Author Archives: wcw

All hail the new King

MALAYSIA is abuzz with what to expect from Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong from Feb 1.

While the Federal Constitution clearly delineates the power and position of the King as the Constitutional Monarch, there’s nothing to stop the Sultan of Johor from being an active King.

His role will certainly go beyond ceremonial duties which include reading out prepared speeches. Despite his assertiveness and blunt statements, His Majesty is aware of his powers and limitations as the King, but it won’t be surprising to see him push the envelope.

The 65-year-old has served notice that he won’t be a puppet king. Rightfully so, because we place a lot of faith in our King and his brother Rulers, especially since our politicians frequently falter and are seemingly incapable of guiding Malaysia out of choppy waters.

Against the backdrop of politicians continually harping on race and religion to win the majority Malay votes, the minorities, feeling uneasy and marginalised, ironically now place our hope in our Rulers, who are the custodians of Islam and Malays.

Yet, these Rulers, including Sultan Ibrahim, openly and continually advocate diversity and moderation, which haven’t struck a chord with aspiring Malay politicians.

Many of our politicians are practically begging us to see them trying to outdo each other in pushing the monoethnic agenda.

In fact, some politicians have made no apologies about diversity not being in their interest.

But let’s not expect Sultan Ibrahim to be a perfect King, either.

He’s a mere mortal with weaknesses, too. But his desire to clean up certain institutions certainly deserves our support.

His intentions are obviously noble. His Majesty is certain to check on the executives, the civil service and even the police, news of which has made many bigwigs quake in their boots.

Corruption has become an entrenched culture, so only the right personalities with a clean track record must be appointed in these enforcement agencies if we’re serious about rehabilitating Malaysia.

We’re desperate because we see our elected representatives and enforcement agencies unable to weed out corruption.

There’s cynicism about the incoming King’s pledge to hunt the corrupt.

But at least we have an unprecedented open pledge from him.

His Majesty, while bound by the Federal Constitution, is serious and determined to cleanse Malaysia.

Take what he has said very seriously because he doesn’t suffer fools gladly.

A storm has brewed over a recent interview with Singapore’s The Straits Times, where he had said that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Petronas should report directly to him, with some critics jumping to say that’s beyond his jurisdiction.

The King surely doesn’t have that kind of clout. The Federal Constitution has defined his role clearly but what’s not said is that these agencies do, in fact, periodically report to the King, and even other Rulers, to keep them updated.


Like his sister the current Queen, Sultan Ibrahim has a culinary passion and often cooks for his staff. — Picture courtesy of Johor Royal Press Office

At the Conference of Rulers, key government officials are often summoned to provide confidential briefings to the Rulers.

While the principle of the separation of powers and the role of Constitutional Monarch are well-defined, there’s nothing to stop the King from calling up the heads of respective enforcement agencies to get a clearer picture of things.

The Prime Minister, for example, must brief the King before the weekly Cabinet meetings and the respective ministers also need to meet with him, particularly when seeking his royal consent for appointments.

What we can be sure of is that Sultan Ibrahim is determined and committed to putting Malaysia on the right track within his power and influence.

He will put the reins on anybody he feels needs it, and he will also be a very well-informed Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Is he as stern as he looks? Absolutely!

Sultan Ibrahim, who has an eye for detail, has said many times that he has his “eyes and ears everywhere” and he’s surely not exaggerating. He’s also able to accept both good and bad news.

But there’s also a side to Tuanku few are privy to. He has an excellent sense of humour and is fond of sharing jokes with his friends and associates.

Like his sister, reigning Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, he has a culinary passion and often cooks for his staff. In one of his residences, a sign which reads “Bistro Ibrahim” is proudly emblazoned in the kitchen.

Tuanku will definitely review our economic performance. While he’s known for his business interest, he will also keep track of the country’s well-being.

He has deep knowledge and experience in commodities, particularly palm oil. A few Ministers and officials who have met him have come out sweating. One Minister sat near the edge of his seat while struggling to answer questions from the Ruler, who does his homework before meetings.

He has the unique honour of being the first King to be fully trained by the army and navy, and is also an air force officer. He has made parachute jumps and even flown helicopters.

He’s all-action, but, above all, well-meaning.

Unnecessary polemic over festive greetings

THE main message for Christmas is very simple – joy to the world and let there be peace on earth. That’s all.

It’s probably only in Malaysia that each time we celebrate this happy festival that we have an unnecessary and unproductive polemic over a simple occasion.

The “Merry Christmas” greeting is just an expression to be merry or to be joyful. It is used to convey good cheer and desire for the other person to be joyful and have a wonderful holiday season.

No one is going to end up getting converted to Christianity with that.

Jesus isn’t even born on Dec 25 and the Bible is silent on his date of his birth or the time. How Dec 25 was chosen has continued to be debated.

