IT is a shame, really. No other country blessed with so much sunshine, rain and vast areas of fertile land spends such astronomical sums on imported food.

IN 10 days, we will mark our 62nd year of Merdeka but unlike last year when elation was in the air with a new government in Putrajaya, the prevailing mood is one of melancholy.

IN English, the word ‘khat’ is used to refer to the leaves of an Arabian bush that are either chewed or made into tea. ‘Khat’ is deemed an illegal drug in some countries because the leaves contain an opiate-like stimulant, much like our ‘ketum’.

The latest sex scandal has fuelled more questions and doubts over the agreed plan to make Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim the next PM.

IT has been almost five years since MH17 was shot down but the truth about who was responsible for the despicable mass murder remains unknown.

SO near, yet so far. Timor-Leste has been trudging on for eight years but the road to membership in Asean remains a long and winding one for Asia’s youngest democracy.

WHAT a difference a year makes. In a week, the Pakatan Harapan government will mark its first year in power but in stark contrast to the height of popularity it enjoyed then, support for the coalition has plunged.

Melaka’s growing tourism industry may lose its heritage and uniqueness if the state keeps adding high-density commercial projects indiscriminately.

THE communication lines seem to be clearer now and the right signals are flashing. It may be just a matter of weeks before the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is back on track.

IN Malaysia, it’s never about the paucity of laws. It’s always about the lack of enforcement or reacting when it is too late.

“Babi lah lu! (You’re a pig!)” used to be a common insult in Malaysia although it is no longer taken lightly in these “highly sensitive” days.

AS the ultimate bastion of justice, an impartial and incorrupt judiciary is crucial for maintaining the rule of law.