Current Affairs

Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, Chairman of Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE), is fighting for the government to allow the teaching of Math and Science in English. The impetus to do this came after High Court's decision that it is not unconstitutional to teach these subjects in languages other than Bahasa Malaysia. To join this group and have your say, join www.pagemalaysia.org

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Professor Simon Tay, Chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, and author of the book Asia Alone: The Dangerous Post-Crisis Divide from America, talks about why and how Asean can engage with the regimes in Myanmar and North Korea.

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John Baker, the Head of Food and Agribusiness Research and Advisory at Rabo Bank International, gives his outlook for soybean and palm oil prices and the market dynamics of both commodities. He talks about the opportunities in the corn market given that it's anticipated to see a shortage next year.

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Eliza Noordin, gives her personal views on whether PMR and UPSR exams should be scrapped. Eliza has two children in a Chinese primary school. She is Vice President at Teak Capital, a venture capital fund management company.

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Ong Kian Ming gives his views on the stand-off between VP of PKR, Azmin Ali and Selangor's chief minister, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, and what both leaders bring to the table. The discontent with Khalid's leadership is that he is said not to be doing enough to beef up the financial resources and institution of PKR within the state. This may involve giving out contracts to members.

Kian Ming is a political analyst and lecturer at USCI. He also contributes to Malaysiakini.com.

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Tricia Yeoh, Research Officer at the Selangor Menteri Besar's office, tells us that the Freedom of Information Act means members of public will have the right to access documents and minutes of meetings held by Selangor state agencies except for information that would impact state security. This is not expected to conflict with the Official Secret's Act because it does not declassify federal level documents. The state chief minister is presently empowered to declassify state information.

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Kevin Rudd stepped down as Prime Minister of Australia in favour of his deputy, Julia Gillard. Mary Kissel, Editor of The Wall Street Journal Asia's editorial page, tells us what did Rudd in politically, and what Gillard may do about the proposed superprofits tax on mining companies and the emissions trading scheme.

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Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, eminent professor of law at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, explains to us what the Constitution say about religious freedom, why non-Muslims cannot preach their religion to Muslims, what an Islamic state could mean, why extremism has creeped into our society, and his view on use of the word Allah by the church. 

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Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, professor of law at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, talks about the functions of Parliament and its limitations in Malaysia, and what is needed to become a first world parliament. He says we're far from it. This is the second part of a three part education series with the professor.

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Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, eminent professor of law at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, explains the definition of a Malay and its special position in the Constitution, and the definition of a Bumiputera. This is the first part of a three-part education series with the professor.

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