Don’t believe that 80s hit song by Boney M played in malls and radio that Jesus was born on Christmas Day. Most people have treated Christmas as a year-end celebration with no religious connotations except Christians.

The trouble in Malaysia begins when some people, especially low-ranking officials, begin to impose their values and interpretations of rules on others.

Well, they may be down in the hierarchy of the various government departments, but they do have plenty of clout. They can make life miserable for those who dare to defy them, especially small businessmen.

That’s why they are called ‘’Little Napoleons” and they exist everywhere, throwing their weight around.

It had to take Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar to quickly issue a statement to explain that there were no restrictions on halal certificate holders writing celebratory festive greetings on cakes for customers to take home.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) said he had asked the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) to clarify the issue immediately.

‘’No barring of writing festival greetings on cakes sold by halal certificate holders for customers. I have instructed the halal department under Jakim to issue an immediate statement,” he said.

This followed an internal memo from a cake house purportedly telling staff not to write Merry Christmas or X’mas on their cakes, even on request from customers.

Instead, employees were told they could provide a ‘’Season’s Greetings” cake topper.

In a circular dated Dec 14 and signed by the bakery’s operations manager, the justification for the decision was to comply and meet the halal certification requirements by Jakim.

On Nov 1, Jakim addressed a similar issue due to another article, saying that the department “stresses that festive greetings on products are allowed if they were not made with the purpose of being displayed in the premise that has the halal certification or on products marked with the halal logo.”

“This is because there are no provisions about the celebration of any festivals including Islamic celebrations stated in the Malaysian Halal Certification Procedure Manual (Domestic) 2020,’’ the department reportedly said at that time.

This is probably where the said baker must have panicked and went on to issue an internal memo, which has gone viral.

It takes plenty of time and funds to seek the halal certification from Jakim as Muslim is the largest group in Malaysia.

Well, the minister has ordered Jakim to issue a statement and we hope that Jakim will give a good reassurance, and put an end to the issue.

This is where common sense is missing among our bureaucrats. Insisting that festive greeting – in this case Merry Christmas – to be banned from display is surely going overboard.

But surely a baker in a predominant Muslim neighbourhood would realise that it does not make business sense for him to display ‘’Merry Xmas’’ or “Happy Deepavali’’ greetings on his cakes but a halal-certified baker in non-Muslim majority areas would want to do that as a promotion.

There is certainly infringing on the rights of non-Muslims and has put businesses in a tight spot. It’s a ransom, to put it bluntly.

Even some of our Rulers, who are the custodians of Islam, come out annually to wish Malaysians who celebrate Christmas.

Would Jakim or officials then come out to order our King or Sultans to stop posting these greetings or tell them to stay away from ethnic festivals?

If a baker uses any form of liquor in preparing the cake, then certainly it is an infringement of the halal certification. But that’s a different story.

In any case, with due respect, I strongly believe that my Muslim family members, friends and colleagues have a strong faith.

No “Merry Christmas’’ greeting on a cake or attending a Christmas party is going to sway them from their deep conviction of Islam.

The latest purported ruling by Jakim certainly takes the cake.

We hope all will end well. After all, this is the season to be merry and – one of forgiveness too.

Johor’s crowning glory


THERE’S a buzz in Johor Baru these days. After all, Sultan Ibrahim ibni Sultan Iskandar is set to assume the throne as the new king next month.

His Majesty will be determined to set things right for Malaysia and certainly, his beloved state of Johor too.

No other state shares a border with two countries – Singapore and Batam, Indonesia – except Johor, placing it in a strategic position.

It comes as no surprise that Johor Baru is poised to be the hottest state capital next year as its property sector is sure to take off with the anticipated progress from projects and improvements.

The move to relax the conditions of Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) will certainly be the most attractive reason.

Singaporeans, hit by the rising cost of properties in the island republic, will see Johor Baru as a good real estate investment, aided by a strong dollar against the ringgit.

The steep rental increase of 29.7% in private residential rents in 2022 has led to tenants, especially Malaysians, exploring other avenues.

Moving to Housing Development Board (HDB) flats is one option but relocating to Johor Baru, which may be a little inconvenient, is cheaper than staying in Singapore.

Once the Johor-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link is completed, it will certainly be a game changer. It’s already 52% finished as of October.

Between the first quarter of last year and this year, reports revealed that the number of properties in Johor Baru has increased by 17%.

A Maybank analyst report cited several reasons why the economy of the state, especially in the south-western area, will grow.

It said the designation of Forest City as a Special Financial Zone (SFZ) has raised the development of that part of Johor.

”This strategic move not only fosters economic diversification and balances growth in the different regions of Iskandar Malaysia (IM), but it also offers sizable job creation potential and heightens IM’s investment attractiveness,” it said in its August findings.

