February 26, 2010
A live interview that ran on Malaysia’s state-run TV for my new book, Velvet & Cinder Blocks, is available for viewing here.
Note that I am currently in Africa and will be updating this site less frequently over the next month or so. Do check back with BreakLines soon!
Yours,
I.G.
February 4, 2010
Google threatens to pull out of China. Washington sells arms to Taiwain. Congressional leaders urge a tougher line on China’s unfair trade policies. President Obama schedules to meet that “wolf in monk’s robes,” the Dalai Lama.
These positions deviate from the America we have come to know, pathologically nervous that a rise in tensions with Beijing would force retaliation and harm American interests. Read the rest of this entry »
February 2, 2010
The pig heads left at two mosques last week in Petaling Jaya were a blatant and tasteless attempt to provoke the Malay community. So far the Malays have collectively taken the high road, resisting the temptation to respond in kind.
Let’s hope, not just for Malaysia’s but the Malays’ sake, the trend continues. This would help redeem the community’s image, which took a blow after the recent church attacks. It would also reaffirm the Malay value of restraint, which has been challenged over the years amid a messy socio-political and racio-religious landscape and geopolitical tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims. Read the rest of this entry »
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