The formation of the Majlis Perundingan NGO Melayu (MPM) has precipitated an end game for Najib. His options in preparing for the 13th General Election - if he is interested in one - is now limited to the following:

1. Capitulate to the demands of MPM and strengthen his and UMNO's credentials as a Malay ultra party;
2. Take decisive but authoritarian actions to head off rising pressure from MPM ala Operasi Lalang (read accounts of Operasi Lalang here and here or view here);
3. Do nothing and be toppled...

Several observers of Malaysian politics (including this author) have identified that the fight for UMNO (United Malay National Organisation) leadership is on (read here, here, here and here). Najib, on hindsight, had already prepared himself for this since before becoming the Premier.

To understand Najib's manoeuvres', it is important to understand Malaysia's political system. Rigorous analysis by academicians such as William Case, Harold Crouch, Clive Kessler, Thomas Pepinsky, Bridget Welsh and ...

The Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C.  Southeast Asia Programme is organising a seminar titled "Governance and Rule of Law in Malaysia and Malaysian Legislative Initiatives" on the 24^th of February, 2010.

Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis, Member of Parliament and Malaysia's Ambassador to the United States provides an introduction, followed by a keynote address from Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz - Minister in the Prime Minister's officer (in charge of Law and Parliamentary...

Women's rights activists around the world received some good news earlier this month when the bi-partisan International Violence Against Women Act was re-introduced into both houses of Congress.  The bill, if passed, would be the first comprehensive approach by the United States to address gender violence through its foreign assistance programs.  The bill would authorize $245 million over five years to prevent and respond to such violence and would include the following components:

• Immediate...

Two recent developments have conspired to further jeopardise Najib Razak's position as Prime Minister of Malaysia. First, there is the precedent set by the Federal Court's decision in the Perak Constitutional Crisis - where the Sultan (a monarch) now has the power to remove a democratically elected leader. Some argue that this has created a binding effect on the Prime Minister and the Federal Government. Therefore, any individual (whether from the opposition or within the ruling party) can now...

The Anwar Ibrahim Sodomy II trial has been touted as Malaysia's trial.  It started yesterday (02/02/05).

That could not be further from the truth - Malaysia is a basket case, plain and simple. It has been that way for some time now. It's a country slowly waiting for its demise.

For now, let's focus on the Anwar trial. It is all about destroying the credibility of Malaysia's most charismatic opposition leader (and possible future Prime Minister). Anwar is currently the only individual that can...

The 31 December 2009 court ruling that allowed a Malaysian Catholic Weekly, The Herald, to use the word Allah has created a massive headache for Prime Minister Najib. Several fundamentalist Muslim NGOs backed by UMNO hardliners immediately protested the court ruling - and continue to do so. Najib's indecision and tacit support by senior UMNO Ministers in government, including the Inspector General of Police (read here) gave the green light to these protestors to wreak havoc. As we now know,...

Najib Razak, who became Malaysia's sixth Premier on 3 April 2009, is hoping that Barisan Nasional (BN), the coalition he leads, will not suffer the fate of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Japan at the 13^th General Elections.  The LDP, who had effectively been in power for six decades, was given a rude awakening when the people of Japan decided they had enough and voted in the Democratic Party of Japan. Najib must see a parallel: BN (and its predecessor, the Alliance) has ruled Malaysia ...

Even before humanitarian aid hit the ground in Port-au-Prince, international pundits and policymakers alike were discussing what long term role, if any, the United States and the United Nations should play in Haiti's post-earthquake reconstruction.  While Haitian President Rene Preval insists that the international community has not and will not usurp the power of the national government, the international consensus seems to be that the Haitian government's capacity has been significantly...