Leisure Featured

Air Itam dam: Penang’s gem that blurs the line between manmade engineering and nature’s beauty

The Air Itam dam is no stranger to Penangites. Located in the highland areas of the Penang island, the dam, which faces Air Itam town, has been catering to the water needs of the islanders for decades while at the same time providing an avenue for them to relax and

Culture Featured

Thaipusam 2025 in pics

As a Penangite, one thing that I love about my state is the lively Thaipusam celebration at the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple at Jalan Kebun Bungah in Pulau Tikus here at the Penang island. As a Hindu Penangite, what I love about my fellow peers of the faith is that no

Malaysian Affairs

It’s good that the guidelines were scrapped. Still, it is infuriating that Jakim considered it in the first place

The controversial guidelines proposed by the government through the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) on Muslims’ participation in non-Muslim events and festivities have been rejected by the government following backlash from various quarters.  The news of its scrapping is a welcoming one. Yet, the fact that the guidelines even

Malaysian Affairs Featured

Penang is still the right “market” for Muda. It just needs to step up its game

Nearly three years after being trounced in the 2023 state elections, Muda appears to be subdued - particularly in Penang.  The party fielded 19 candidates in the election (three of them in Penang), and all of them lost to the point of forfeiting their election deposits. The party had previously

World Affairs

Could Gaza cost Kamala Harris the White House? Not really.

The genocide in Gaza is getting worse with more than  43,000 Palestinians killed in the strip since Hamas’ October 7 attack in Israel last year. (the figure could have exceeded 186,000 according to The Lancet medical journal). Israel has assured the world that it would not stop its

Malaysian Affairs

Is DAP ready to give seats to MCA, MIC come GE16?

DAP has expressed its openness for Pakatan Harapan to work with Barisan Nasional for the next general election (GE16) which is expected to take place in November 2027 - three years from now.  Back in January, the party’s secretary-general Anthony Loke expressed hope that the partnership between both parties

Malaysian Affairs

Amanah leaders should abandon Johor unity govt push by now. It is getting embarrassing

Amanah has been stirring the pot in recent months, causing needless headaches for Pakatan Harapan. Earlier in August, the party’s Kluang division demanded that the Johor chapter of Barisan Nasional give it the chance to contest the Mahkota state constituency seat, less than a week after its former assemblyman

Malaysian Affairs

No matter what PAS does, it can never win over non-Malay voters

PAS is trying to win over the minds and hearts of non-Malays and non-Muslims. The Islamist party, in its 70th Annual Muktamar (convention) held last week, passed a motion that would amend its constitution to allow non-Muslims to become associate members, except atheists. (Seriously, why would atheists want to join

Malaysian Affairs

Are our politicians sincere with their pro-Palestine advocacy?

The government recently organised a Palestinian Liberation Rally at the Axiata Area in Bukit Jalil on August 3, with 12,000 people thronging the indoor arena to show their solidarity for the Palestinians who are being subject to a relentless genocide campaign by Israel. This is the second rally organised

Malaysian Affairs

Gerakan wouldn't dare to leave PN despite contempt over PAS’ extreme politics

It has been a rough couple of weeks for Gerakan. Party president Dominic Lau defended Chinese vernacular schools that received donations from alcohol breweries after PAS triggered a controversy over a deputy minister who accepted a RM3 million mock cheque displaying a Tiger Beer logo at a fundraiser for a

Malaysian Affairs

Should “irrelevant” MCA and MIC be given posts in the Madani cabinet?

MCA and MIC are unhappy about being sidelined in the Madani government, and their leaders have been making their grouses known to the press, based on recent news reports. One of those reports, which was published by Free Malaysia Today on July 25, reported that both parties are feeling sidelined

Malaysian Affairs

As UMNO folks keep backing PN, PH needs to rethink GE16 collab plans with BN

UMNO folks have done it again - they voted for Perikatan Nasional, this time around in the Sungai Bakap by-election on July 6. PAS' Abidin Ismail retained the Penang state seat with 4, 267 majority votes, nearly threefold than the majority gained by the late assemblyman Nor Zamri Latiff

Malaysian Affairs

(NEWS) No issue with govt announcing allocations during by-elections, says Ahmad Maslan

