Gerakan CC member quits party

 Ethnic and inter-religious relations, M'sian politics  30 Responses »
Mar 082011
 

Gerakan central committee member Dr Hsu Dar Ren has quit the party on the third anniversary of the 8 March 2008 watershed general election.

The reason? “Not so much because of the party itself, which has a good ideology and many good members and many good friends, but more because of the dominance of Umno over everything else within the coalition,” he said.

“I am sick of race-based politics and Gerakan is actually getting further and further away from realising its ideology of building a fair and equitable society.” Continue reading »

 Posted by Anil Netto at 7.37pm  Tagged with: , ,

Gerakan and PKR

 Civil society, Development issues, Environment, M'sian politics, Malaysian elections, People's Park/PGCC  38 Responses »
Oct 052010
 

Gerakan might as well close shop after 42 years of existence. Almost like Samy Vellu who has rejected the post of MIC adviser, former Gerakan president Lim Keng Yaik has quit as adviser. They are abandoning their sinking ships.

In reality, Gerakan lost its navigational bearings long before it struck an iceberg. Its idealistic multi-ethnic politics had long been subsumed under the racial politicking banner of the BN and Umno in particular. Self interest and jostling for the spoils of power and position assumed greater importance. Continue reading »

 Posted by Anil Netto at 11.28pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

Focus on substantive issues, not personalities

 Civil society, Democracy, Environment, M'sian politics  46 Responses »
Mar 062009
 

Who is this mysterious Andrew, who has been criticised by a few readers of this blog? Here, the academic-activist explains where he is coming from:

Let me clarify that I am first of all, a Penangite and a Malaysian who believes in democratic discourse. Thus, unlike some of those who have attacked me on a personal basis above (and previously in other posts), I am more interested in the substantive issues at hand. So, let’s focus on the discussion instead of personalities. Consequently, I see no reason why I should give anyone my IC number or my full name if I choose not to do so in my comments to Anil’s blog. This is my democratic choice just as I do not demand anyone to disclose their full identity if they criticise me. I would honestly prefer if we addressed the issues.

Hence, I find it disturbing here in Anil’s blog to read postings that reflect die-hard partisan positions towards those whom we disagree with. One would have hoped for better considering that many of us who post comments are from the educated middle-classes; the enlightened intelligentsia of our society if you please.

Continue reading »

 Posted by Anil Netto at 2.41pm  Tagged with: , , , , ,
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