the __earthinc

There is mutual frustration between those in government and those who identify themselves as ordinary citizens in Malaysia. The frustration originates from the incapability of both to understand the other side’s challenges. This makes the gears of a huge machine — the government — stuck. It needs to work again. The period immediately after the [...]

There will be a big parliamentary by-election today in Hulu Selangor. By-elections have always been big in Malaysia but the fact that Pakatan Rakyat is fielding a giant makes this edition important by its own right. Zaid Ibrahim is not an obscure name. Important or not, I do not feel the excitement of by-elections anymore. [...]

Malaysia requires multiple reforms. Development in recent years proves that moving away from the status quo is incredibly hard, however. This is due to opposition mounted by beneficiaries of the current system, as well as beneficiaries of circumstances. As the Najib administration puts in effort to address criticism directed against the flawed affirmative action, it [...]

How many times have we heard the statement that if so and so did not exist, certain problems would go away? Specifically, one side would blame UMNO and Barisan Nasional for racial and religious problems in Malaysia, while the other would blame PKR and its allies for the instability in the country. The truth is [...]

The biggest event this week in Malaysia has to be the first Pakatan Rakyat Convention. It is good that Pakatan Rakyat is taking steps to institutionalize its cooperation. Despite that, there are a few issues that may appear to be a betrayal to democratic values that it claims to uphold. One is its commitment to [...]

The proposal to form a so-called unity government between PAS and UMNO finally finds its rightful place — in a dustbin. Nothing guarantees any PAS member from rummaging through the trash to rejuvenate the idea however. If the dream still lingers, I am here to offer a dire possibility. If PAS-UMNO unity comes true, PAS [...]

The ugly episode in Perak raises several issues revolving around the idea of separation of powers. One of the least discussed powers separation matters is closely related to the concept of federalism. The fiasco clearly highlights that the state civil service is practically dependent on the federal civil service. This dependency is abhorrent to the [...]

The concept duality is helpful in understanding context a particular issue is set in. Without the idea of cold, how does one define the idea of hot? Without evil, how does one appreciate good? Without tyranny, how does one taste the sweet nectar of liberty? While such monochromic perception has its advantage in rationalizing the [...]

In the aftermath of March 8 2008, TV3 kept repeating general election results from Sabah and Sarawak, seemingly in denial that something big happened in the Peninsula. They preferred to transmit limited happy news amid a torrent of bad news. The same trend is being repeated again today. In Buletin Utama produced by TV3, possibly [...]

The Pakatan Rakyat seems to have the exclusive domain over free press and free speech these days in terms of reputation. The perception has to be dismantled quickly if we wish not to escape a lie only to fall into another lie. Pakatan Rakyat — especially DAP and PKR — rightly so deserves the association [...]