Talk-talk Only - Penang Monthly (Page 2)

What ’s The Deal When Government Gives Away Money?

5 min read

Speaking as a layman, I’m aghast that the government is giving out so much money these days, as if there’re lots more where it’s coming from...

by Penang Monthly

Each Citizen’s Duty to Combat Electoral Fraud

5 min read

The Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28, 2012 was historic. By conservative estimates, at least 100,000 people turned up in the march towards Dataran Merdeka in Kual...

by Penang Monthly

At 55, Malaysians Should Take Charge of Their Own Fate

5 min read

At the end of this month, we’ll be celebrating the 55th anniversary of our independence. For the occasion, I’m prompted to think about where we ar...

by Penang Monthly

The Unknown and The All Too Familiar

5 min read

An irksome comment frequently heard is: “But does Pakatan have leadership? Can it take over the federal government?”One is prompted to ask what &l...

by Penang Monthly

Documenting our Damaged Democracy

6 min read

We often hear of electoral fraud and unfair election practices, but what do they really mean? What forms do electoral frauds usually take? What constitutes unfa...

by Penang Monthly

GE 13 can Cement Malaysia's Two-Coalition System

6 min read

Voters, you have to decide soon. The 13th general election (GE13) has to be held, at the latest, within two months of April 28, when the current government&rsqu...

by Penang Monthly

Time to Free the Mass Media

6 min read

Tears came to my eyes when I was watching a documentary on Martin Luther King, Jr recently. This always happens when I watch programmes or movies portraying the...

by Penang Monthly

English is vital to Vision 2020

5 min read

In Malaysia today, people are feeling more divided than ever before – by race, religion, political leanings, location, class… and proficiency in En...

by Penang Monthly

After the good start, let's get the rest high

6 min read

Two months ago, I wrote in this column about the issue of English and asked whether our government would give the language the importance it deserves and get ou...

by Penang Monthly

Are we ready to become an "advanced nation"?

5 min read

As we begin the new year and realise that we are only six years away from the magical 2020 when – as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has promise...

by Penang Monthly

A Malaysia Lost

6 min read

Uneven policies, overzealous politicians – these are among the reasons many Malaysians feel estranged from their beloved country. But it wasn’t always like this. There were once happier times...

by Kee Thuan Chye

Will change come by GE14?

5 min read

More Malays voted for Pakatan at the Kajang by-election held on March 23 than in the General Election in May 2013 (GE13). And in the meantime, according to a re...

by Penang Monthly