On the 31st of August 2021, Malaysia will celebrate 64 years of independence. Over the last two years, the usual fanfare associated with the occasion (among others) has been replaced with quieter celebrations at home under what seems to be a perpetual state of lockdown.

ALL of them fought very hard to get to the top administrative post, but very soon they all came to the realisation that to be Malaysian prime minister was a whole lot tougher than they had imagined

DATUK Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob probably never imagined how much his life would change in one month.

In the game of political numbers, there is a possibility that no MP will be able to get the support of at least 111 parliamentarians to be prime minister.

IN THE next few days, Malaysia will see its ninth prime minister sworn in. In a few days or maybe even weeks later, a whole new cabinet will be sworn in too. They will have a good "honeymoon" because during this period, the pandemic will subside – it has to, given our world-beating vaccination rate and the number of people already infected.

MALAYSIANS must be asking this – since when do we get hauled up by the police for criticising and insulting public figures, especially politicians, on social media?

IT'S A good start to the reopening of Malaysia, although those of us living in Klang Valley, despite being fully vaccinated, have found out that we have been left out of the exercise.

From ANAS ZUBEDY of Kuala Lumpur.