The analysis revealed it was “positive” that the latest initiative offers “significant potential, efficient transportation networks, offered by Forest City are crucial to attract investors.”

UBS Software said in its September report that Johor will be the net beneficiary of the Johor-Singapore SFZ, saying “this is evident from the slew of manufacturing companies and data centres that have spilled over from Singapore.”

Then, there’s the JB-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link (RTS), which many have described as “really a game changer” with UBS saying the retail malls nearby will benefit the most.

The jewel in the crown will be the RM4bil Coronation Square, which is at the heart of the Ibrahim International Business District (IIBD) initiative, upon the completion of its first building, the 39-storey Bank Rakyat Tower.

The tower is one of the six planned high-rise signature towers, which will house a medical centre, and a shopping mall with 1.2 million sq feet of retail space split across seven levels. The structure is expected to change Johor Baru’s skyline.

The IIBD, which is part of the state’s urban renewal project, is set to be the commercial and political centre of the JB metropolis.

The Coronate Residences, launched last February, has already seen 85% of units sold. Its biggest attraction is being within walking distance (300m) of the upcoming RTS station.

The iconic Coronation Square is expected to launch its next phase of serviced apartments in the first quarter of the new year.

”Property buyers are also more confident in investing in properties near the upcoming Bukit Chagar RTS station, which will benefit from the enhanced connectivity.

”Once the station is open, more Singaporeans would be interested in exploring moving across,” said an analyst.

The Bukit Chagar station is an elevated terminal station currently being built in Johor Baru, which is next to Coronation Square. All its units are sold at RM1,200 per square feet.

The big boys have already started to pump their money into the state. YTL’s Johor Data Center 1 sits in the Iskandar region with a 530,000 sq ft development. The RM1.5bil first phase of the data centre has already begun.

Sunway and Singapore-based real estate group Equalbase have jointly held a ground-breaking ceremony for a RM8bil sustainable Free Commercial Zone (FCZ) development for the logistics industry.

Make no mistake – Johor is the state to catch in the next five years.

Changing dunes: A visit to Saudi Arabia’s top tourist destinations


The Elephant’s Rock in Al-ula, Saudi Arabia. — Photos: FLORENCE TEH

I would never have imagined a non-Muslim like me getting to visit Medina, the second holiest city for Muslims in Saudi Arabia after Mecca.

But just weeks ago, I stood before the Prophet’s Mosque, the Al-Masjid an Nabawi, and basked in its splendour.

Previously, non-Muslims weren’t allowed into the city, but that rule was lifted two years ago.

I was in front of the mosque decked in a white jubah (robe) and matching white skullcap to soak in the full ambience, and privilege, even though I was prohibited from entering, being non-Muslim.

It was delightfully peaceful and tranquil as I watched many of the faithful make their way into the mosque for prayers, and for others, just to be around the holy site.

The women in my tour group of Malaysian tourists, all non-Muslims, were appropriately attired to respect the dress code applied at the mosque compound.

Almost all of us seasoned travellers snatched the opportunity to sign up for the eight-day tour of Riyadh, Al-Ula, Medina and Jeddah because the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was one of the few nations we had never been to.

Saudi Arabia finally decided to open its doors to the world in 2019, but two years of Covid-19 put that plan on hiatus. With the world slowly staggering out of the post-pandemic chaos, the nation is now promoting tourism in an aggressive way.

Much gratitude should go to the powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, more famously known by his initials MBS, for his role.

He has allowed women to drive – they were banned from doing so until 2018 – and placed them in top positions in the Cabinet, government and even the police, which many older local men are still struggling to accept.


The writer outside the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina. Medina was previously closed to non-Muslims.

Concerts have been welcomed with top acts like BTS, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Blackpink and David Guetta all performing in Jeddah and Riyadh, something previously unimaginable in this once ultra-conservative country. But this new global perspective offers encouraging signs.

All the Malaysian female tourists had one question in mind before signing up for the tour – were they required to cover their head with a shawl, like in Iran?

The answer was a simple “no”, except in Medina, because it’s the second holiest city in Saudi Arabia. Yet, that rule wasn’t even applied in a public space like our hotel’s restaurant.

In other cities like Riyadh, Jeddah and Al-Ula, non-Muslims, and even local Saudi women, aren’t restricted in any way.

Unlike in Iran, there’s no moral police to patrol the streets to make sure women cover their heads.

In malls, Malaysians were surprised to see younger Saudis without the hijab or men walking around in shorts, although many women were still wearing the burqa.

The Red Sea Mall in the northern suburb of Jeddah is one of the largest shopping centres, where one can observe how modern Saudis go about their lives. There’s no need for a male chaperone or family member to accompany a woman on an outing.

Saudi Arabia is indeed at a crossroad as MBS is determined to change the face of his country at a swift pace. It was recently announced that Saudi Arabia will host the World Expo in 2030; it has also won the rights to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034.

