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Articles by Thomas Fann
COMMENT | Lessons for M'sia in American blue tsunami
COMMENT | The “blue tsunami” in the United States has delivered a warning that travels well beyond its shores: no leader owns the people’s loyalty. The Democrats’ resounding victory in the House and Senate is a rebuke to US President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Power comes with an expiry date. For Malaysians, the question is what this democratic correction can teach us - and whether America’s winners can turn an electoral triumph into lasting reform.
How not to elect a dictator
COMMENT | If you ever wondered how democracies can accidentally elect dictators, good news: history has left us a very clear instruction manual. It is neither hidden nor complicated. Unfortunately, like most people who buy electronics, voters rarely read the manual - and then act surprised when the device catches fire. Time and again, democracies keep electing dictators who couldn’t care less about the rule of law, human rights, or even democracy itself.
Break the corruption cycle: Why institutional reforms matter
COMMENT | As we approach the 16th general election (GE16) in less than two years, it’s worth reflecting on a question many Malaysians are quietly asking: what happened to the institutional reforms we were promised? When the people voted for change in 2018 and again in 2022, it wasn’t just about swapping leaders or political parties. It was about wanting something deeper - a real transformation in how this country is governed.
Reclaiming truth in an age of viral narratives
COMMENT | In my earlier article, I wrote about how powerful stories often defeat facts. We live in an age where misinformation and polarising narratives travel faster than ever. Social media platforms reward the emotional over the truthful, and artificial intelligence (AI) has added fuel to the fire by enabling the rapid creation of believable fake content. The danger is not just misinformation - it’s the erosion of our ability to trust anything at all.
When stories defeat truth in Malaysian politics
COMMENT | Malaysia does not lack information. We have news portals, social media, videos, podcasts, and endless WhatsApp messages. Yet public debates over issues feel more emotional, more confused, and more divided than before. The problem is not ignorance. It is the weakening role of truth in public life. It is a sad reality that modern societies do not run on facts alone. They run on stories and narratives.
COMMENT | Guardrails of democracy
COMMENT | In my earlier article “Is democracy worth saving?”, I argued that democracy remains the only system of government that protects our dignity as citizens, gives us a voice, and allows us to correct the course of our nation peacefully. But for democracy to endure, it must be held up by a complex architecture of institutions, norms, and values. Without these guardrails, democracy becomes hollow - easily manipulated, vulnerable to strongmen and plutocrats, and prone to decay.
Is democracy worth saving?
COMMENT | When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, many believed democracy had finally triumphed. Countries in Eastern Europe embraced free elections, and there was hope that authoritarian strongholds in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East would soon follow. But three decades on, the picture looks very different. Instead of expanding, democracy is in retreat. Authoritarianism has not only survived but resurged - and in some cases, in countries once seen as champions of liberal democracy.
Reclaim Jalur Gemilang, and Malaysia
COMMENT | In times of national frustration, it may feel easier to retreat than to resist. But I believe that now, more than ever, is the time to assert our sense of belonging - not surrender it. That is why I will fly the Jalur Gemilang this season of celebrating our nationhood during our Merdeka and Malaysia Day. Yes, it is disheartening to witness how some politicians exploit honest mistakes - like the incorrect display of the flag by those unfamiliar with its details - to stoke division.
AI: Designing for interactive spaces
From screen to space, an important change in the ways we design By DIN TAN CHIN SENG 24 Dec 2022 09:08pm The emergence of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), image recognition, AI, and other spatial-based technologies offers an opportunity for computers to become obsolete as such devices become part of the environment. As these technologies reshape our world and the way we live, work, and play, they will increasingly be embedded within the physical spaces we inhabit.
Parents have strict responsibility to protect their own children against paedophilia
By Fatihah Jamhari 12 Dec 2022 04:45pm In mid-November, North Six – an advertising-production company – and its production set designer – Nicholas Des Jardins, were sued by its client, the now damned French fashion house, Balenciaga. The cause of action was in relation to a publication of a photo, which showed a Balenciaga purse on top of a document-strewn desk used as part of its spring/summer 2023 collection in collaboration with Adidas.
DNB’s window dressing
Illustrative picture (Source: 123rf) EMIR Research firmly maintains its view that the Single Wholesale Network (SWN) model in all its ownership variations—whether it is wholly owned by the government, wholly owned by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) or held in joint ownership—is the least preferred model for the new generation network rollout, especially for 5G. This view is rooted in global empirical data, telecom industry specifics and economics.
Johor Votes 2022 - rethinking voting
KLUANG, March 11 - Election Commission's final preparations ahead of voting day for the Johor state election at Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim, Kluang. (Source: BERNAMA) With the Johor state election polling day today voters seem spoilt for choice given that a total of 239 candidates have signed up to contest in the 56 seats.
EMIR Research Response to DNB’s 5G Voyage of Semantics Acrobatics
Hand holding digital tablet with creative city and 5G internet network on starry night sky background. Web speed and abstract concept. Double exposure DNB officials still avoid answering the fundamental questions posed to them repeatedly by EMIR Research in the series of six articles.
