Category Archives: Uncategorized

(First published in theSun on 13 October 2016 here). THERE are many ways to think about freedom. If you live with your parents and your parents impose a curfew on you to come home by midnight, you might say that … Continue reading →

(First published in theSun here, on 7 January 2016). OVER the last few months, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has been one of the few government bodies undergoing tremendous pressure. Most recently, rumours circulated that its chief commissioner, Tan Sri … Continue reading →

First published in theSun here, on 10 December 2015. THE 2016 budget came as a rude shock to some, since there were massive budget cuts in most of ministries, including education, energy, finance, urban wellbeing, housing and local government, as … Continue reading →

First published in theSun here, on 26 November 2015. LAST week, I was invited to speak at an OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) conference on the corporate governance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), or in Malaysian terms, government-linked companies … Continue reading →

First published in theSun here, on 12 November 2015. TUN Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman’s life in politics has in two previous books been deeply analysed by academic Ooi Kee Beng (in The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time … Continue reading →

First published in theSun here on 15 October 2015. A MONTH ago, Otto Perez Molina resigned as president of Guatemala following an investigation that he and his aides received bribes in exchange for lowering taxes for companies importing products into … Continue reading →

(First published in theSun on 7th November 2013, and can be accessed here). AT a #BetterCities event I spoke at recently on sustainable public transportation, questions were raised as to what initiatives are taking place in Kuala Lumpur to improve access … Continue reading →

(First published in theSun on 24th October 2013, and can be accessed here.) TWO things will be taking place simultaneously tomorrow: the 2014 Budget announcement, and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva, a review of our human rights records over … Continue reading →

(First published in theSun on 25th September 2013 and can be accessed here). WHEN Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak launched the Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Council (BEEC), it brought with it more questions than answers. Since 1971, Malaysia has undergone numerous … Continue reading →

(First posted in theSun on 11 September 2013 and can be accessed here.) THE government says it intends to pursue fiscally responsible policies, but this must be consistently applied throughout its bureaucracy from top to bottom, and in all areas. Last … Continue reading →