Racist slur by S'pore politician shocking, disappointing
COMMENT | Just as the ink was hardly dry on my advice to Selangor PAS Youth Chief Sukri Omar not to interfere in Singapore's internal affairs, a particular development across the Causeway has made me rethink my position.
The recent actions of Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Gigene Wong have cast a troubling light on the calibre and quality of political candidates in Singapore.
In an appalling move during her party campaign, Wong used a racial slur against her own GRC teammate, Ariffin Sha.
She first referred to him using the slur 'keling kia' - a derogatory term targeting people of Indian descent - and later compounded the insult by calling him an 'elephant'.
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Rakyat Post
10 hours ago
- Rakyat Post
Pakistan Seeks Enhanced ASEAN Partnership Status Through Malaysia's Support
Subscribe to our FREE The conference room at Pakistan's High Commission buzzed with quiet activity as reporters settled into their seats last Friday. High Commissioner Syed Ahsan Raza Shah adjusted his notes at the podium, preparing to outline his country's diplomatic priorities in Southeast Asia. Pakistan is renewing its decades-long effort to secure full dialogue partner status with ASEAN, building on relationships established since becoming the bloc's first sectoral dialogue partner in 1993. 'This matter has been discussed between the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Malaysia. As soon as the moratorium (on accepting new dialogue partners) is lifted, we hope to be given full dialogue partner status,' Shah told the media briefing. Pakistan's diplomatic presence in Malaysia: The national flag at the Pakistan High Commission with Kuala Lumpur's skyline featuring the Petronas Towers. (Pix: Fernando Fong) The High Commissioner emphasised Pakistan's long-standing appreciation for cooperation with the regional bloc and desire to expand existing partnerships. He described ASEAN as a vital platform for promoting regional peace and stability, fostering economic cooperation, and enhancing mutual development. Malaysia's support for Pakistan's ASEAN aspirations gained public attention last October when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reportedly expressed full backing for Pakistan's bid to become a full dialogue partner. Malaysia's Mediation Offer and Responses Shah also addressed Malaysia's potential role in resolving regional conflicts. Following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, India, on 22 April that claimed 26 lives—mostly tourists—Anwar had offered Malaysia's assistance in de-escalating tensions. We appreciate Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in the highest regard as a peacemaker and advocate for peace. He is among the finest statesmen of this era, and we welcome his offer to mediate between India and Pakistan. The vision endures: A press photographer works beneath the portrait of Quaid-e-Azam (Great Leader) Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, displayed on the embassy walls, whose dream of international partnership continues to flourish. (Pix: Fernando Fong) The High Commissioner added that Anwar is highly respected in both countries and enjoys strong relationships with the leadership in both Pakistan and India. However, the mediation proposal faces challenges. Recently, Indian MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, visiting Malaysia as part of a parliamentary delegation, stated that the India-Pakistan conflict was High Commissioner Shah presents Pakistan's position on water rights disputes with India during the press conference at the Pakistani Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. (Pix: Fernando Fong) Responding to Delegation Visit Allegations Shah used the briefing to address recent allegations regarding his office's conduct toward the Indian parliamentary delegation's visit to Malaysia. He categorically denied claims that He pointed out that in today's contemporary diplomacy, it is unthinkable for a country or embassy to request that its host country not allow a delegation from another country. How can we have the audacity to ask a host country, which has its own policies that we respect, to disallow a delegation? This claim is, to say the least, laughable, ridiculous, and preposterous. All-Party Parliamentary Delegation, headed by Hon'ble MP Mr. Sanjay Kumar Jha, met with Parliamentary Special Committee on International Relations and International Trade, chaired by YB Wong Chen, Hon'ble Member of Parliament and Chairman of Parliamentary Special committee on… — India in Malaysia (@hcikl) Media Narratives and Diplomatic Responses The High Commissioner also addressed what he characterised as problematic media reporting patterns. He cited specific examples of coverage during recent regional conflicts. During the conflict between 7 and 10 May, Indian channels announced as breaking news that Pakistan had been occupied and that Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore were under Indian control. Such reports are not only false but preposterous and ridiculous. Building bridges through media: Pakistani diplomats and Malaysian press representatives gather at the Pakistan High Commission following a successful diplomatic outreach. (Pix: Pakistan High Commission Malaysia) Shah suggested that references to 'Islamic solidarity' in some reports were intended to create discord between Pakistan and Malaysia, though he did not elaborate on specific instances. The High Commissioner concluded by calling on India's High Commission in Malaysia, led by Ambassador BN Reddy, to clarify its position regarding the allegations about Pakistan's conduct toward the Indian delegation. The diplomatic exchange reflects ongoing complexities in South Asian regional relationships, with Malaysia positioned as both an ASEAN partner and potential mediator in broader regional discussions. FYI, both India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons 😰 — The Rakyat Post (@therakyatpost) READ MORE : Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Climate change heightens risk of Indian farmer suicides