MBS’s Vision 2030 is a vast economic transformation plan in which he has poured into hundreds of billions of dollars, hoping to open the kingdom to commerce and tourism amid rising regional competition.


The writer with his guide, Abdulaziz Alhodeib, in Riyadh, all dressed up in white robes and Arabic head covers.

He knows there’s a finite lifespan for fossil fuel – his kingdom’s source of wealth – and is aware that it will eventually be replaced by environmentally friendly options as the rest of the world switches to electric.

MBS understands his country must reduce its reliance on oil if it aspires to keep its place on the world stage.

The centrepiece of Vision 2030 is Neom, which includes a US$1tril (RM4.7tril) megacity known as The Line, which will be 33 times bigger than New York City.

Amazingly, it will even have 36km of ski slopes with man-made snow where visitors can ski all year around, as well as a 3km-long artificial lake.

Saudi Arabia has now donned a friendly face as it begins to welcome the world to its country, which was once only the domain of Muslim pilgrims.

While Medina has stricter rules for non-Muslims, I was still invited into the sanctuary of the oldest mosque in Al-Balad, a former walled city of traditional houses with wooden balconies, mosques and bazaars in narrow alleys.

It was already maghrib (sunset) when I walked near the Shafei mosque. I peeked inside because I desperately wanted to enter and watch the prayers up close.

The guide and mosque officials, noticing my curiosity and interest, held my hands and ushered me in, assuring me that it was acceptable for non- Muslims to enter and watch the prayers.

I was indeed pleased by the gesture and assurances extended to me, and a few of my fellow travellers also followed suit as the guides sportingly took photographs of us.

The kingdom is bent on changing the world’s perception of Saudi Arabia in a well-financed strategy to remix, reimagine and re-invigorate the country beyond the images of desert, oil sheikhs and holy cities.

It’s now giving Jordan a run for its tourism money with its heavy promotion of Al-Ula, the ancient city.

The world is familiar with Petra, the half-built, half-carved archaeological site in Jordan, which was made famous in Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom.

But the same Nabataean Arabs, who were known for perfectly carving cities from mountains, also made their way to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia finally opened Al-Ula in 2021 after having it closed for 40 years. The town was a settlement for pilgrims travelling from Damascus to Mecca.

The attraction is at the Hegra site, with over 110 astonishingly well-preserved tombs set in stunning desert landscapes.

Many of these tombs were dedicated to healers, military figures and leaders.


The world’s largest mirrored building in Al-Ula is a stunning building of art located right in the middle of the desert.

But the highlight of the visit for many is to see Hegra’s largest tomb, measuring about 22m tall, the monolithic Tomb of Lihyan Son of Kuza, called Qasr al-Farid.

It’s often referred to as the “Lonely Castle” because of its distant position in the area, but it’s surely the most magnificent tomb.

Then, there’s the dramatic Elephant Rock, the most iconic geological marvel, which is an instantly recognisable form with its distinctive trunk and body. Its shape is the result of wind and water erosion over the course of millions of years.

For me, Al-Ula was the highlight of the entire trip. Strangely, at one time, many local Saudis stayed away from Al-Ula, believing it was a cursed place, but its fate changed when MBS made it a flagship project of Vision 2030.

An international airport is already serving many foreign tourists, but better hotels are desperately needed to meet the requirements and standards of foreigners in Al-Ula.

Tourists should not expect Saudi Arabia to be another Dubai as there are harsh laws against the sale and use of alcohol but non-alcoholic beers, both local and imported, are sold in supermarkets.

Saudi Arabia changed my perception of the country and its people. They were warm, friendly and accommodating.

It’s a custodian of Islam and continues to protect the sanctity of the holy sites, yet at the same time, is also evolving.

We’re indeed living in exciting times, and I certainly hope MBS will continue with his vision and plans. With so little time and so much to see, there’s one forgone conclusion – Saudi Arabia will see me again.

*The nine-day Saudi Arabia trip was organised by Apple Vacations with a direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Riyadh.

Media outlets urged to work with regulators to combat scams


Fight the scammers: Wong presenting his views at the World Media Summit in Guangzhou, China. — Bernama

GUANGZHOU: News organisations should work with regulators to fight the scammers behind fraudulent schemes, says prominent media figure Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai.

He said trillions of dollars had been lost to scams globally with many ordinary people losing their life savings.

Wong, who is Star Media Group adviser and Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman, said such cheating was an extension of those who misuse the anonymity of social media to commit defamation and post false and malicious information.

“Misinformation and scamming will worsen as artificial intelligence will be used more in the coming years,” he said.

Speaking at the World Media Summit here, Wong said the mainstream media was familiar with the problems posed by misinformation, adding that updated legislation, including custodial sentences, needed to be applied to punish the culprits.

