, 22, to have faith in the young to find their own way and learn from their mistakes. We welcome more contributions from young readers. Get your copy now! Available at leading bookshops and news-agents. Or better still, subscribe now. | |||||||||||||||
