Raja Petra KamarudinThey say there is no future in the past. Tongue-in-cheek, this would be true. But then those who forget history are doomed to repeat its mistakes. Take Hitler as an example. If he…

Raja Petra KamarudinLast week, I closed down the ISLAMIC DEBATE blog. After tolerating it for a couple of months I have come to the conclusion that the so-called debates are not really debates at all…

Raja Petra KamarudinKL CLUB RAID BY RELIGIOUS SQUADONE girl could not take it anymore. Her request to go the toilet was refused.She then relieved herself in her pants.The young woman had been rounded…

Raja Petra KamarudinThere is currently a raging debate going on in the MONDAY MORNING BLUES column under the article entitled ‘I am a Malaysian and you better believe it’. Basically, there seems to be…

Raja Petra KamarudinI pride myself in being a true Malaysian. And there are many reasons why I adopt this most pompous attitude. And this is also why I look down on and treat with utter contempt those…

Raja Petra KamarudinIs Malaysia ready for a two-party system? Maybe not. But then maybe the more appropriate question would be: can Malaysia afford NOT to have a two-party system? Like it or not,…

Raja Petra KamarudinSome accuse Malaysia Today of dabbling in rumours and speculation. Some even question the credibility of Malaysia Today and have boldly declared that I know nothing about…

Raja Petra KamarudinThe Selangor and Johor muftis are both of the opinion that the recent burning of dead bodies in Aceh is wrong from the Islamic point of view. The Perak mufti and head of the Fatwah…

Raja Petra KamarudinMalaysia has seen many maxims in its extremely short history as an independent nation. There was Look East, Leadership by Example, Malaysia Inc., etc. Now we have Malaysia Boleh…

Raja Petra KamarudinYesterday, Rangkaian Web Marhaen published a most interesting and thought provoking piece in Bahasa Melayu written by Sri Bunian called ISLAMKAH DEMOKRASI? (Is Democracy Islamic?).…

Raja Petra KamarudinSome Muslims, religious scholars included, are saying that the recent Tsunami tragedy is God’s (Allah’s) punishment for those who have sinned and deviated from His teachings.…

Raja Petra KamarudinI have always argued that logic can be applied to religion and that religion should not be faith (iman) minus logic. But Muslims resent what they view as someone ‘questioning’…

Raja Petra KamarudinThe Malay College Old Boys Association (MCOBA) has been organising Annual Dinners for some decades now. In the beginning, professional artists were engaged to entertain the…

Raja Petra KamarudinI had this teacher who once lectured us on the bad habit of smoking. He would constantly stink of nicotine for he was a chain-smoker and we could smell him even before he entered…

Raja Petra KamarudinOn Friday, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Dr Maximus Ongkili, said the federal government will always respect state rights and privileges, ‘whether those given to…

Raja Petra KamarudinSome religious authorities say Muslims should not wish Christians ‘Merry Christmas’. In fact, they say, Muslims should not participate in any non-Muslim (kafir) celebrations at…

Raja Petra KamarudinYesterday, Malaysia’s Education Minister, Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who is also the Umno Youth Leader, called on ‘the moderate voice of Islam representing the vast majority of…

Raja Petra KamarudinWhen I was a kid, whenever anyone insulted us, we would sing, “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words cannot harm me.” I am not sure though whether this is true…

Raja Petra KamarudinMalaysia Today’s readers come in two categories. One category welcomes the new-found freedom to express themselves (though some do not quite know how to use this freedom yet and…

Raja Petra KamarudinIt looks like I have caused a stir by revealing the excesses, abuses and corruption in the religious department. Now they want to get me under the Internal Security Act. Well, I…

Raja Petra KamarudinIt is interesting that, of all people, the Deputy Prime Minister, Najib Razak, should be giving Malaysians a lecture on Islam. Well, I remember my Tok Guru (religious teacher),…

Raja Petra KamarudinSome ‘religious’ leaders have decreed that Malaysia Today, in particular its editor, has insulted Islam. Well, under the Hudud law, one of the Islamic laws, this crime is called…

Raja Petra KamarudinIslam says:if someone breaks a promise more than three times, then you should no longer be associated with that person. But what if it is a government that keeps breaking its…

Raja Petra KamarudinI have said this before and I will say it again: I will always be in the opposition. And why is that? Because I just love going against those in power. In short, I am…

Raja Petra KamarudinMalaysians shout and scream about wanting freedom of expression -- basically, freedom of speech, freedom of the media and freedom to assemble without the requirement of a police…

Raja Petra KamarudinOn 2nd September 2004, the day Anwar Ibrahim was freed from jail, many came up to ask me what I would now do with my time. Since Anwar was now free, they reckoned, there would no…

Raja Petra KamarudinA few years back, in August 1998, one local Islamic organisation, Saba Islamic Media, launched a campaign to place a Koran in every hotel room, which it called ‘Hotel Qur’an…

Raja Petra KamarudinUMNO has alleged that the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) has created a split amongst the Muslims to the extent that even masjids now have two imams, one for the PAS supporters and…

Raja Petra KamarudinDo you own a PLUS tag? Well, be very careful. PLUS tags are hot items for petty thieves and drug addicts. If you display your PLUS tag on your windscreen as required, they will…

Raja Petra KamarudinI was the Chairman of the Kolam Mosque (Masjid Kolam, Kuala Ibai, Kuala Terengganu) for about 20 years from the 1970s. That was about the time Ustaz Haji Abdul Hadi Awang first…