He said Bernama, like other Malaysian news outlets, had a section for people to verify what they read.

“This is why mainstream media remains so important.

“Now, more than ever, we have a place in the world as legitimate purveyors of information and news.

“This is where global media cooperation comes into play, as we must ensure that we continue to stand strong as a principled body of trust for the public,” he said.

Wong praised China’s Cyberspace Administration for closing more than 100,000 fake news social media accounts between April and May this year.

A canvas of faith and splendour


IT’S the largest museum of Islamic arts in South-East Asia, with more than 13,000 paintings and artifacts from around the world.

This massive collection is beautifully curated and displayed across the sprawling four levels of the facility, which has become a must-stop for travellers to Kuala Lumpur.

Nestled on a small slope in Lake Gardens, with the National Mosque across the side street, the museum is an oasis of calm and tranquillity.

Significantly, this isn’t a Muslim-only enclave. The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) is open to all and is a great pitstop as many foreign tourists have discovered, consistently ranking it the No 1 tourist attraction in the city in Tripadvisor.

Come Dec 12, IAMM will celebrate its 25th anniversary with museum elites from around the world gathering to revel in this special occasion.

The milestone will be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and will be marked by exhibitions that trace the museum’s journey thus far, while showcasing 150 masterpieces from its collection.

What’s interesting is that IAMM holds the view that “an appreciation of history, culture and civilisation helps the way for us to stand together, despite our differences.”

This statement of purpose is even more relevant in today’s divided world than it was when the museum opened in 1998, before the Sept 11 attacks in New York in 2001.

What followed that devastating day was a wave of Islamophobia resulting in bias and prejudices. More than two decades have passed, but that indifference has never dissipated. It has, perhaps, become worse in Malaysia in recent years because of politicians playing the race and religious card.

Amid this noise, IAMM is a beacon of peace. And what one gets to see there is the beauty of Islam.

It holds a special place in my heart because of its stylish and modern appearance, with its stunning domes and airy interior, while the displays are as inviting as they are informative.

Through paintings and artifacts, the museum shares the rich cultural heritage of Islam, and how it has successfully unified peoples from more than 100 lands, and the way it has created an artistic tradition that’s uniquely its own.

Prized icon

IAMM is the jewel in the crown of the Albukhary Foundation’s philanthropic model. As a museum, it takes visitors on a journey through grand Muslim empires, including the Ottoman, Persian and Mughal, from their court life to street life. It also reveals how different countries adapt to their culture to suit the requirements of their faith.

When viewing these displays, some may find them vaguely familiar, almost European, in fact. The National Gallery in London says that Western art often “reflects centuries of contact with the Muslim world and admiration of Islamic art.”

This is something for us to ponder: how the appreciation of art has no borders or cultural identity. They are sensory experiences, pure and simple.

The museum’s displays provide a peek into the world of master craftsmen, royal ateliers, royal patronages and the artist’s studio. They seek to feed our spirit with wonder at the human race’s creativity.

As a Malaysian museum, IAMM also introduces visitors to the Islamic art of South-East Asia, an area neglected by many of its peers.

And in so doing, the museum has become more representative of the Islamic world, with displays from the Middle East and North African countries to India and the East, and from Central Asia to the Malay Archipelago.

Today, IAMM is recognised for having the finest collection of South-East Asian Islamic art, which other museums seek to occasionally borrow.

With its huge inventory, including a significant collection of masterpieces that are sought after by others, it has helped raise its standing in the international museum community, and led to collaborations and exchanges with well-known museums in Britain, Europe, the United States, Japan, Australia, India and the Middle East.

Many of these exchanges are sometimes pursued in the hope of building bridges and healing rifts within the community. Surely but steadily, museums are awakening to their soft role as ambassadors of cultural harmony.

Slow start

IAMM is the pride and passion of its director, Syed Mohamad Albukhary. When living in Europe in the 1990s, he realised that Malaysia would be a good place for an Islamic arts museum – it’s at the crossroads of cultures for centuries and is a Muslim country with a multicultural population.

This cultural diversity and its geographical location within the Asia Pacific rim made it a good place to stir interest in Islamic art among locals as well as countries in the region.

Fortunately, Syed Mohamad had his brother’s backing. Businessman Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary supported his dream and made it one of the earliest initiatives of the Albukhary Foundation.

The infant years were difficult. Unlike other museums, which had collections and then searched for a building to house them, IAMM did the reverse – it built the museum and then went on an acquisition trail. Unfortunately, it found itself derailed by the 1997 Asian financial crisis that saw the devaluation of the Malaysian ringgit.

With a much smaller budget, Syed Mohamad could only afford less expensive items. However, when the country recovered from the economic crisis and the Albukhary Foundation was on a stronger financial footing, he began scouring for big ticket items at art auctions around the world.

