Star columnists

KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - It was just a six-paragraph statement issued by the Defence Ministry. It was the outcome of a meeting at the Pentagon in Washington DC between United States Defence Secretary James Mattis and his Malaysian counterpart Mohamad Sabu. After one reading, most would dismiss it as a discussion on defence and security issues. But the second paragraph of the Mindef statement issued on Tuesday (Sept 25) and reported by several local media has caught the attention of Malaysian officials. The line in the statement issued by Mindef reads: “The discussion among others touched on the issue of peace in the South China Sea where Malaysia will continue its stance of neutrality.” Several questions came to mind. When is Malaysia neutral on South China Sea? Does Malaysia now have a new policy on its maritime claims in the South China Sea? Is Malaysia no more a claimant state? If we are still one, then Malaysia cannot afford to be neutral. … [Read more...] about The danger of being neutral on South China Sea issue: Star Columnist

In his article, the writer says Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Anwar's rise to the top is being questioned and all eyes will be on what he does as a leader. Wong Chun Wai KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The Port Dickson by-election has unexpectedly become a controversy for some Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders and the party's supporters. Suddenly, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has found himself being openly challenged by some of the top brass for his purported failure to consult them on the selection of the coastal town for a by-election, and why his wife or daughter weren't asked to vacate their seats, instead. Anwar is now being accused of nepotism and those who have defiantly questioned this move include prominent lawyer S. Ambiga, who is closely linked to Pakatan Harapan (PH). Even the issue of race has cropped up in social media, with some, hiding behind anonymity, demanding why an Indian MP had to be sacrificed for the PKR president. Others have … [Read more...] about The Port Dickson by-election and Anwar as leader: Star columnist

In his commentary, the writer highlights the way people deal with race, religion and gender issues in Malaysia. Wong Chun Wai Call me naive if you want, but will we ever get past our obsession with race, religion, gender, marital status and sexual orientation? And for some strange reason, we are prepared to "overlook", even become apologists, for corruption and child marriages. Some of us have the most absurd defence for corruption, even if it's of global magnitude. As for paedophilia, we condone and accept it as the way for child marriages. But when it involves race, religion and gender, we choose to look the other way, even when the rights of the minority are trampled on. Most of us are too meek to defend them because we fear the backlash for daring to stand up and speak for them. In the age of social media, the incessant attacks are far worse, naturally. So, don't count on too many people to have your back. They may have appeared fearless, or outspoken on other issues, but if … [Read more...] about The storm brewing in a tea cup: The Star columnist