Photo source: Lowly Institute By Naveed Qazi, Globe Upfront The new prime minister of Malaysia has been touted by some sections of the Malaysian and Western press as having the potential to usher Malaysia into a new direction. They believe that his election also gives a crucial chance for the nation to heal the social and political fabric, but the reality is that most of the notable leaders in Malaysia have not been clean slates. Even long-time serving prime minister, Najib Razak was indicted in 2022 for a twelve-year prison sentence for abuse of power, and money laundering related to 1MDB state fund. A US attorney general once described the embezzlement of billions of dollars from 1MDB as ‘kleptocracy at its worst.’ Starting as a fiery student activist, and then becoming an establishment insider, Anwar was the man who took the country out of the Asian financial crises. He was perceived as a national leader since 1997 but was sacked by his nemesis turned mentor, Mahathir Mohammed...

Photo source:  The Conversation By Naveed Qazi | Editor, Globe UpFront   The most widely used vegetable oil, in the world, over the years, has become available to consumers, at a harrowing price. Its production not only makes our planet warmer, but is also destroying the habitat of Sumatran Tigers, Sumatra Rhinos, and Orangutans driving these species, to near extinction. Global financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has pushed Malaysia and Indonesia, on track, to produce more of this crop, leading to severe environmental degradation, in its low-lying tropical regions, that source rainforests, and peatlands. It is because these leading global institutions view its production, as a poverty reduction scheme. In fact, various Dutch banks itself have provided various loans to Indonesian farmers, between 1995 to 1999. The business expansion has been vital to regional companies because it not only gives a higher shelf life, to processed ...

Photo Source: The Guardian By Naveed Qazi | Editor, Globe Up Front In the 2018 Malaysian national election, something historic happened. It seemed, that Malaysians wanted a change, and they wanted it badly. The new Prime Minister Muhammad Mahathir will  become the world’s oldest leader, as a 92-year-old nonagenarian, leading the Pakatan Harapan, ‘Alliance of Hope’.  Mahathir, once, had been leaving prime minister Najib Razak’s mentor. After the election result, the world of Prime Minister Najib Razak fell apart, in the decisive number game. After the result, he simply went into tears, as he was unable to form the government. The government of his political party was perhaps the only government Malaysians had ever known. People were seen numbered in hundreds, on the streets, where they watched live televised election results. Since 2008, the opposition managed to win state elections and controlled two wealthiest states, but they never won a nat...