BY: KHALDOON ABDULLA The foreign policy of the United States (US) towards the Middle East involves a complex mix of strategic and ideological factors. On one level, US policy is shaped by traditional geopolitical considerations, including the pursuit of hegemony through control of strategic passages, the promotion of the liberal international order, and the containment…
Dr Paul Anthony Mariadas and Dr Uma Murthy Malaysia, a fast-growing Southeast Asian nation, has often sought to strike a balance between maintaining good relations with Western nations while also fostering deeper connections with emerging economies. One avenue Malaysia is considering is closer engagement with BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), a bloc…
BY: DR PAUL ANTHONY MARIA DAS The Malaysian Budget 2025, unveiled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on October 18, 2024, marks a significant turning point in the nation’s economic strategy. With an unprecedented allocation of RM421 billion, this budget is not only the largest in Malaysia’s history but also encapsulates a vision for…
Ayer Hitam MP Datuk Seri Ir Dr Wee Ka Siong was appointed as investment adviser for nationals and companies from China in Malaysia by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday. The appointment was made when Ahmad Zahid officiated MCA’s annual general assembly at the San Choon Hall, Wisma MCA. While many on…
BY: Dr A Lingeshwaran The overall budget for Ministry of Health (MOH) saw an increase of 9% compared to this year. However, the increase is at a much lower pace compared to Budget 2024 and also far from the 5% GDP that was the benchmark for upper middle income country. Hence, the MOH should focus…
Guided by the ‘MADANI Economy framework’ and three focus areas of ‘Reinvigorating the Economy, Driving Reforms, Prospering the Rakyat’, Belanjawan 2025 incorporates right measures to breath new life into the ‘soul’ of Kuala Lumpur (KL). This involves a combination of allocations designed to climate-proof, preserve culture and heritage, develop talent capacity, as well as improve…
BY: PROFESSOR OSMAN BAKAR In the post-colonial Muslim world, especially since the 1980s following the historic First World Conference on Muslim Education in 1978 held in Mecca, universities and colleges carrying the label “Muslim” or “Islamic” in their names have rapidly increased in number. These institutions are either public or private and are either national…
By emblazoning the word, “KKK,” which is often attributed to Ku Klax Klan, a white supremacist group in the United States (US) the book’s title seemed to suggest a direct provocation. A visceral one at that. Yet this book is anything but. Instead it gave a powerful Tour De Force into the life of the…
Former DAP lawmaker Dr Ong Kian Ming came under fire for criticising Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who hit out at Malaysian elites who preferred English over the national language, Bahasa Malaysia. In AMANAH, ex-Sepang MP Hanipa Maidin has constantly taken the government to task over a myriad of issues. Both Ong and Hanipa…
If terrorism is partly performative, a form of theatre, the tit-for-tat between Israel and Iran has all the embodiments of a sublime art form. How ? In normal circumstances, wars are launched with total stealth to maximize the element of surprise. One of the most important dimensions of warfare, whether it is staged by the…
