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Highlights from Aliran Monthly

Year 2002

Issue 11

Thinking Allowed
Involved Versus Opportunistic Politics In Sarawak: The concern now is that the opposition lacks a unifying voice
Sept 11 And Human Rights In Malaysia: Suaram organises forum to mark opening of new office in Penang
Go For Electoral Pacts: Interview with Lim Kean Chye
A Special Kind Of Love: Jubal Lourdes and Irene Ch'ng were an outstanding couple who touched the lives of many
Where Faith And Life Intertwined: Religion to Jubal and Irene was much more than a church-going experience
NGOs and Non-electoral Politics: Build Participatory Democracy and the Autonomous Public Sphere
A Gentle Soul Who Did His Best: We will remember Jubal as a gallant fighter for human rights and dignity

Issue 10

Remembering Azmi Khalid: Full of Ideals
Remembering Azmi Khalid: An Inspiration
Remembering Azmi Khalid: Azmi's Journey
Evicted Ex-workers Take On Plantation Giant: Ex-estate workers, their homes demolished by bulldozers, are fighting back
Thinking Allowed
The Role Of The Opposition: A Conversation With Raja Petra
Why Can't They Sort Things Out?: Thorny Malaysia-Singapore differences stand in stark contrast to close security cooperation
Beyond UMNO vs PAS: Elections as opportunity
To Serve with Love: If officials think national service can instil patriotism, they could be in for a surprise

Issue 9

Policing the Police: Human rights, politics and the police
Molten Wax and Hosepipe Beatings: Torture in relation to the existing culture of violence in society
United Opposition Coalition Needed: Interview with JIM leaders
Politics Without Principles: Interview with Ganesh Rasagam
Bush's National Security Doctrine: A Declaration Of Empire
Thinking Allowed
Twists And Turns On The Human Rights Trail
Is Any Opposition Better Than No Opposition?
I Can No Longer Be With You: A painful message to all my friends from Yayori Matsui
Violence And Misuse Of Power: Complaint Filed to SUHAKAM, 15 October 2002

Issue 8

The 2002 Delimitation Exercise: Systematically Favouring the BN?
Book Review: The Myth of Self-Regulating Markets
Artful Dodging: Highflying diplomat Razali Ismail side-steps the PORR controversy in Penang
Puteri UMNO: Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing New
You are expected to deliver: Suhakam represents a hope and that hope must not be dashed
We Will Be Vigilant: NGOs end 100 days of disengagement with SUHAKAM

Issue 7

"We've Got To Muddy Our Feet": Aliran interviews doctor-turned-activist Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj
Uncle Sam Swaggers Back: Thoughts on US Foreign Policy in Southeast Asia Today
How The Other Half Lives: People's Struggle For Justice
Is There Hope In Our Judiciary?: We need to seriously strive for reforms
Thinking Allowed
The Mousedeer, The "Taliban" And A Sorry State: When Two Elephants Clash...
The Poisonous Smog Is Back In Sarawak

Issue 6

Labour and Social Development: Improve Protection of Labouring Communities
Parliamentary Reforms: Lessons from the UK and Europe
Thinking Allowed
Q & A on the Hudud and Qisas Enactment
Aliran Needs Your Help: Please contribute generously
A Cult Of The Individual?: The sorry tale of Dr Mahathir and Hulk Hogan
The Myth of the Great Stabiliser: Reflections on Mahathir's planned departure
Mahathir And CNN's "Dirty Tactics": PM so used to being mollycoddled by the local media

Issue 5

Gains and Losses in Malaysian Education: On Balance, is it Better?
Tamil Schools: The Cinderella of Malaysian Education
Educational Policies and the Teacher: Reward dedication not politics
The Eleventh Hour: Reformasi has to reinvent itself as a pan-Malaysian movement based on principle
Parliamentary Woes: We cannot expect Parliament to reform itself; we have to pressure it to change
Education In Crisis: We need to overhaul the whole education system and not just tinker with certain parts
Kg. Sg. Getah 2 - The Sequel: Intimidation and harassment follow media exposure

