DOCSLIB.ORG

Fundamentalism 161616 Boundaries in Favour of the Ruling Coalition, Per- ••• Murderous Anniversary 252525 Sists

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Fundamentalism 161616 Boundaries in Favour of the Ruling Coalition, Per- ••• Murderous Anniversary 252525 Sists PP3739/12/2002 ISSN 0127 - 5127 / RM3.00 / 2002:Vol.22No.8 SoundSound andand FuryFury SignifyingSignifying NothingNothing NewNew Aliran Monthly : Vol.22(8) Page 1 COVER STORY Puteri UMNO: Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing New by Maznah Mohamad ews of tiffs and acrimoni- NN ous contests within NNN Puteri Umno in the run- up to its first election in November makes for salacious reading. But this belies a sad com- mentary. A commentary on how women are not immune to dirty politicking. Worst, once mired into it they do not get out of it. One slan- der begets another. One sensational exposure leads to even more. While one might think of the fight for the top post with contenders, Mastina Abdul Hamid, Raihan Sulaiman and possibly others, against the incumbent Azalina Said Othman as a ‘healthy’ dem- onstration of democracy, there is always something more to this than meets the eye. There are several questions that deserve asking. Is Puteri Umno merely nursing its teething prob- lems or already weathering a po- litical tornado that can potentially damage it even before it can barely begin to attain legitimate status? Is Puteri UMNO the antidote to UMNO’s ailment? Is Puteri UMNO the answer to women’s plight? Dilemma What is reflected in Puteri UMNO’s impending election is not just a contest, but a question- Aliran Monthly : Vol.22(8) Page 2 EDITOR'S NOTE By launching Puteri UMNO two years ago, UMNO succeeded in attracting young Malay women to the CONTENTS party again. Some of these women were quite out- spoken and impressive and re-ignited public inter- COVER STORY est in UMNO. Alas, it appears that Puteri’s honey- ••• Puteri UMNO 222 moon period is over. For the old despicable UMNO- style politics has crept into the Wing too. Maznah FEATURES Mohamad reflects on Puteri UMNO and the brew- ••• Federal Court Ruling Defies Logic 777 ing internal conflict in our lead story. ••• All-Out War 888 ••• So, Why Are We Still Waiting? 999 K Ong investigates the recent constituency delimi- ••• You Are Expected To Deliver 111111 tation exercise in the back cover story. His analysis •• We Will Be Vigilant 1313 reveals that mal-apportionment of seats among the ••• We Will Be Vigilant 131313 states, and gerrymandering or redrawing of the ••• Fundamentalism 161616 boundaries in favour of the ruling coalition, per- ••• Murderous Anniversary 252525 sists. ••• Mahathir's Meddling 262626 ••• Penang Does Not Need PORR 363636 Another feature this month is the plight of the ISA ••• Artful Dodging 383838 detainees. P Ramakrishnan questions the decision ••• The 2002 Delimitation Exercise 404040 of the Federal Court which ruled the ISA arrests ille- gal but did not order that the detainees be released. REGULARS Read also the “declaration of war” by the Families ••• Thinking Allowed 191919 of the Detainees who have vowed to fight on till ••• Current Concerns 292929 justice is done. ••• LettersLettersLetters 313131 Other stories in this AM are: a report on a forum on OTHERSOTHERSOTHERS PORR held in the Aliran office; short articles on ••• Aliran In Dire Straits 232323 Burma including a criticism of Dr Mahathir’s “in- ••• Subscription Form 242424 terference into Burma’s internal affairs”; and on ••• Book Review 272727 Afghanistan, one year after. Published by Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN) 103, Medan Penaga, 11600 Jelutong, ALIRANALIRANALIRAN is a Reform Movement dedicated to Penang, Malaysia. Justice, Freedom & Solidarity and listed on the Tel : (04) 658 5251 Fax : (04) 658 5197 roster of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Founded in 1977, Aliran welcomes Homepage : http://www.malaysia.net/aliran all Malaysians above 21 to be members. Contact the Hon. Secretary or visit our webpage. Printed by Angkatan Edaran Enterprise Sdn. Bhd. Lot 6, Jalan Tukang 16/4, Seksyen 16, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Aliran Monthly : Vol.22(8) Page 3 ing of the unsolved legitimacy reform. One badly needed area of recruitment of young women to of Puteri UMNO. It is really a improvement was for the party to fuel a flagging party is compara- contest to decide what identity re-build or expand its corps of ble to an older phenomenon of the Puteri UMNO should wear The vote-solicitors. The target was to massive deployment of women perennial dilemma of the Malay- win new voters and win-back the into the industrial workforce dur- Muslim woman, having to youths previously attracted to ing the 1970s. choose between the symbolisms reformasi. of tradition or modernity seems The stigma of “Minah Karan”, the to be at play. Perhaps UMNO also knew that label given to young Malay from the 1999 election women women who were recruited in On the one hand there is the could be more trusted to be loyal droves and with sudden speed