Inflation - An Inevitability in a Debt-based System Using Fiat Money
Illustrative purposes. (Source: 123rf) Inflation can complicate people's lives, especially if there is a sharp rise. Not only will this cause many to suffer, but chaos and unrest may occur when basic necessities such as food and medicine are out of the reach of ordinary people. Fortunately, the problem of inflation in Malaysia is not yet serious. The average rate in 2021 is 2.5 per cent with the highest rate being in December 2021 at 3.2 per cent.
The day I tore a letter from Dr Mahathir when I was at Columbia University, New York City!
Finas was founded in July 1980 - File photo courtesy of Astro Awani. It's not something that I am proud to admit and write about, but it is something that had caused the government to lose RM1.5 billion if the letter that was written by then Deputy Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was totally different than the one he had written to me when I was just into my second semester working for my Master of Fine Art in Film Directing at Columbia University in New York City.
The Impact of Undi18 and AVR on Constituency Sizes
Photo Source: Thomas Fann With the implementation of Undi18 and Automatic Voters Registration (AVR) as of Jan 16 this year, an additional 5.8 million voters will be added to the current 15.3 million eligible voters, bringing the total to 21.1 million on our electoral roll. Compared to GE14’s 14.9 million, that’s a whopping increase of 41.6 per cent. How are these new voters distributed?
The Impact of Undi18 and AVR on politics in Malaysia Original
A photo from #ManaUndiKami protest back March 27, 2021. (Source: @Roshinee_M on Twitter) So, Undi18 and Automatic Voters Registration (AVR) are finally implemented. Two and a half years after the historic constitutional amendments to lower the voting age in Malaysia from 21 to 18, after some delays, backpedaling on the timeline to implement and a court order to implement it by the end of 2021, it is a done deal.
100,000 Left Malaysia And We Are Still Playing "Gotcha" Politics
By Thomas Fann KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: The Home Ministry yesterday revealed, in a written reply to Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN–Kota Bharu) in Parliament, that nearly 100,000 Malaysians have become Singaporeans over the past decade. That figure is not just a number — it is the equivalent of losing an entire medium-sized Malaysian town to our southern neighbour.
COMMENT | Bersih not an NGO drunk on heroism
COMMENT | It is with mixed emotions of bewilderment, amusement and sadness that I read the statement issued by Suaram's adviser, Kua Kia Soong where he made many spurious and misleading allegations against Bersih 2.0. He accuses Bersih of hypocrisy, inconsistency and inaction when it comes to Pakatan Harapan. Such serious allegations by a veteran social activist and educator such as Kua requires a factual and robust response from me as the current chairperson of Bersih 2.0's Steering Committee.
Bersih: Time to empower voters to ‘recall’ party defectors
As the political drama unfolded on Feb 23 with the “Sheraton Move” that saw the eventual collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government elected less than two years ago at the 14th general election (GE14), Malaysians could only watch in horror, dismay and haplessness as the mandate given to PH was subverted by MPs from PKR and PPBM who joined hands with the opposition parties to form a new backdoor government under Muhyiddin Yassin.
Buang politik kaum, ubah sistem pilihan raya
Terdapat perbincangan dan idea yang dicadangkan mengenai apa yang dimaksudkan dengan Bangsa Malaysia. Saya ingin memberi sumbangan dari sudut demokrasi dan jenis reformasi politik dan pemilihan yang kita perlukan untuk membentuk identiti Malaysia yang jelas. Saya mengakui tidak ada penyelesaian pantas dan mudah untuk menghuraikan cabaran ini, tetapi saya percaya dengan mempunyai pemahaman betul tentang demokrasi dan sistem pemilihan, dapat membantu kita bergerak sebagai sebuah negara.
To stop racial politics, change the voting system
There have been some discussions and ideas proposed about what is Bangsa Malaysia. I would like to contribute from the angle of democracy and the kind of political and electoral reforms that we need in order to forge a clear Malaysian identity. I will acknowledge that there are no quick and easy solutions to this challenge, but I believe that having a proper understanding of democracy and electoral system can help us to move forward as a country.
Electoral Reform: Impressive changes leading to a robust democracy
This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on May 6, 2019 - May 12, 2019. In Promise 17 of its manifesto, Pakatan Harapan (PH) committed itself to take firm action to restore the trust of the people in the elections, acknowledging that there are many concerns about the integrity of the electoral system.
Bersih, the toothless tiger
Nowadays, Bersih is often labelled by many as a toothless tiger. It is important that I explain that Bersih is an NGO with no power conferred by the government or Parliament. We are indeed quite “toothless”. I would say, we are more of a barking dog, an election watchdog. Like a faithful guard dog on a leash (the law), we can only bark to alert our boss, the rakyat. Apart from monitoring elections, we also advocate electoral reform and recommend good practices for our democratic institutions.
Beer today, dogs tomorrow?
If we want others to respect our rights, then we should respect the rights of others, even if we disagree with them. At best, I would consider myself a social drinker – a very occasional glass of wine with a meal and, at most, a few pints of beer a year, never to the point of intoxication.
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