Issue 4

Suffering for the Truth: Final part of Charter 2000's interview with Said Zahari
Thinking Allowed
No Engagement with Suhakam for 100 Days: Govt's lack of respect for Suhakam and indifference earns NGOs' ire
The New Abu Talib-led Suhakam: Still an Independent Commission? Or BN's Tool?
Journalists Call for Press Freedom
Tian Chua: We will not Abandon our Struggle
Why the Stunning Silence?: Is Suhakam out on a fishing trip?
Anti-ISA Gathering Blocked: Gun-toting police personnel block road to exhibition centre
Victory for Orang Asli in Land Rights' Case: Judge says we have to be a leader in indigenous rights as well
The story of 60-year-old hunger striker Tuw Ah Mei: We Cannot Just Talk - We Must Act
A National Will to Mastering English: Reflections on the "English language" question
Retrenched Estate Workers Protest Outside Plantation HQ: Company officials refuse to dialogue to settle grievances

Issue 3

Excuse me, but I think you are so cute!: Implement the proposed Sexual Harassment Bill
Rethinking the Nation: Have we been schooled to accept only the official, state-led perspective of the "Nation"?
Thinking Allowed
The Transformation of the Election Commission: A shell of its original shelf
New Threats to the Electoral System: The last remaining democratic institution is under siege
Two Different Worlds, One Common Struggle: Charter 2000 interviews Said Zahari
Aliran at the UN: Give Us Back Our Loved Ones

Issue 2

NST: All Dressed Up But Will It Go Places?
Thinking Allowed
Villagers Fume over Thai-Malaysia Gas Pipeline: "We have to pay a high price just to ask the govt to look at our pleas"
Monthly Wages...What Monthly Wages?: The plantation industry chould close shop if it is not prepared to pay decent wages
Islamic State of Constitutional Democracy: Who is the Nation?
Islamic State Discourse - Chops and Churns: Mahathir's "Sept 29 Pronouncement" sparks off a debate
Islam and the Politics of Free Speech: Is civil society caught again in the middle of this game of one-upmanship?
An Anti-Democratic Pledge: An Oath of Loyalty will violate the academic freedom of pursuing knowledge freely (Malay Version)
The Singapore Tudung Ban: What Rights, Whose Rights?

Issue 1

Thinking Allowed
After The Sun Takeover: Increasing concentration of media ownership
Villagers in the Dark: Kedah politician denies water and electricity to 200 villagers
Can There Be Reformasi Beyond BA?: Reaffirm the continuing relevance of reform
13 hours in Airport Lock-up: Tian Chua's fiancee refused entry into Malaysia, denied food and water and deported the next day

Year 2001

Issue 11

Important Books with a Tale to Tell: "Comet in our Sky" and "Dark Clouds at Dawn"
Thinking Allowed
"God Was There With Me": Aliran Monthly interviews freed ISA detainee N. Gobalakrishnan
Abuse of Power under the ISA
Sun Sets on Malaysian Journalism: Press Freedom is a precious item that must be guarded jealously
Fong Unjustly Suspended: Can criticism of the Speaker demean the dignity of Parliament
Bleak Hari Raya in Kamunting: ISA families have to wait for hours before meeting loved ones

Issue 10

S.T.O.P. (Sustainable Transport Options for Penang): The Proposed Third Link in Penang
Remembering Herb Feith (1930-2001): Scholar, activist, teacher
We will not settle for crumbs: We want the full menu of rights
What Penangites Say about the Third Link
The Parking Lot of the Orient
10 Good Reasons why Penang does not need the Third Link
Rereading Usman's Poems: A lifelong concern for justice and fairplay

Issue 9

Oppressive Conditions in Kamunting
Public Response to the "Islamic State" Poser
The Challenge of Islam Within and Beyond Democracy
That we may not separate them in our hearts
Arrested after Dispersing: Restaurant patrons among those detained after foiled attempt to submit anti-ISA memorandum