feisty Azalina, unconventional voters to one party than do men. into the electronics industries of by most Malay political and cul- But why Puteri UMNO? the early 1970s had long gone. tural standards. On the other Then, women were preferred over hand, there are her two rivals Wanita UMNO was probably no men in the electronics industry. who outwardly exhibit every bit longer capable of attracting youth- The famous reasons being that the norm of Malay-Muslim ful women voters, being saddled they were nimble-fingered, obedi- womanhood. with its ‘motherly, old-fashioned’ ent, disciplined and easily con- image for as long as it has existed. trolled. While Azalina does not wear the UMNO Youth on the other hand tudung, her two rivals do. While is etched with a “thuggish” im- Male youths were not trusted with Mastina is unmarried she is so- age having been prominent only the job of factory workers as the cially acceptable because of her at demonstrating stridency when skills required were more cultural educational qualification of an the issues demanded of them. (passivity, tolerance for long sed- MBA, and has professed that she entary and repetitive tasks) rather will be injecting more Islam into Given all of these, the prime min- than technical. But women’s sud- the movement. Raihan on the ister’s attention naturally turned den appearance as the new labour other hand is by far the epitome of to an untapped political force, force was greeted with disdain by the ‘traditionalist’. Not only is she namely young women. And why a strongly male-biased society. of UMNO stock, being the daugh- not? Women were accused of becom- ter of an UMNO veteran, but she ing “loose” once they embraced is married with four children. Young women have either been the urban lifestyle. neglected as a political entity or Among the three, the scale seems when they are publicly acknowl- All these are in many ways not to be sliding in the degree of how edged it had always been for the too different from the Puteri far one nears or veers from the wrong reasons. Young women UMNO experience. While the symbols of traditionalism. It’s a were either considered uncontrol- progressives cheer on the bright- question as to who best shall pro- lable (the ‘bohsia’ phenomenon) eyed women, the conservative el- vide the best role model for the or in need of excessive protection ements ridicule them. movement. from sexual predators. Several decades ago, it was the Saviour Of UMNO UMNO’s new-found positive at- lagging economy which needed a tention towards women as politi- boost in the form of export-orien- When Puteri Umno was first cal agents were greeted with tation and the setting-up of off- formed, hopeful initiators of this much approval by those who con- shore multinational electronic idea thought of it as a gain for sider themselves progressive. companies. Women, the so-called women. UMNO apologists within ‘reserve army’ of labour were en- the media saw it as a saviour for Women trusted to do the job. UMNO. Challenged by the winds In The Machine of reformasi UMNO was cornered Now, UMNO, having grown into into seeking its own formula for This phenomenon of the sudden a sluggish dinosaur badly needs Aliran Monthly : Vol.22(8) Page 4 an ‘army’ too. It needed a force UMNO would not only be given “bukan lindungan” (not over- that can jump-start it towards a equal status as the other wings in shadowed by) is self-evident. Not sense of purpose and bring in the party, it would even be centre- much is known of this writer or new, dynamic recruits to sustain staged as evidence of UMNO’s that in fact it may be just a nom de its legitimacy. success at embracing reforms. plume, but a check at the book- store in Putra World Trade Cen- What does all of this tell us about Perhaps this is where the Puteri tre, where the UMNO headquar- women? That women, in both UMNO phenomenon departs ters is based shows that there are cases were really needed as cogs from the “Minah Karan” pre- already a string of novels written in the bigger wheel of change. In dicament of before. Save for the by this author. the first case it was an industrial initial flurry of unwanted atten- machine. In the second case it is tion given to them, women fac- Each novel has a young Malay the political machine. tory workers eventually faded woman as its protagonist. The into the scene as the silent back- cover of each book has an appeal- And qualities of women needed bone of the economy. But Puteri ing art work. Each has an illus- for both instances? Not much dif- UMNO is meant to stand out tration of the heroine, inevitably ference —— discipline, obedience more forcefully.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Alternative Digital Movies As Malaysian National Cinema A
