Malaysia’s internet blackout: politicisation of online activism?

An internet blackout day was declared in Malaysia on 14 August 2012. This was in protest against Section 114A of the recently-amended Evidence Act, which enables the authorities to act firmly against individuals who post defamatory, inflammatory and/or seditious content on the Internet. Was this internet black-out political activism or Malaysians genuinely fed up with the government?

Malaysia’s “new” Internal Security Act

Mickey Spiegel, Senior Advisor with the Asia Division at Human Rights Watch, explains why Malaysia’s replacement bill for the Internal Security Act “does not go far enough to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of Malaysians.”

Malaysia: It’s time to repeal the Sedition Act

Jayaseelan Anthony argues why Malaysia’s Sedition Act of 1948 has no place in a democratic and progressive Malaysia.

Road to Malaysia’s day of destiny

With well over 100,000 people gathering for electoral reform in the largest street protest in the nation’s history – and the event marred by violence by both state and non-state actors alike – Malaysian politics has reached an important impasse writes Bridget Welsh.

High stakes for Bersih 3.0 rally

Bridget Welsh analyses the factors that are driving the Bersih 3.0 momentum.

Political policing: from Britain to Malaysia – Part 2

Yin Shao Loong traces the development of Malaysia’s special branch. Shao Loong notes the fact that political police indicates the true morality of a political system because they reveal what social groups need to be suppressed in order for the regime to persist. Political policing in the U.S. and Britain reveals them as liberal democracies in name only just like in Malaysia. Instead, the dynamics of racism, patriarchy, class, wealth privilege and vested interest are shown to be constitutive elements of the overall regime via the persecution of Black Panthers, the American Indian Movement, suffragettes, gay rights activists, environmentalists, workers movements, civil rights movements, Occupy and anti-war protestors, and many more social movements.

Political policing: from Britain to Malaysia – Part 1

Yin Shao Loong traces the development of Malaysia’s special branch. Shao Loong notes the fact that political police indicates the true morality of a political system because they reveal what social groups need to be suppressed in order for the regime to persist. Political policing in the U.S. and Britain reveals them as liberal democracies in name only just like in Malaysia. Instead, the dynamics of racism, patriarchy, class, wealth privilege and vested interest are shown to be constitutive elements of the overall regime via the persecution of Black Panthers, the American Indian Movement, suffragettes, gay rights activists, environmentalists, workers movements, civil rights movements, Occupy and anti-war protestors, and many more social movements.

Malaysia’s fraudulent elections – Part 2

Ong Kian Ming provides further evidence of electoral fraud in Malaysia’s electoral system.

Malaysia’s fraudulent elections – Part 1

Ong Kian Ming provides clear evidence of electoral fraud in Malaysia.

What are the prospects for greater press freedom in Malaysia?

The press too needs more freedom to operate. But for this to happen, more support is needed not just from press freedom activists but from a broader spectrum of society, says Ross Tapsell.