Side Views - The Malaysian Insider

Polishing Indonesia’s ‘plin-plan’ president – Duncan Graham

The always dapper Indonesian President Joko (Jokowi) Widodo is a splendid advocate for batik. Most days he wears a new design; whatever the colour or pattern the traditional shirts dazzle on his...

Douse the fire, not add fuel – C.Y. Ming

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun recently said it was the prerogative of the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office to issue travel advisory against...

Kit Siang, the doyen of MPs just a moot point – Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

Given the adversarial nature of our politics, speculation about Kit Siang being the doyen of MPs in the Dewan Rakyat is merely a moot point. But his sitting across the aisle from the government...

We salute you Mr Lim Kit Siang, happy 75th birthday! – Martin Jalleh

When the ruling coalition dishes out what is most politically expedient, you remain principled and unwavering in your political journey. When the same spent politicians declare only what is...

Kit Siang, man behind the politician – Kerk Kim Hock

Since the recurrence of my cancer last year, reminiscing has become an important part of my life and tonight’s event will certainly add to my many beautiful memories. A 75th birthday is indeed...

GDP not everything – TK Chua

Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5% in 2015 and a statement was made by the prime minister that our economy was among the best in Asean. He further reiterated that the economy...

Bangladeshis are our friends too – Nur Adilah Ramli

When the government broke the news about importing 1.5 million foreign workers from Bangladesh, Malaysians, at least those I stumbled upon on social media, were obviously mad and unhappy to...

Dismantling terrorism myths – Munira Mustaffa

The emergence of Daesh, their terror activities and growing recruitment to their cause have intensified public debate further on terrorism, the nature of extremism and the mechanisms behind...

He ain’t heavy, he’s Bangladeshi – Jason Leong

The guys who help me pump petrol and fix my car are Bangladeshi. The maid who comes fortnightly to clean my house is Indonesian. The security guards at my building are Nepali. The cooks...

IMF reform agenda good news for Asia – Adam Triggs

On February 4, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde warned that the global financial safety net – the international resources and institutions designated to fight...

Ola Bola! Ola Malaysia? – TF Lee

I watched Ola Bola and true to its reviews, it was heart warming. I would recommend it to all Malaysians (including overseas Malaysians). This film has set the standard for future local films...

Using birth control to combat Zika virus could affect future generations – Simon Beard

In a recent article, Oxford University’s director of medical ethics, Dominic Wilkinson, argued that birth control was a key way of tackling the Zika virus’s apparently devastating effects on...

Najib and Malaysia’s road to redemption? – Amrita Malhi

The actions of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak have been met with widespread disbelief from domestic and international observers. For many, there seems to be no end to the series of...

Malaysia’s political tornado picks up speed – J.D. Lovrenciear

Malaysia is gripped in a sinking political quagmire that certainly does not augur well for the times ahead. While many nations across the globe are rising up to match the socio-economic and...

Shake it off – Sonia Devi

At the end of every week, I reflect on myself, wading through the cesspit of friendship, love, ideas and hate and then convert all this into writing. As I enter a new chapter in my life, I’ve...

Why is there no love for Valentine’s Day in Indonesia? – Johannes Nugroho

Opponents of Valentine’s Day were out in full force in Indonesia’s major cities last weekend, with youths from conservative Islamic groups holding public rallies to denounce it. They don’t...

Crucial equilibrium for regional stability – Sin Chew Daily

The curtain has fallen on the two-day US-Asean summit in Sunnylands. US President Barack Obama and the 10 leaders of Asean member states jointly issued a 17-point declaration at the end of the...

Abortion, the battle between women’s rights and a doctor’s conscience – Dr Sharifah Halimah Jaafar

A woman walked in to my clinic after discovering herself pregnant and she said, “Doctor, I am pregnant but I am not ready to have this baby. I want an abortion! Can you do it for me?” The...

The ready foreign manpower in our midst – Bina Ramanand

If there is a manpower shortage, employers and officials should consider the following four categories of people who are also migrants, who are already here in the country. No need for...

Time to stop toying around with our children’s safety – Calidya Idem

A recent news reported that Hong Kong Consumer Council finds safety gate for children contains excessive level of chemical at 18mg/kg (European standards maximum limit is 12mg/kg) linked to...