    Unfolding Time to Configure a Collective Entity: Alternative Digital Movies as Malaysian National Cinema A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Fine Arts of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Hsin-ning Chang April 2017 © 2017 Hsin-ning Chang. All Rights Reserved. 2 This dissertation titled Unfolding Time to Configure a Collective Entity: Alternative Digital Movies as Malaysian National Cinema by HSIN-NING CHANG has been approved for Interdisciplinary Arts and the College of Fine Arts by Erin Schlumpf Visiting Assistant Professor of Film Studies Elizabeth Sayrs Interim Dean, College of Fine Arts 3 ABSTRACT CHANG, HSIN-NING, Ph.D., April 2017, Interdisciplinary Arts Unfolding Time to Configure a Collective Entity: Alternative Digital Movies as Malaysian National Cinema Director of dissertation: Erin Schlumpf This dissertation argues that the alternative digital movies that emerged in the early 21st century Malaysia have become a part of the Malaysian national cinema. This group of movies includes independent feature-length films, documentaries, short and experimental films and videos. They closely engage with the unique conditions of Malaysia’s economic development, ethnic relationships, and cultural practices, which together comprise significant understandings of the nationhood of Malaysia. The analyses and discussions of the content and practices of these films allow us not only to recognize the economic, social, and historical circumstances of Malaysia, but we also find how these movies reread and rework the existed imagination of the nation, and then actively contribute in configuring the collective entity of Malaysia. 4 DEDICATION To parents, family, friends, and cats in my life 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advisor, Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • An Interim Evaluation of Penang's First Bike-Share Scheme
    GEOGRAFIA OnlineTM Malaysian Journal of Society and Space 15 issue 3 (163-175) © 2019, e-ISSN 2682-7727 https://doi.org/10.17576/geo-2019-1503-12 163 An interim evaluation of Penang’s first bike-share scheme Nadhrah A Kadir, Lim Ghee-Thean, Law Chee Hong School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Correspondence: Nadhrah A Kadir (email: [email protected]) Received: 23 April 2019; Accepted: 25 July 2019; Published: 22 August 2019 Abstract Bike-sharing schemes are gaining worldwide momentum as a non-motorized transport. The reasons why cities have jumped on the bandwagon of implementing a bike-share system are to reduce traffic congestion, to improve air quality and as an alternative transport option to move around cities. As part of the effort to be “cleaner, greener, healthier and safer,” Penang Island has decided to launch the first bike-share scheme in Penang, making it the first state in Malaysia to ever implement a bike-sharing program with a docking station. While the existing literature on bike-sharing focuses on European and North American cities, less attention is given to experiences in South East Asia, especially small cities in the South East Asia. This paper aims to fill that gap by evaluating the performance of the pioneer of the bike-sharing program in Penang; i.e. the LinkBike. Using the inaugural data from LinkBike’s first annual report, as well as data from personal interviews and grey literature, this paper attempts to understand the performance, opportunities and challenges facing LinkBike in its first year of operation. Essentially, results show that LinkBike was performing quite well considering it was the bike-share pioneer in Penang.
    [Show full text]
  • Penang Chief Minister's CHIEF MINISTER's OFFICE 10502 KOMTAR I Office Responds PENANG, MALAYSIA
    Justice.. Must Prevail The very independence of our nation is diminished each time the fundamental liberties of our citizens are brutally assaulted. o the Games have be­ have rocked the nation. Indeed But there can be no real freedom gun! Malaysians have foreign journalists covering the if injustice prevails. There can be been distracted by the Games have found more inter­ norealfreedomifMalaysiansare 11 spectacle of the much­ esting and newsworthy items to denied natural justice and the in­ hyped Commonwealth Games, report outside the various stadi­ herent basic rights that are be­ soon after the Merdeka celebra­ ums and sports arenas. stowed upon us by the God we tions that marked our 41st year profess to belie~e in. Indeed, the of independence. The political leadership had veryindependenceofournation hoped that the Commonwealth is diminished each time the fun­ The sports extravaganza threat­ Games would usher in a wave damentalliberties of our citizens ens to push the controversial of patriotism to lift the droop­ are brutally assaulted. sacking of Deputy Prime Minis­ ing spirits of Malaysians strug­ ter Anwar Ibrahim and lUs ex­ gling to cope with the reces­ By definition, therefore, we can­ pulsion from the dominant sion. The trappings of patrio­ not profess to be patriotic if we United Malays National tism - flags fluttering all over are not concerned about freedom Organisation into the back­ town, feel-good songs over the and basic rights. ground. television, a sense of achieve­ ment over Malaysia's sporting Even as we marvel at the records Hosting the Games was meant successes - are there for all to being shattered at the Common­ to showcase to the world that see.
