IT'D seem that identity politics will never be erased from Malaysia, realistically speaking.

MAJOR loopholes allowing the police force to be accused of corruption, presence of internal cartels and perceptions of being co-conspirators (or pawns) for syndicates imply a lack of transparency in governance and operations, and a weak oversight ecosystem.

BOLD headline on 22 March 2021 of the leading Malaysian financial news, the Edge Market has hit the nail on the head, quoting PM’s suggestion “SABAH SHOULD TAKE BOLD STEPS ON DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS VIA PFI” [Private Finance Initiatives].

BERSIH 2.0 and the Bar Council organised a webinar recently on judicial independence. An incisive and well-researched report was presented and discussed by the panelists.

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” — Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the USA (1809–1865).

ALTHOUGH travel for tourism is allowed under the targeted bubble travel between states under the recovery movement control order (RMCO) effective from March 10, the continuous closure of international borders eventually leads the tourism industry to take time to recover from the health crisis.

THE dawn of a new era of cold war between USA and China is a done deal. Any reversal to normal relation is out of the window after Anchorage. In typical American arrogance, USA cannot be a worse host when it opened salvos on China to begin the meeting. The American conduct is uncivilized, boorish, hegemonic, emblematic of a declining superpower clinging to the last straw.

Realpolitik: “A German term for a political theory which teaches that in political affairs the problem of morals does not enter, that might makes right, that the strong must of necessity prey upon the weak in order to increase their strength…regardless of any past promises, however solemn, or any ethical principles, however binding upon individual action.” (Henry C. Emery, What is Realpolitik? International Journal of Ethics, Jul.1915. Vol.25, No 4) Florence De Changy’s just-published book on MH370, The Disappearing Act, (2021, Mudlark, Harper Collins Publishers) starts with the assertion that the huge Boeing 777 just cannot have vanished without a trace, and that there must be a reason why the whole world is made to believe narrative that the aircraft had simply disappeared.

VERY much gratified by headline news “Sabah Seeks Strong Ties and Investment from China” from Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam on 4 March. The importance of his timely statement has been magnified significantly/complementarily by the Consul General of China in Kota Kinabalu, Liang Caide, that China is willing to help Sabah in poverty eradication on 12 March 2021. Joachim’s initiative is most timely and will herald a new era of heightened economic relationship with China that will result more Chinese investments in addition to eradication of poverty with China’s help. All these are very exciting.

‘The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” — Socrates (470 – 399 BC), prominent Greek philosopher from Athens.