Syed Mohamad was set on having a good Islamic art collection that presented the Islamic world in its entirety – across many geographies and cultures.

When in Europe and the United States on purchasing trips, he also visited famous museums to see how they functioned because he wanted his museum to be of an international standard.

Besides viewing galleries, he went on to establish a conservation and research centre to maintain its collection. In time, a scholar’s library with rare books was set up for researchers. The museum also embarked on educational outreach programmes with schools, universities and the public in general.

By the 2000s, the world had started to take notice of IAMM, which vaunted all the distinctive must-haves of a world-class museum. It began to hobnob with the international museum community while local Malaysian museums began to request benchmarking visits.

It started hosting joint exhibitions with renowned institutions while some of its collections travelled abroad to participate in others at illustrious places.

The museum became a staple in the itinerary of foreign dignitaries visiting Malaysia and has welcomed numerous royals, presidents and prime ministers from around the world. The most recent is Prince Albert of Monaco, who was on an official trip to Malaysia at the end of last month.

Every year, the museum organises about three to four theme-based exhibitions that run for between four and six months. Curators work hard to shed new light on the selected theme so that visitors can leave feeling nourished with new knowledge.

The exhibitions are usually accompanied by workshops and lectures popular with young people as well as scholars. It would be good to see more non-Muslim participation at these hands-on workshops, where we can learn arts and crafts.

Here is informal learning at its best – inspiring, engaging and likely to make us think out of the box.

Big breaks

In 2018, the Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic World opened at the British Museum. The IAMM initiative involved four years of renovations that British Museum Director Hartwig Fisher described as “magnificent”.

With this, priceless Islamic heritage artifacts were relocated to a more prominent place for visitors to view and learn. Before this, these pieces were displayed away from the main traffic flow, left almost forgotten.

For IAMM, acceptance of the venerable British Museum is like entering the inner circle of the museum elite. At the same time, it was keen to retain its edge as an Islamic museum in a non-Muslim setting.

At the launch of the joint exhibition “Inspired by the East: how the Islamic world influenced western art” held in 2019, the foundation’s trustee Sharifah Zaharah Albukhary said, “What we have now is a true collaboration between two institutions halfway across the globe.

“By bringing these two museums and their collections together, we hope to present an updated study of the nexus between East and West.

“It is not an entirely new understanding. It is more an analysis of different understandings – and misunderstandings – over the centuries.”

Another venture was in Japan during the pandemic. IAMM introduced Japanese audiences to the comprehensive history of Islamic art with the exhibition “14 Dynasties: The History and Culture of the Muslim World” at the Tokyo National Museum.

The seven-month virtual exhibition that ran from July 2021 saw IAMM sending the largest collection of artifacts it has ever consigned to any museum abroad.Encouraged by these successes, IAMM is now in discussions to hold similar exhibitions at renowned museums in the United States, Canada and in the Far East, basically, in non-Muslim settings.

Humanity has come a long way jumping through hoops of prejudicial fire and indifference, but at the end of the day, we all exist for one and the same reason, and IAMM is surely one of the many places to discover what that is.

Cabinet reshuffle: Beyond filling a missing vacancy

PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet reshuffle, expected to take place today, will go beyond filling a missing vacancy.

Several changes are expected in the substantial revamp.

Speculation is that one key ministry will be filled by a former minister who is said to be making a comeback.

Another senior Umno MP will also be appointed a minister.

It is reliably learnt that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also made some final changes to his list.

It is unclear if some ministers will be dropped entirely or moved to other portfolios.

The focus will also be on whether there will be a Finance Minister II post, and if there is one, whether it would be filled by an MP or a technocrat.

It is understood that ministers have been informed of a rehearsal at Istana Negara today, beginning at 11am.

“The official announcement will need to be made before the swearing-in ceremony in the afternoon,” an official said.

Meanwhile, Bernama, in its daily news coverage schedule, said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah will grace the presentation of the instruments of appointment and the swearing-in of the ministers at Istana Negara at 2.30pm.

Apart from taking the oath of office, loyalty and secrecy, the new members of the Cabinet will also be awarded their respective letters of appointment during the ceremony.

The expected returnees include former Cabinet members Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Gobind Singh Deo and Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

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The media also named Employees Provident Fund (EPF) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan as a possible candidate for Finance Minister II. Amir had joined EPF in March 2021.

The focus is also on Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar, who has come under much criticism for his performance.

On Dec 1, the Prime Minister hinted there would be a Cabinet reshuffle this month.

The reshuffle takes place a year after the unity government headed by Anwar came to power.

The reshuffle is expected to help strengthen the government as a few ministers have come under fire for perceived poor performance while others said experienced leaders need to come on board.

Currently, there is a vacancy for the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living portfolio following the death of Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.

