Side Views - The Malaysian Insider

Save Malaysia – Citizens’ Declaration

1. We, the undersigned citizens of Malaysia, append below our concerns over the deteriorating political, economic and social conditions in the country. 2. We wish to draw the attention of the...

Can Malaysians save themselves from wretched politics? – J. D. Lovrenciear

The latest spotlight on Malaysia comes from the weekly business journal, The Economist. Its latest edition with the title, “The Najib effect” gives every reason for Malaysians to ask whether...

Abandon the Green Lane widening project – Ravinder Singh

On the issue of cutting down trees to widen Green Lane, the City Council tried to calm Penangites saying that the trees will not be destroyed but relocated. Of the trees standing in the way of...

Is Sarawak BN purposefully misleading the public? – Kelvin Yii

To me, it is somewhat amusing, when we hear or read of statements by Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) senior ministers including Tan Sri James Masing, Datuk Abang Johari Openg (PBB deputy president)...

We need a United Malaysian National Organisation – William de Cruz

Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Umno are at the centre of the disease eating away at Malaysia today. But the sickness has festered a long time. The prime minister, his executive office and apparently...

The problem of Malaysia’s over-reliance on cheap migrant labour – J.D. Lovrenciear

This photo taken today shows a row of foreign citizens sleeping at a shop frontage along Malaysia’s famous Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur. They are NOT Malaysians going by their looks and the...

Turning the US-Asean strategic partnership into a lasting one – Tang Siew Mun

When Barack Obama hands over the United States presidency to his successor on January 20 next year, he will leave behind, among other achievements, the legacy of elevating the relationship...

The need for more environmental debate – Chong Kwek Yan and Giam Xingli

The proposal to construct the Cross Island Line (CRL) under a part of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR), Singapore’s largest nature reserve and home to its four reservoirs and hundreds...

Is the sharing economy becoming less selfish? – Rob Nicholls

In the early days of the sharing economy, players like Uber and Airbnb provided a platform for their services, but no such protection on the risks that came with them. They shifted the risk...

Should wealthier students get subsidised college education? – Donald E. Heller

Last summer, as the presidential campaign was just getting rolling in earnest, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton announced “New College Compact”, a proposal designed to provide relief for...

The power of unity – K. T. Maran

The ignorance of mankind to the power of unity and to unity in diversity is the real cause for all the maladies in the world today. Children from kindergarten level must be taught the power...

An education in captivity – Edith Mirante

A group of children from an indigenous minority group escape an abusive boarding school to make their way home to their families, hiding from search parties along the way. The latest example of...

Authorities must be seen fighting globalised corruption – Nurul Izzah Anwar

If there ever is a need to be reminded that Malaysia is facing tough times ahead, look no further than the shocking news that Petronas is restructuring its workforce and laying off 1,000...

Why doesn’t China want any more ‘weird’ buildings? – Yue Zhuang and Feng Qing

The Chinese State Council is seeking to curtail the construction of “oversized, xenocentric, weird” architecture. This kind of “weird” architecture first appeared in China after further economic...

Malaysia’s US$1 billion question – Jakarta Post

In a desperate attempt to unseat his former "golden boy" Datuk Seri Najib Razak from the premiership, former Malaysian leader Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced his resignation from the ruling...

Singapore must strengthen personal data protection – Tan Teck Boon

As Singapore transforms itself into a Smart Nation, a more robust personal data protection regime is needed to safeguard the enormous amount of private information generated by this high-tech...

Political crises of modern Muslim world created climate for Isis – Harith Ramli

Islamic State (Isis) declared its re-establishment of the caliphate on June 29, 2014, almost exactly 100 years after the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was...

3 things unions can learn from Uber drivers – Sarah Kaine and Michael Walker

Unions are in a self-described crisis. The well-known tale of union decline in Australia continues with the latest figures revealing less than 15% of workers are members of unions, with that...

Don’t make education a scapegoat – Sin Chew Daily

Owing to plunging international oil prices, the government has tightened its belt and the public must be psychologically prepared for the challenges to come. Lower allocations for education...

The inevitable fall of the ruling party – Puthan Perumal

They say all good things must come to an end. I wonder why not enough emphasis is given to the other end of the spectrum, where all bad things, too, come to an end. Throughout history, we...