NIBONG TEBAL: It is not an offence for ministers to organise programmes or announce allocations in constituencies that are having by-elections, says deputy works minister Ahmad Maslan. Ahmad said such matters had been brought to the court by the opposition parties in the past, but decisions have never sided with

Malaysian Affairs

(NEWS) Ex-teacher Joohari Ariffin is PH’s candidate for Sg Bakap by-election

NIBONG TEBAL: Former teacher Haji Joohari Ariffin has been announced as the Pakatan Harapan’s candidate from PKR for the Sungai Bakap by-election that will be taking place on July 6. Joohari was born in Permatang Pasir but lived and worked in Sungai Bakap for most of his life. He

Malaysian Affairs

Ex-Bersatu 7 must brace unavoidable by-elections following defections

Bersatu has sacked its six MPs and a Selangor assemblyman who betrayed the party by declaring support for the federal and Selangor unity governments. They are MPs Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Iskandar

Malaysian Affairs

Sungai Bakap by-election: a personal battle for Anwar

Sungai Bakap state constituency will be having a by-election soon, following the death of Perikatan Nasional (PN) assemblyman Nor Zamri Latiff of PAS on May 24 at the age of 55 due to stomach inflammation. Nor Zamri, fondly known as "Abang Zam" by many, won the seat against

Malaysian Affairs

(NEWS) Karpal Singh would have supported the unity government, says his son

GEORGE TOWN: The late DAP stalwart Karpal Singh would have supported the formation of the unity government between DAP and its once longtime political foe, Umno, says his son Ramkarpal Singh. Speaking at a special tribute forum held in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the late Bukit Gelugor MP’

Pang defies the odds by retaining Kuala Kubu Baharu for PH

Pakatan Harapan candidate Pang Sock Tao of DAP has finally won the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, thus helping her party retain the seat it has represented for the past 11 years.  She received 14,000 votes, while Perikatan Nasional candidate Khairul Azhari Saut received 10,131 votes, followed by independent

Malaysian Affairs

Massive dip in press freedom ranking under Madani govt a wake-up call for Anwar

On May 3, the Madani government has gotten itself a warning on what direction it is taking the country with regards to democratic rights and civil liberties as Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released its annual World Press Freedom Index 2024 - which showed that Malaysia’s standing in the Index

KKB by-election: A test for PH and Anwar on Indians' support

The battle to win the Kuala Kubu Baharu state seat in Selangor was kickstarted last Saturday with four candidates having nominated themselves to contest the seat: Perikatan Nasional Khairul Azhari Saut, Pakatan Harapan’s Pang Sock Tao, Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s Hafizah Zainuddin and independent candidate Nyau Ke Xin. Kuala

Malaysian Affairs

What if MCA chooses to contest in Kuala Kubu Baharu?

MCA has been facing calls from a handful of its youth leaders in Selangor to contest in the upcoming Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election in recent weeks. On April 1st, Petaling Jaya MCA Youth Chief Teoh Tuck Wah and Selangor MCA Youth Chief Tan Jie Sen were reported as having urged

Malaysian Affairs

Dear Anwar, the Sedition Act is not the sole answer to your 3R problems

On March 8th 2018, exactly two months before the historic 14th general elections, Pakatan Harapan launched its election manifesto, where it promised to do away with tyrannical laws, among them the colonial-era law Sedition Act 1948. “Malaysia’s legal system is frequently abused by the leaders of UMNO and Barisan

Malaysian Affairs

Is Umno Youth exploiting vernacular education for political relevancy?

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh is currently on a roll.  Weeks after calling for the resignation of tourism, arts and culture minister Tiong King Sing over the ministry's decision to make “bak kut teh” a national heritage dish, he is now training his guns on vernacular schools.

Malaysian Affairs

(NEWS) Counter regressive arguments against PrEP treatment with scientific evidence, says expert

GEORGE TOWN: Scientific evidence and data obtained from public health research projects should be utilised to counter regressive arguments that come from various parties on the dispensing of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) medications, says Professor Dato’ Dr. Adeeba Kamarulzaman. PrEP is a type of prevention treatment designed for people who do

Malaysian Affairs

Why do Malaysians go to social media, not the authorities, to highlight wrongdoings?

On Feb 22, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim was reported as having said that netizens should file official reports about issues of labour rights violations before discussing them on social media. “I know netizens have good intentions, posting on platforms like Facebook, Twitter and so on. However, this involves the