Issue 8

It Matters Who Owns the Media: Media Owned by Political Parties vs Media Owned by Private Business
Independent Media Night: Speech by P Ramakrishnan at SCAH on 24 August 2001
Suhakam not acting in the interest of Malaysia?: To reject a report because one's pride or authority is hurt is a poor reaction
Not A Time For Blind Rage and Revenge: An Appeal to the American people to stand by justice and peace

Issue 7

Thinking Allowed
Human Rights Violations in Aceh: The cycle of violence continues
We Miss Him Dearly: We will persevere just as we do when conquering mountain peaks
Anwar Ibrahim and the Experience of Defeat: Where does Anwar go from here?
Sarawak: An Election Twice Delayed: Preview of the 2001 Sarawak State Elections

Issue 6

The Zainur Zakaria Story: A Drama in 4 Acts
Thinking Allowed
Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence: Does a woman have to be bruised and bleeding before her abuse is taken seriously?
Phantoms on the Roll in Sabah: Justice Muhd Kamil's judgment
The UEM Takeover: Bailout or Accountability
When When Two's a Crowd: Candles broken into pieces during vigil for Jonah and Fuad outside police station
When Darkness Fears the Light: Police breathe down heavily over an anti-ISA candlelight vigil
Restoring Logic and Reason - The Zainur Zakaria affair: an analysis of judicial independence
The Judiciary and Human Rights: When Judges interpret the Constitution like a will, the Constitution will die
A Lifelong Commitment to the Poor: Remembering Prof Ishak Shari (1948-2001)

Issue 5

Thinking Allowed
An Op-press-ive Council in the Making?: A Malaysian Media Council may end up stifling press freedom
A Test of Faith: They think they are inconveniencing us, but it is no burden
Everything for the Truth: He has sacrificed his job and the family's comfort in the struggle to uphold truth
Our Struggle is Sacred: There can be no victory without sacrifice
Our Prayers Have Been Answered: Together we must now stand up to oppose the ISA
MCA's Fractious Past
Straight from the Heart: Women activists and wives of ISA detainees move audience with heart-rending experiences
The Nanyang Takeover Crisis: Representing or Opposing Community Interests?
Mahathir's Future, Daim and the MCA: UMNO avoids crucial issues like the plague

Issue 4

Has the State of Human Rights Improved in Malaysia? A review of Suhakam's maiden annual report
Suhakam and the Indigenous People's Question
The School and the Community: SKJC Damansara: Larger Picture, Broader Concerns
Dams and Development - Time for a Re-think?
Suhakam Shackled and Rendered Ineffective
Two Arrests in Three Years: Lokman can face this ordeal with greater strength
PAS vs UMNO: Who will win the 'Malay consensus' and more?
My father (Pak Din) is a hero..A man of dignity
The Nightmare Goes On (Raja Petra's detention): I pray that no one will ever go through our ordeal again
Why has Appa (Gobalakrishnan) been arrested?: ISA turns spouse into activist

Issue 3

Memories of ISA: by former detainees
Men's Initiatives to End Violence Against Women
Corporate Bailouts: National Interest or Vested Interests?
The Evil of ISA: Banish it from our midst
Reformasi Activists Under Detention: ISA is the refuge of the incompetent
A Wife Testifies against the ISA: Bahirah speaks out against Ezam's detention
A Reflection on the recent ISA crackdown: Stand Up for What We Believe In
A Black Day for Democracy: Augustine Paul's habeas corpus judgment
Protest Against the 2001 ISA Arrests: Memo to Suhakam from Aliran, Hakam, and Suaram

Issue 2

Mahathir's Faded Vision: What would a Malaysia without Mahathir be?
Please God, I am Malaysian: Let sanity prevail despite the politics of ethnicity that is prevalent
The Cost of Time to the Nation: The Costs of Privatisation Gone Wrong
Reflections on Kampung Medan: The Jalan Klang Lama Disturbances
The Kampung Medan Tragedy: Act now to resolve the problems of marginalised communities!
Justice for Rape Survivors: Erroneous perceptions of women and rape still exist in our society

Issue 1

Unfair Coverage: A Look at the Mainstream Media's Bias in the 1999 general election
Press Freedom: We Can Make A Difference
Crawling Towards a Civil Society
When Other Voices are Muffled: Curbs on the Alternative Media are Stifling Media Freedom
Malaysian Journalism in the Doldrums: Reflections of a Journalist of the 1960s
Journalists Speak Out
Seven Relevant Demands - Towards Greater Media Freedom
What Colour is God's Skin?