    [Show full text]
  • Teks Ucapan Y.A.B
    TEKS UCAPAN Y.A.B. KETUA MENTERI PULAU PINANG MENGENAI RANG UNDANG-UNDANG PERBEKALAN DAN USUL ANGGARAN PEMBANGUNAN 2009 DI PERSIDANGAN DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI PADA 14 NOVEMBER 2008 Y.B. Tuan Speaker, BAJET 2009 Saya mohon mencadangkan supaya rang undang-undang yang bernama “Suatu enakmen bagi menggunakan sejumlah wang daripada Kumpulan Wang Disatukan untuk perkhidmatan bagi tahun 2009 dan bagi memperuntukkan wang itu untuk perkhidmatan tahun itu” dibaca kali kedua. PENDAHULUAN Y.B. Tuan Speaker, 1. Sebelum saya membentangkan Bajet Negeri Pulau Pinang bagi Tahun 2009 di Dewan yang mulia ini, saya ingin mengambil kesempatan di sini untuk mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih kepada Tuan Yang Terutama Yang di-Pertua Negeri yang amat prihatin terhadap kesejahteraan Negeri Pulau Pinang serta sentiasa memberi inspirasi kepada saya dan Kerajaan Negeri dalam menjalankan pentadbiran negeri ini dengan jayanya. Saya juga ingin mengambil kesempatan ini untuk menzahirkan ucapan terima kasih kepada seluruh anggota Kerajaan Negeri dan Persekutuan yang telah memberi kerjasama dan sokongan kepada kerajaan baru ini. 1 2. Ini adalah Bajet pertama Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) sejak tsunami politik pada 8hb Mac 2008 yang menumbangkan kerajaan BN selepas memerintah selama 30 tahun. Dengan sokongan hampir 60 peratus pengundi sebanyak 319,757 rakyat Pulau Pinang, PR memperolehi majoriti 2/3 memenangi 29 kerusi berbanding dengan UMNO 11. Ini bukan sahaja menjaminkan kedudukan politik yang kukuh dan stabil tetapi mencerminkan hasrat rakyat yang mahukan perubahan berlandaskan urustadbir baik. 3. Urustadbir baik adalah berdasarkan sistem Cekap, Akauntabiliti dan Telus atau C.A.T. Kita berazam mendirikan sebuah kerajaan bercorak demokrasi, ketuanan rakyat dan kepimpinan beretika yang bersatu di bawah panji nilai-nilai teras universal yang diterima semua iaitu, 5K: kebebasan, keadilan, kebenaran, keluhuran undang-undang dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan ketaqwaan kepada Tuhan.
    [Show full text]
  • Malaysia's Security Practice in Relation to Conflicts in Southern
    LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE Malaysia’s Security Practice in Relation to Conflicts in Southern Thailand, Aceh and the Moro Region: The Ethnic Dimension Jafri Abdul Jalil A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations 2008 UMI Number: U615917 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U615917 Published by ProQuest LLC 2014. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Libra British U to 'v o> F-o in andEconor- I I ^ C - 5 3 AUTHOR DECLARATION I certify that all material in this thesis which is not my own has been identified and that no material has previously been submitted and approved for the award of a degree by this or any other University. Jafri Abdul Jalil The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted provided that full acknowledgment is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without prior consent of the author. I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party.
    [Show full text]
  • WTW Property Market 2004
    WTW Property Market 2004 CONTENTS CHAIRMAN’S FOREWORD 2004 MARKET DIRECTION KUALA LUMPUR & SELANGOR PENANG PERAK KEDAH & PERLIS JOHOR MALACCA NEGERI SEMBILAN PAHANG KELANTAN TERENGGANU SABAH & LABUAN SARAWAK PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WTW NETWORK PROFESSIONAL STAFF WTW Property Market 2004 CHAIRMAN’S FOREWORD We are happy to present our Property Market Report for 2004- a year of promise and expectation. The measure commonly applied in describing the state of the property market is the volume of transactions, in terms of numbers of sale and purchase, and in terms of the consideration realised. In that context, except for the residential sector, all other sectors continue to languish; a description that can be confidently said to prevail everywhere in the country except in the Klang Valley. Any forecast or statement of the property market outlook over the coming year/s based on Mohd Talhar Abdul Rahman this measure would rely almost totally on the consideration of the “tradeability” of the transacted units. Price movements and the number of transactions by themselves belie other critical elements which require deeper probing if the prevailing state of the market is regarded as unacceptable, and therefore requires correction. The market cannot correct itself, particularly when the so-called market-driven property market had during the last decade been afflicted with a fatal dose of supply-demand mismatch. It was not by being market-driven that the malaise developed. The root of it all was the overwhelming focus on “tradeability” of property, rather than on the “occupation” of property and its utility. Other factors merely compound the problem. What we have seen through the seven years post 1997 is the strength of the residential market.