His duties are currently being assumed by Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, who is also a Minister (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs, and Special Duties) in the Prime Minister’s Department.

Betting on tourism

WHILE attending the World Media Summit in Guangzhou, China, last week, I was interviewed by a Chinese media reporter who wanted my views on how the media could improve the perception of Chinese tourists towards South-East Asia.

Unsure what he was getting at, I probed until the polite young reporter was struggling to find the right words without sounding offensive.

Finally, he said many Chinese travellers who had watched a Thai blockbuster movie about scammers, had been spooked by it.

Thailand is hugely reliant on tourism, particularly from China, as the country welcomed over 10 million Chinese visitors each year before the pandemic – numbers which the majestic nation is struggling to replicate.

The movie No More Bets is about a Chinese computer programmer’s harrowing journey as he finds himself entangled in a violent scamming ring in South-East Asia.

News reports are prevalent about Asian individuals, including Malaysians, who are trafficked by allegedly Chinese nationals to work at scam parks or fraud factories along the Myanmar and Cambodia borders, to conduct online scams on individuals.


Bad publicity: The movie No More Bets, which tells of a Chinese computer programmer (centre) caught in a violent scamming ring in South-East Asia has scared away many Chinese tourists from visiting the region, especially Thailand and Cambodia. — Agencies

I assured the reporter that no Chinese tourists have been abducted from the streets to join the scammers and Bangkok is far away from our borders.

He said that was exactly the point where the media must work together to fight fake news and prejudicial perceptions.

Next came the point – is it true that foreign tourists in Langkawi are banned from wearing shorts, swimsuits and drinking alcohol?

Well, I told him as far as I knew, there was no such ban, and I had even verified with friends, family members and former colleagues who have made Langkawi their home.

Yet, hoteliers have said that they continue to get calls and emails from guests wanting to verify the purported ban.

I’m sure Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, who understands the importance of the Chinese tourism market, has continued to be bombarded with the same question from tour operators from China.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has now tried very hard to deny such a ban and has even invited critics to visit the island, which has seen dwindling tourism arrivals.

The issue had cropped up when Tiong claimed that some government representatives had allegedly behaved like “little Napoleons” by harassing tourists on dress codes and alcohol consumption.


Hoteliers in Langkawi have said that they continue to get calls and emails from guests wanting to verify the purported ban on shorts, swimsuits and alcohol on the island. — Others

It doesn’t help that PAS elected representatives have the obsession of imposing dress codes on people residing in Kelantan, including non-Muslim women and even Muslim men.

Others in PAS have expressed their views on how nurses and airline attendants should be “appropriately” attired. Since perception is everything, many Malaysians believe it when there are claims that tourists have been harassed for their choice of dressing.

The situation is aggravated when a leader like former Umno warlord and current PAS member Tan Sri Annuar Musa conveys a cynical congratulatory message to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for a list of achievements to mark his first year in office as PM.

Annuar included in his list the PM’s approval for Coldplay to perform here, despite PAS’ objection, licenses for the sale of alcoholic drinks and easing visa restrictions for Chinese and Indian travellers. Somehow, the party poopers conveniently forgot the relaxation was extended to Middle Easterners, too.

These remarks reek of racism and jeopardise the efforts of many people, simply putting them in a fix as tourism has a huge spillover economic effect. The biggest beneficiaries are the Malays, who work at hotels, restaurants, airlines, retail outlets, transportation and as guides.

This is all in bad taste because China has been Malaysia’s prime trading partner for the past 40 years in a row and in 2019, US$2.84bil (RM13.25bil) was generated by Chinese tourists in Malaysia, accounting for 14% of the country’s total tourism. Like Thailand, we need that money back… badly.

The two nations have been each other’s largest trading partner for decades consecutively. We expect our politicians to be more discerning when they speak. To cast aspersions, even if it’s only for domestic political expediency on China, our best customer for our exports, it will hurt us.

In fact, China-Asean bilateral trade even performed better despite the pandemic, jumping from US$642bil (RM2.9 trillion) in 2019 to a whopping US$975bil (RM4.5 trillion) last year.

Likewise, music tourism has become a large chunk of the economic pie with the Tourism Ministry going all out to reinvigorate this revenue-generating sector. Even the once ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia has eased its rules and allows big-draw concert acts now.

According to statista.com, revenue in music events is projected to reach US$38.68mil (RM180.4mil) this year and is expected to spike in the coming years at an annual rate of 4.83%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$46.72mil (RM218mil) by 2027.

Local concert organiser Adam Ashraf reportedly said, “if we bring in around eight to 10 A-list artistes from around the world to perform at a venue with around 50,000 to 60,000 capacity per concert a year, RM100mil in revenue is achievable,” he said.

