Opinions

With politics being a topic discouraged within the walls of schools, many would argue that 18-year-olds could not possibly have the capacity to understand the complexity of Malaysian politics. One of the reasons for lowering the voting age is so that the youth’s interests can be represented and for there to be an increase in voter turnout; this is surely one way to ensure democracy in Malaysia is being upheld as citizens exercise their right to vote. But what about the step that precedes voting — forming one’s own political opinions? How is the youth supposed to understand the goals and ambitions of the political campaigns running for the 15th General Election?

Over the past few years, Malaysia has seen a tremendous shift in political power. For the first time since its independence, Malaysia was ruled by an opposing coalition. Two years later, in February 2020, the Perikatan Nasional coalition was formed and led by the eighth Prime Minister, Mahiaddin bin Md. Yasin. A period of political unrest followed the period of COVID-19 outbreak, eventually leading to the dissolution of Parliament on 10 October 2022, paving way for the upcoming 15th General Election (GE15). What does this mean for the nation and the people? Is this a sign of the end of democracy as many would claim? Or the start of a democratic reformation?

An old saying goes, “a day in politics is a very long time”. I hope that Elizabeth Truss will find solace in that saying. Her 50 days in office is the shortest in British history and when history tells its tale, she will not be remembered well. Number 10 is now inhabited by Rishi Sunak, the first British-Asian to hold the position. Mr Sunak, who lost the Tory Party leadership race to Ms Truss the previous month, inherits an economy with stubborn inflationary pressure, a fractured Tory party, and a low approval rating in the polls.

Without realisation, we experience daily doses of discrimination that catalyses the separation between our people, and it extends to a larger scale which also affects the country’s economy and politics. From economic inequality in Sabah and Sarawak to the unfair penalty to those who breach SOPs as compared to politicians, discrimination becomes more apparent when it comes to privilege, status and money.

Unity is an important aspect of a country’s harmony. However, for many years, Malaysians struggle to unite because we are expected to accept certain views and practices in order to be “Malaysian”. For example, the recent comment made by Dr. Mahathir about the Chinese community using chopsticks. This is only one of the many examples of the idea of assimilation being perpetuated against a particular community, hence, causing dissatisfactions.

After years of legal battles, Najib Razak was finally found guilty on all seven charges in his corruption trial by the Court of Appeal. However is this really the end? As Najib seeks to appeal to the Federal Court, this might buy more time for him to roam freely and continue his political agendas and more shockingly, become Prime Minister once again.

On July 26, a nationwide strike occurred with doctors walking out of their hospital stations. But is there more to #HartalDoktorKontrak than what meets the eye? What has led to this breaking point? Sia Zheng Chuang brings a medical student’s perspective on the country’s healthcare system, outlining what exactly it takes to become a doctor in Malaysia.

Stories about Malaysians moving abroad in search for greener pastures is one that we have heard far too often. While there are benefits to brain drain, the rate at which we are losing skilled labourers is alarming and could potentially dampen the development of our nation.

When asked, most people know roughly what Bitcoin is. Most assume that it is just another form of money. But is that all that it is? In this edition of CEKU Advocates, Shahmi Shahrir breaks down what the craze is all about.

With MalaysiaKini’s recent Contempt of Court case, many are left wondering what state our country’s freedom of speech is in. How has freedom of speech been curtailed by this recent case? Let’s divulge.