Posts

Green Promises Broken at Ayer Hitam

-
I write this not as an activist or politician, but as a resident of Bandar Kinrara whose daily life, home investment, and trust in governance are directly affected by the proposed redevelopment bordering the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve. Like many others here, I bought my home with a clear expectation: that the greenery in front of my house; part of one of the last remaining forest lungs in this part of Selangor would remain protected. Today, that expectation is being quietly dismantled. The controversy surrounding the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve is not merely about land use. It is about credibility, governance, and political accountability at a time when Selangor’s leadership can least afford to appear dismissive of public sentiment. Residents are repeatedly told that the disputed 68.4 hectares is “not technically part of the forest reserve” and was degazetted nearly a century ago. This legalistic argument may be convenient, but it is deeply unsatisfactory. Laws evolve, values evol...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ayer Hitam and Broken Public Trust: Ayer Hitam and broken public trust: How planning opacity and weakened transparency fuel resident frustration

-
I write as a resident of Bandar Kinrara, not from a platform or political office, but from a home where the proposed redevelopment bordering the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve threatens the life I’ve built, the value of my investment, and the confidence I place in public institutions. The greenery I moved here to enjoy is now under threat, and with it, the trust that our leaders would protect the spaces and communities we care about. The dispute over Ayer Hitam is often framed as a technical matter of land classification or historical de-gazettement. Yet, at its core, this is a test of governance, accountability, and public trust. Reliance on legal technicalities while disregarding the lived realities and expectations of residents erodes confidence in those entrusted with protecting the public interest. Authorities point out that the 68.4 hectares in question is “not technically part of the forest reserve” and was degazetted nearly a century ago. While historically accurate, such reas...
Post a Comment
Read more

Open Spaces, Deep Fault Lines Exposed

-
The Bondi Beach shooting and the attack at Brown University are no longer just tragedies to be mourned; they are warnings that demand serious, even uncomfortable, reflection. These incidents did not occur on battlefields or at hardened government targets. They unfolded in places defined by openness: a beachside celebration and a university exam hall - spaces meant to symbolise safety, normalcy, and shared civic life. Their significance lies not only in the number of casualties, but in what they reveal about how modern violence exploits routine, predictability, and complacency. At Bondi Beach, the attack took place during a Hanukkah gathering, turning a communal religious celebration into a scene of terror. Multiple people were killed, dozens injured, and even police officers were wounded in the chaos. One attacker was killed, another apprehended, and the incident was quickly framed by authorities as terrorism. This framing matters. It signals that the violence was not merely spon...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bondi Beach shooting: Public spaces under deadly siege

-
The Bondi Beach shooting and the attack at Brown University are not mere tragedies; they are warnings. Neither occurred on battlefields or fortified government sites. They struck spaces defined by openness like a beachside festival and a university exam hall: symbols of safety, normalcy, and civic trust. Their significance lies not only in casualties but in how modern violence exploits routine, predictability, and societal complacency. At Bondi Beach, the attack struck during a Hanukkah celebration, turning a communal gathering into chaos. Multiple people were killed, dozens injured, and police officers were among the wounded. One attacker was killed, another apprehended. Authorities quickly labelled it terrorism, signalling that this was ideologically charged, symbolic violence aimed beyond immediate victims. The beach, an icon of leisure and openness, became a deliberate stage for fear. Brown University shows a parallel vulnerability: educational institutions. Exam halls are pr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Open Spaces, Deep Fault Lines Exposed

-
The Bondi Beach shooting and the attack at Brown University are no longer just tragedies to be mourned; they are warnings that demand serious, even uncomfortable, reflection. These incidents did not occur on battlefields or at hardened government targets. They unfolded in places defined by openness: a beachside celebration and a university exam hall - spaces meant to symbolise safety, normalcy, and shared civic life. Their significance lies not only in the number of casualties, but in what they reveal about how modern violence exploits routine, predictability, and complacency. At Bondi Beach, the attack took place during a Hanukkah gathering, turning a communal religious celebration into a scene of terror. Multiple people were killed, dozens injured, and even police officers were wounded in the chaos. One attacker was killed, another apprehended, and the incident was quickly framed by authorities as terrorism. This framing matters. It signals that the violence was not merely spon...
Post a Comment
Read more

Violence Reaches Everywhere, Even the Familiar

-
The shootings at Bondi Beach and Brown University are not isolated aberrations; they are part of a wider and troubling pattern in which violence increasingly intrudes into spaces once considered safe, ordinary, and socially cohesive. Beaches, campuses, shopping areas, religious gatherings, and cultural events have all, at different times and in different countries, become stages for lethal attacks. What distinguishes Bondi and Brown is not novelty, but how clearly, they illustrate the evolving nature of public violence: its targets, its logic, and its consequences. Bondi Beach represents one category of violence that has appeared repeatedly over the past two decades: attacks on open, symbolic public spaces. Similar incidents have occurred at promenades, concert venues, markets, and holiday destinations across the world. The logic is brutally simple. Such spaces offer dense crowds, minimal security, and maximum visibility. When an attack coincides with a cultural or religious gath...
Post a Comment
Read more

Strengthening Migration Systems to Prevent Extremism

-
Note:  In Kuala Lumpur on 12 December 2025, the High Court sentenced 29-year-old Bangladeshi national Mohammad Didarul Alam to 10 years’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to supporting the Islamic State/Daesh terrorist group through social media activities on Facebook. The charge, under Section 130J(1)(a) of the Malaysian Penal Code, carries a maximum penalty of up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a fine, and forfeiture of property used in the offence.  Investigations by the Royal Malaysia Police’s Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division (E8M) determined that Alam used an account named Al Mubin Islam to post and share propaganda content including photos, videos, statements, and images linked to Daesh/IS. A translated analysis confirmed the material’s link to the extremist group.  Despite having no prior criminal record, prosecutors argued the offence posed a serious threat to national security , and urged a strong sentence to deter others , particularly foreign nationals...
Post a Comment
Read more