Concerts are low hanging fruits, especially since we want tourists from neighbouring countries to come to Kuala Lumpur to spend their money. If there’s too much red tape and we’re afraid of opposing PAS, then performers will go to Singapore, and even Indonesia, which also welcomed Coldplay.

Our politicians should tighten their loose tongues. Please put your heads to better use, honourable MPs, even if that’s a challenge. For heaven’s sake, think about revenue and income for the country’s growth.

Magnetic interference

WE seem to be living in an age where nearly everything has become sensitive. This is all outrageous and ludicrous, and downright foolish even.

Hot off the press is the controversy of how the state-run TV Sarawak (TVS) had allegedly excluded the carol O Holy Night from a Christmas programme.

The Association of Churches had earlier issued a statement saying it would withdraw from the Christmas event after the organiser rejected their request to swap the song Jingle Bell Rock for the religiously meaningful O Holy Night.

TVS’ decision to not air the carol was supposedly “due to religious elements”, but following the public outcry and state government intervention, TVS subsequently claimed it was a miscommunication.

Well, it’s good that the Association of Churches in Sarawak has rebuked the claim of “miscommunication” by describing the remark as “deceptive and mischievous”.

While the matter was resolved with a happy ending, the question here is why it even had to crop up in the first place.

Well, it looks like this was an arbitrary decision made by a few people, whom veteran Sarawa-kian journalist Francis Siah concluded were non-Sarawakians.

If that’s true, then this is the result of Orang Semenanjung, aka Orang Malaya, using their judgment without understanding the acceptance of diversity in Sarawak, and Sabah, too.

Now, each time a concert promoter organises a show and fans buy their tickets, they must keep their fingers crossed that PAS or some religious group won’t rob them of a simple evening of entertainment.

I’m sure that the 75,000 people who watched Coldplay in Kuala Lumpur last week didn’t suddenly begin to embrace LGBT+ lifestyles or hedonism, the purveying PAS politicians’ mantra.

They have to understand that music tourism brings in millions of ringgit to Malaysia – from taxes collected from the sale of tickets, hotel accommodation, food, transportation and more.

This clearly benefits our economy. It’s very simple: If you don’t want to watch a show, then stay at home. Don’t stop others from enjoying clean entertainment.

Kudos to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for not letting these people dictate what we can or cannot watch.

Then there’s the apology by the organiser of an annual ball following claims from some busybody critics that it was “cultural appropriation”, simply because it had an Indian theme.

We all know even non-Indian weddings have Bollywood themes, where we all put on our best Indian costumes and dance away.

Unfortunately, some people online complained there was a “clear lack of Indian representation” at the event and the organiser was accused of “cultural appropriation”.

The nervous organiser then issued an apology. But seriously, why does this even deserve a response and worse, an apology, when these likely anonymous people have no business deciding how a private party should be conducted, or vetting its list of invitees?

Then Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek also had to issue an apology over the barring of several Tamil songs from being played at a Tamil-language event in Penang last week. It was mind boggling and again, we will not be surprised if it was an arbitrary decision of some official.

The minister blamed it on a “technical” mistake and communications when winding up the debate on the 2024 Budget in Parliament.

She assured the Dewan all this would not be repeated.

Just two weeks ago, we had to address the most unprecedented situation when a worker at a restaurant was sacked for wearing a cross.

Again, pressured by social media complaints, the restaurant manager issued an apology, and the worker was duly dismissed.

If the restaurant came under fire from overzealous Muslim customers, then it ultimately was criticised for its knee-jerk reactions.

But here’s the pathetic part. The Human Resources Ministry has given the impression that it is not pursuing the case because no report has been lodged.

So we’re expected to accept that a restaurant acknowledged dismissing a staff member for wearing a crucifix, but nothing is going to happen?

And we’ve only just begun… PAS-run Terengganu has decided to withdraw from the women’s gymnastics event in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2024, which will be held in Sarawak.

The reason for the decision was the outfit for female gymnasts. Now we have to wonder, if Terengganu is picked to host Sukma at some point, will gymnastics and diving be banned completely?

Adding to the whirlwind of confusion, it has been reported that the state’s six female gymnasts would be transferred to its wushu team. What?

Efforts to convince Terengganu that the gymnasts can wear “unitards”, which cover all parts of the body except the palms and soles of the feet, has reportedly failed to convince the state.

It must be heart-wrenching and bewildering for these athletes to be told, after years of training in their discipline, that they must now be wushu exponents instead!

With this obstacle, the careers of female gymnasts are as good as dead at the district school sports council and Terengganu state sports council levels.

What has Malaysia come to? Do we allow the moral police to push our buttons with impunity?

Moderate and rational Malaysians must prevail to stop this nonsense.


Girl power: Many women gymnasts around the world are starting to wear full-length unitards in competition, like Team Germany’s Pauline Schäfer, pictured here at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. — Agencies