Think tank pledges to provide a voice and a platform for the development of the country according to the principles of Malaysia’s foundations.

MALAYSIA’S performance in the recently-released Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index 2019 is our best ever, ranking 43rd out of 167 countries and territories, and scoring 7.16 points out of 10, with individual scores of 9.17 for Electoral Process and Pluralism, 7.86 for Functioning of Government, 6.67 for Political Participation, 6.25 for Political Culture, and 5.88 for Civil Liberties.

Malaysian parents must be trusted to make the best education choices for their children and not let authoritarianism and narrow political agendas get in the way.

The government’s task is compounded by those who want to score political points even at a time when everybody should be listening to the scientists.

GLC reform can only be properly achieved when the wider economic strategy of the country is articulated first.

A once-in-a-year celebration that brings the Ruler and people closer together and even the weather cooperated this time.

THE optimistic ending of my article last week was immediately blunted by a meme I received on Jan 4 that pronounced on Jan 1, the new decade was going fairly well; on Jan 2, Australia is on fire; and on Jan 3, World War III has begun. The latter is a reference to the assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani by drone strike in Baghdad on the orders of US President Donald Trump.

No matter how much the world has changed, our country’s original cornerstone principles remain relevant and important and should guide our plans for progress.

ONCE upon a time, the King of Saudi Arabia asked the Prime Minister of Malaysia to organise Muslim unity. The prime minister replied that he was probably not the right person for it because he was “fond of life and all that went with it”.

At previous British general elections I have suggested that Malaysians living in the UK should vote (in accordance with UK law though some argue, in contravention of Malaysian law) Conservative, on the basis that the bilateral relationship seems to fare better when they form the government.

AT a recent gathering I was asked about my thoughts on the “deep state”. This refers to people and organisations, often within national institutions, that work together to further an agenda separate from the one intended by the formal institutions of state.

MY interest in public policy has always focused on our national institutions: our democratic bodies, our checks and balances, our values and principles, and of course the broad topics of education, culture and the nurturing of our collective identity.