    [Show full text]
  • Whose Opinion Matters: Lessons from a Stakeholder Engagement
    WHOSE OPINION MATTERS: LESSONS Minal Pathak FROM A STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FOR PENANG, MALAYSIA WHOSE OPINION MATTERS: LESSONS FROM A STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FOR PENANG, MALAYSIA by Minal Pathak MIT-UTM Malaysia Sustainable Cities Program Massachusetts Institute of Technology Abstract Transportation-related decisions, like many other public policy issues, are complex. They involve multiple stakeholders, often with conflicting interests, and influence multiple sustainability dimensions over space and time. In response to this complexity, governments often make decisions based mainly on advice from experts, offering limited opportunities for public participation in the decision making process. This study examines stakeholder involvement in a transportation plan in Penang, Malaysia. The study employs a qualitative methodology and uses select indicators to evaluate the engagement process. Despite a concerted effort to engage the public, the government failed to resolve conflicts with key stakeholder groups. Three key findings emerge from the assessment: first, a poorly designed process can be counterproductive, resulting in delays and loss of trust; second, involving stakeholders at a later stage limits opportunities for meaningful stakeholder contribution; and third, stakeholder groups can mobilize and shift the balance of political power. For all these reasons and more, decisions in the public arena must go beyond meeting the mandated requirements, and move towards a deliberative process aiming for shared decision-making. The study proposes a set of recommendations for a more effective process. Introduction Urban transportation decisions involve multiple stakeholders and agencies, often with conflicting interests. Increasingly, policy makers are faced with the challenge of balancing immediate concerns—for example, improving mobility—with long-term sustainability concerns.
    [Show full text]
  • Trends in Malaysia: Election Assessment
    No. 1 January 2000 Trends in Malaysia: Election Assessment THE 1999 GENERAL ELECTIONS: A PRELIMINARY OVERVIEW Zakaria Haji Ahmad Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia MALAYSIAN ELECTIONS 1990-1999: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Khoo Kay Kim Visiting Research Fellow, Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies Nanyang Technological University, Singapore OUTCOME FOR THE BARISAN NASIONAL COALITION K S Nathan Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore OPPOSITION POLITICS AND THE 1999 MALAYSIAN ELECTIONS Hari Singh Senior Lecturer, Political Science, National University of Singapore ISSUES AND STRATEGIES OF THE BARISAN ALTERNATIF Meredith Weiss Visiting Associate, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore MALAYSIA’S ELECTION: MALAY WINDS OF CHANGE? John Funston Senior Fellow, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore Published by Institute of Southeast Asian Studies 30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace Pasir Panjang Singapore 119614 E-mail: [email protected] World Wide Web: http://www.iseas.edu.sg/pub.html All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies or the author. © 2000 Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore The responsibility for facts and opinions expressed in this publication rests exclusively with the author, and his interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views or the policy of the Institute or its supporters. ISSN 0219-3213 The following text is based on a paper presented by Professor Zakaria Haji Ahmad at a Trends in Malaysia Seminar organized by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore on 3 December 1999.
    [Show full text]
  • For Promoting Private Sector Investment in Infrastructure
    ADB DEVELOPING BEST PRACTICES FOR PROMOTING PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE ROADS Asian Development Bank The views, conclusions, and recommendations presented here are those of the study consultants, and should not be considered to represent the official views of the Asian Development Bank or its member governments. © Asian Development Bank 2000 ISBN No. 971-561-280-6 Stock No. 010300 Published by the Asian Development Bank P.O. Box 789, 0980 Manila, Philippines For more information on ADB, visit http:\\www.adb.org FOREWORD This report is one of a series of five commissioned by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to identify and recommend best practices to be followed and specific steps to be taken, by ADB’s developing member countries in order to encourage both private sector investment and competition in infrastructure development. The study was financed through a $600,000 regional technical assistance grant - RETA 5753: Developing Best Practices for Promoting Private Sector Investment in Infrastructure. This report focuses on the road sector; the other reports cover the power, water supply, airport and air traffic control, and port sectors. Transport is central to achieving prosperity and the quality of life, to which all countries aspire. Transport policy has pervasive impacts: on economic performance; on the shape and structure of human settlements through its impact upon physical development and economic structures; on the distribution of income; and on the environment. This report develops best practices for promoting private sector investment in the road sector. It defines the objectives of private sector participation, reviews experiences of private sector participation in Asia and elsewhere, examines the degree of success that has been achieved to date, and identifies the key issues that provide the basis for determining best practices.
