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Whither democracy in our varsities?

TWO recent incidents prompted this week’s column: Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman being barred from entering a university for a dialogue session with students at the end of last month; and a town hall meeting last week with the Higher Education Minister that reportedly saw students less than impressed by the responses – or rather, non-­responses – from the Higher Education people at the political and civil servant levels.

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Two ideas about faith

One concept is destructive and sees the ‘other’ as always wrong, while the other can see many ways to become closer to God.

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‘Flying Butter’ to open closed minds

Do we not have free will to believe what we want to or is our thinking restricted by the need to ‘protect tradition’?

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Welcome to the ‘multiversity’

MANY academicians were disappointed when Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced that the unity government will not touch the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA).

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Teaching the ‘soldiers of nationhood’

YET again the Malaysian education system throws up a “conversion controversy”: Last week it was reported that a teacher told an Indian pupil he should become a Muslim to boost his chances of becoming a national footballer.

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Spare a thought before reacting

Things have not changed much in 40 years, judging by the knee-jerk reactions to an age old issue.

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Only right to respond with reason

Every time a hot button issue crops up, we tend to resort to knee-jerk reactions that do nothing to address the matter and, worse, damage relationships.

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Spiritual values for all educators

Teachers help to create citizens. How they teach the young has an enormous bearing on our nation’s future.

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A Christmas gift of kind words

FOR my annual Christmas article, I once again draw on the concept of gift-giving from my brethren Christians in Malaysia.

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The House belongs to all of us

If we let the impatient among us punch holes in its roof, it will come down on all of us.

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Why do we fear anything ‘other’?

AMONG the major political party coalitions in Malaysia, I believe one particular coalition falls all too easily into using religious fear and a narrative of hate. And what devastates me is that it is that very coalition that is being backed strongly enough by one race that it is a serious contender in forming the new government.

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A vote for our dignity

WHEN the dissolution of Parliament was announced on Oct 10, we citizens of Malaysia became “kings” of our destiny once more.

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