Vote!

Vote!

I had already planned to be in Kuala Lumpur in early March. Even if I hadn’t, I would have made sure that I voted in the coming Malaysian general elections. I had long decided that the salt and light mandate (Matthew 5:13-16) meant that I was to live out kingdom...
Leaders with Clay Feet

Leaders with Clay Feet

The biggest political news in Malaysia for the New Year was the resignation of the health minister. He had been filmed committing adultery and the one-hour sex video had been distributed widely in his home state. He didn’t do a Bill Clinton. He admitted he was the...
Taking the Long Term View

Taking the Long Term View

Barring something more tragic or more spectacular happening, Benazir Bhutto’s face will be the last face that dominates the media this year. “Bhutto, 54, had hoped the huge popular following she enjoyed among the Pakistani poor would propel her to power...
National Day

National Day

Today Malaysia commemorates its 50th year of independence from British colonial rule. I was talking to some friends recently and we noted that there seems to be little reason to rejoice. The government of the day still takes an ethnic approach to running the country....
A Long Distance Race

A Long Distance Race

I learnt about taking the long view on life from my Malay neighbour. He once told me that sometimes things may look as though they are going against the purposes of Allah but Allah will win in the end. It may take generations but in the end Allah will win. Now here...