    [Show full text]
  • Research Commons at The
    http://waikato.researchgateway.ac.nz/ Research Commons at the University of Waikato Copyright Statement: The digital copy of this thesis is protected by the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand). The thesis may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the Act and the following conditions of use: Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person. Authors control the copyright of their thesis. You will recognise the author’s right to be identified as the author of the thesis, and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate. You will obtain the author’s permission before publishing any material from the thesis. The Defence of Ethnic Identity in Malaysia A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in International Relations and Security Studies at The University of Waikato by Melanie Jones-Leaning The University of Waikato 2010 Abstract The changing dynamics of interstate conflict in the post-Cold War environment led scholars to debate the relevance of established security theory. While traditionalists maintained that the state-centric theory should retain its primacy, others argued for a security agenda, not only broadened or widened to include other sectors, but one deepened or extended to include the individual and larger societal groupings as referent objects of security. In the 1990s, the Copenhagen Peace Research Institute developed a reformulated and expanded security agenda which recognized five dimensions of security – political, military, economic, environmental and societal.
    [Show full text]
  • Review of Developments in Transport in Asia and the Pacific 2005
    REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN TRANSPORT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC 2005 United Nations E S C A P ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC ESCAP is the regional development arm of the United Nations and serves as the main economic and social development centre for the United Nations in Asia and the Pacific. Its mandate is to foster cooperation between its 53 members and 9 associate members. ESCAP provides the strategic link between global and country-level programmes and issues. It supports Governments of the region in consolidating regional positions and advocates regional approaches to meeting the region’s unique socio-economic challenges in a globalizing world. The ESCAP office is located in Bangkok, Thailand. Please visit our website at www.unescap.org for further information. The shaded areas of the map represent ESCAP members and associate members. REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN TRANSPORT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC 2005 United Nations New York, 2005 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN TRANSPORT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC 2005 United Nations publication Sales No. E.06.II.F.9 Copyright United Nations 2005 All rights reserved Manufactured in Thailand ISBN: 92-1-120461-5 ST/ESCAP/2392 ESCAP WORKS TOWARDS REDUCING POVERTY AND MANAGING GLOBALIZATION Acknowledgements: This document was prepared by the Transport and Tourism Division (TTD), ESCAP, led by the Transport Policy and Tourism Section. Assistance and consultancy inputs were provided by Meyrick and Associates Pty., Limited (www.meyrick.com.au). The Chapter on Air Transport was graciously provided by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Bangkok, Thailand.
    [Show full text]
  • Transitions in Malaysian Society and Politics: Towards Centralizing Power
    TRANSITIONS IN MALAYSIAN SOCIETY AND POLITICS: TOWARDS CENTRALIZING POWER MICHAEL LEIGH & BELINDA LIP There are many dimensions to national transition, and all are of course inter-related. Some transitions are a consequence of government policy; others take place despite the government. This chapter focuses upon a number of important transitions that have taken place in Malaysia over the decades since independence. Together, they explain the kind of society Malaysia is today and many of the tensions within Malaysian society. TRANSITIONS IN IDENTITY Ethnicity has been asserted as the dividing line in Malaysian society. Populations can identify by their culture, their mother tongue, their religion and their locality. Each of those defining identities overlaps, but they are not coterminous. The colonial government chose quite deliberately to organize people according to their ethnicity, not according to geography, religion, or culture. The ideological justification of white colonial rule was based upon ethnic identification, and ranking from superior to inferior on the basis of race. The continual reinforcement of racial identity as the cutting line in Malaysian society was not something that happened by chance, it was quite deliberate. The post-independence political leadership has organized its support base by continuing to emphasize race as the most important dividing line between peoples. In Malaysia, it is the Malay and Chinese communities that have been most loudly assertive of their identity, perhaps due to their strong differences in culture, as well as their political and economic pre-eminence in the national leadership. Components of the Malaysian population today have quite distinct perceptions of their identity and status in the country from that held before independence.
    [Show full text]