Year 2000

Issue 11

Indian Malaysians: Still Awaiting the "New Sunrise"
Pioneers, Squatters and Flat Dwellers
Breakthrough in Klebang
Exorcising Phantom Voters
Thinking Allowed: Reformasi Flourishes in Public Toilets
The Promise and Perils of Global Health Inc. (CHI)

Issue 10

Thinking Allowed: Kuch, Kuch, Mahathir Hai!
Suqiu and Malay Rights
Red Bait and Green Herring
Democracy is on the March
Women: Legal Discrimination Continues...
Right to Due Process

Issue 9

40 Years is Enough! Abolish the ISA!
To Lead or be Led? Hadi visits Penang and the Chinese education issue
Driving for Democracy: Reformasi "takes over" the Kesas Highway
Lunas: A New Era Begins
Thinking Allowed: Samy's the Man!
Without Exaggeration: The Kesas protest

Issue 8

Economy: What have we learnt?
Thinking Allowed

Issue 7

A Crisis Of Malay Rights Or An UMNO Crisis?
Transcending Communalism
Thinking Allowed 

Issue 6 - Thinking Allowed
Issue 6 - 15 years of Solitude for Anwar...and for Malaysia?
Issue 6 - What the Anwar Verdict Means for Us?

Issue 5 - Between Myth and Reality: Why are Orang Asli more prone to illness?
Issue 5 - "There's a Gene in my Soup"
Issue 5 - "The Government has never Complained"
Issue 5 - keADILan: Die Hard
Issue 5 - Thinking Allowed
Issue 5 - The Man Hides in Putrajaya

Issue 4 - Whither the women's movement?
Issue 4 - Act of Betrayal: The snuffing out of local democracy in Malaysia
Issue 4 - Disappointing Composition: A critique of the National Human Rights Commmision
Issue 4 - What we expect of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia
Issue 4 - Thinking Allowed
Issue 4 - Suhakam, Move with a sense of urgency
Issue 4 - When the quitting gets tough
Issue 4 - Aliran, Hakam and Suaram meet Suhakam
Issue 4 - Justice in Jeopardy: Malaysia 2000

Issue 3 - Everyday Democracy
Issue 3 - Jekyll and Hyde Faces of Government
Issue 3 - Doubly Disadvantaged: Women and girls with disabilities in the Asia Pacific region face double burden
Issue 3 - Aliran at the UN: Further erosion of human rights in Burma
Issue 3 - Subhuman Hellhole: Organic Ong in the lockup
Issue 3 - Black April and Beyond: Reflections on the Future of Barisan Alternatif
Issue 3 - Fair and Free Elections
Issue 3 - Thinking Allowed

Issue 2 - Parliament, Gender Sensitivity and Sexual Harassment
Issue 2 - Thinking Allowed
Issue 2 - The UMNO Malaise
Issue 2 - What has happened to UMNO?
Issue 2 - The Last Chance?
Issue 2 - The Repeal of Rent Control: Requiem for Gerakan
Issue 2 - The Forbidden Fruit Called Harakah
Issue 2 - Remembering Tan Sri Wan Sulaiman - An Honest Judge Who Knew Right From Wrong

Issue 1 - Thinking Allowed
Issue 1 - Until Justice is Done - Struggle to defend Karpal, uphold rule of law
Issue 1 - Hacks and Hussies - How much cruder and more vulgar can Malaysian mainstream media become?

Special Internet Features

29 Sep - Pak Lah's "kalangan tercemerlang"
17 Apr - "Let the truth come out," says Marina
11 Apr - Samy Vellu and Dr Jeyakumar face off in Court
20 Jan - CHI calls for National Health Fund