BEED, India: On a small farm in India's Maharashtra state, Mirabai Khindkar said the only thing her land grew was debt, after crops failed in drought and her husband killed himself. Farmer suicides have a long history in India, where many are one crop failure away from disaster, but extreme weather caused by climate change is adding fresh pressure. Dwindling yields due to water shortages, floods, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall, coupled with crippling debt, have taken a heavy toll on a sector that employs 45 per cent of India's 1.4 billion people. Mirabhai's husband Amol was left with debts to loan sharks worth hundreds of times their farm's annual income, after the one-hectare soybean, millet and cotton plot withered in scorching heat. He swallowed poison last year. "When he was in the hospital, I prayed to all the gods to save him," said 30-year-old Mirabai, her voice breaking. Amol died a week later, leaving behind Mirabai and three children. Her last conversation with him was about debt. Their personal tragedy is replicated daily across Marathwada, a region in Maharashtra of 18 million, once known for fertile farmland. Last year, extreme weather events across India affected 3.2 million hectares (7.9 million acres) of cropland -- an area bigger than Belgium -- according to the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment research group. Over 60 per cent of that was in Maharashtra. "Summers are extreme, and even if we do what is necessary, the yield is not enough," said Amol's brother and fellow farmer Balaji Khindkar. "There is not enough water to irrigate the fields. It doesn't rain properly." Between 2022 and 2024, 3,090 farmers took their own lives in Marathwada, an average of nearly three a day, according to India's Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Government statistics do not specify what drove the farmers to kill themselves, but analysts point to several likely factors. "Farmer suicides in India are a consequence of the crisis of incomes, investment and productivity that you have in agriculture," said R. Ramakumar, professor of development studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Farming across many Indian smallholdings is done largely as it has been for centuries, and is highly dependent on the right weather at the correct time. "What climate change and its vulnerabilities and variabilities have done is to increase the risks in farming," Ramakumar said. This "is leading to crop failures, uncertainties... which is further weakening the economics of cultivation for small and marginal farmers." The government could support farmers with better insurance schemes to cope with extreme weather events, as well as investments in agricultural research, Ramakumar said. "Agriculture should not be a gamble with the monsoon." Faced with uncertain weather, farmers often look to stem falling yields by investing in fertilisers or irrigation systems. But banks can be reluctant to offer credit to such uncertain borrowers. Some turn to loan sharks offering quick cash at exorbitant interest rates, and risking catastrophe if crops fail. "It is difficult to make ends meet with just farming," Mirabai said, standing outside her home, a tin-roofed hut with patch-cloth walls. Her husband's loans soared to over U $8,000, a huge sum in India, where the average monthly income of a farming household is around $120. Mirabai works on other farms as a labourer but could not pay back the debt. "The loan instalments piled up," she said, adding that she wants her children to find jobs outside of farming when they grow up. "Nothing comes out of the farm." The agricultural industry has been in a persistent crisis for decades. And while Maharashtra has some of the highest suicide rates, the problem is nationwide. Thirty people in the farming sector killed themselves every day in 2022, according to national crime records bureau statistics. At another farm in Marathwada, 32-year-old farmer Shaikh Imran took over the running of the family smallholding last year after his brother took his own life. He is already more than US$1,100 in debt after borrowing to plant soybean. The crop failed. Meanwhile, the pop of explosives echoes around as farmers blast wells, hoping to hit water. "There's no water to drink," said family matriarch Khatijabi. "Where shall we get water to irrigate the farm?" - AFP
Malaysiakini
15 hours ago
- Malaysiakini
Ensure successful execution of Mitra funding and programmes
LETTER | In August 2024, Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) chairperson P Prabakaran requested an increase in the allocation for the Indian community to RM300 million in Budget 2025, up from the current RM100 million. The Batu MP said the RM100 million allocated annually wasn't enough to effectively fund initiatives aimed at improving the socio-economic status of Malaysian Indians. He highlighted concerns that the amount would be inadequate to meet the diverse needs of the community and drive meaningful upliftment programs. Now given that Mitra has endorsed 45 applications totalling RM40 million, which are awaiting processing at the Prime Minister's Office, why is there a delay in their disbursement? Prabakaran had emphasised that the government needs to boost the budget to adequately support projects that are genuinely transformational for the Indian community. Why are funding initiatives for the Indian community not given higher importance? As June approaches, it is concerning that the Indian community remains unaware of the actual disbursement status of the RM100 million allocated to Mitra this year. It is crucial that these funds are approved and effectively implemented without delay to provide tangible benefits for the Indian community. Mitra opened applications for the Socioeconomic Development Grant Programme for the Malaysian Indian Community 2025 from Oct 15 to Nov 14, 2024. That was about seven months ago. Mitra should undergo a full restructuring. To fulfil her May 23 PKR election's promise to champion the Indian community, Nurul Izzah Anwar faces the critical task of fast-tracking Mitra's initiatives and programmes. She must guarantee the swift approval and implementation of the RM40 million allocated for Phase 1 of Budget 2025, as any further delays will hinder tangible progress and risk the return of unutilised funds to the Finance Ministry by the third quarter of 2025. It's been almost four months since funds amounting to RM40 million for NGOs and training organisations were approved and agreements were signed. Yet, the money remains undistributed, and there's no clear execution plan in sight. This delay hinders vital community works and training initiatives The recommendation is for community development professionals and experts to lead the organisation. This change is crucial to ensure both transparency and effective management within Mitra. The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
