Let party leaders debate first to set the tone, says Dr Jeffrey

KENINGAU : Chairman of State Reform Party (Star), Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, said top leaders of political parties should first start any debate, then followed by divisional leaders at each constituencies, so as to set the tone of a meaningful debate among parties.

"We support the initiative to have public debates to identify the best candidates to take on the ruling party. We also support a one-to-one fight with BN, but let us start with party top leaders first," he said commenting on the political public debate being initiated in the state.

Thousands March As Japan Shuts Off Nuclear Power

By Yuri Kageyama of Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Thousands of Japanese marched to celebrate the switching off of the last of their nation's 50 nuclear reactors Saturday, waving banners shaped as giant fish that have become a potent anti-nuclear symbol.

Japan was without electricity from nuclear power for the first time in four decades when the reactor at Tomari nuclear plant on the northern island of Hokkaido went offline for mandatory routine maintenance.

Taib sees writing on wall, hedges bets

By Joe Fernandez

Tai b Mahmud

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim may be more than right, for once, about “a wind of change” sweeping across Sarawak come the 13th general election. However, Chief Minister Taib Mahmud is the man who holds all the cards.

It’s clear that after having reduced Sarawak over three decades to the dubious distinction of being the second poorest in Malaysia – rich Sabah being the poorest – it’s an understatement to say that Taib has more than outstayed his welcome.

Demokrasi Sabah needs the right debate format

By Joe Fernandez

The initial word from Demokrasi Sabah (Desah), an NGO just set up by former Sabah state secretary Simon Sipaun to encourage one-to-one contests at the forthcoming 13th General Election, has not been too encouraging.

For starters, there’s the little matter of the NGO declaring that it wants to help further strengthen and entrench a two-party system in Malaysia. These two parties, or rather coalitions and/or alliances, i.e. Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Barisan Nasional (BN) are both Peninsular Malaysia-based. 

BERSIH 3.0 Broke Many Glasses (Including A few Glass Ceilings)

By M. Bakri Musa

In the aftermath of the largest public demonstrations against the Barisan government, the officials’ obsession now turns to the exercise of apportioning blame and the associated inflicting of vengeance. Both are raw human reactions, but hardly enlightening, sophisticated, or even fruitful. Besides, there is plenty of blame to go around. I prefer to look at the bright side and on the lessons that can be learned.