The politics of protests 


Public concern: A group of Malaysian protesters carrying Zara Qairina banners on their way towards Parliament last month. — Filepic/The Star

THE other day, as I was driving the 130km from Kota Kinabalu to Ranau town, I gained insight into the magnitude of the Zara Qairina Mahathir case in Sabah. During the three-hour journey I saw #JusticeForZara posters and banners on countless cars, buses, and lorries.

The day before I was in Kuala Lumpur, where I had several coffee meet-ups with regional intelligence officers and diplomats to chat about the Zara Qairina case and the deadly protests in Indonesia.

Save 30% OFF The Star Digital Access

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 9.73/month

Billed as RM 9.73 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 8.63/month

Billed as RM 103.60 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Columnists

Mismatched signals from Umno top guns
Time for a sea change in urban life
The stage is for Malaysia if Indian meet venue is ‘unsafe’
Who watches the Watchmen?�
A tale of two shooting stars as Haotong and Kim eye magical 2026
Why comparing Malaysian Chinese to Palestinians is misguided
Mindef under the spotlight
When returns inspire in badminton and raise doubts in football
Are top teams in EPL getting weaker or are mid-table sides getting better?
University Malaya leading development of affordable diagnostics and therapeutics for Malaysia and Asean

Others Also Read