“POLITICS is the art of the possible, the attainable... and the art of the next best.” Otto von Bismarck, the German statesman and first chancellor of the German Empire, said this 158 years ago.

THERE’S an apt idiom for our seemingly never-ending battle against Covid-19, especially on infections spreading among foreign workers: A stitch in time saves nine. It means it is better to fix a problem when it is small instead of waiting until it becomes a much bigger issue.

IT’S been a week since the United States’ presidential election and all the major media networks have named Democrat Joe Biden as the winner, claiming he had won 290 electoral votes against incumbent Donald Trump’s 214. But as the popular saying in the country goes, the fat lady is yet to sing.

ARE Malaysians really so gullible? The amount of money being lost to scammers is indeed mind-boggling – RM2.5bil last year and RM2.8bil in 2018. And based on the growing number of cases, it is likely to be more in 2020.

AS a political battleground, Sabah is bursting at the seams. Never has there been such a crowded election in Malaysia as the one scheduled to be held on Sept 26 in the Land Below the Wind.

COMPARED with their counterparts in Thailand, youth in Malaysia are still a long way from playing a meaningful role in pushing for better democracy and governance. The few young MPs we have are part of the stultifying political order, which has remained largely unchanged.

FROM the Industrial Relations Act to problems at the workplace brought about by Covid-19, the country’s two main bodies representing bosses and workers have a history of being at loggerheads. But for once, the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) and Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) are seeing eye to eye, united by their vehement opposition to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

THE fixation on hills in Melaka often arouses amusement and, sometimes, even intrigue. There are just too many places around the historical city named after “bukit” (hill).

It’s a growing concern that Malaysia is on Tier 2 watchlist of the Trafficking in Persons Report for the third consecutive year for its failure to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking of foreign workers.

THERE was a time in the not-too-distant past when the people’s trust in our police force was unshakeable. The mere presence of the “mata-mata” evoked fear among crooks.For a few decades after independence, there was no doubting the people’s confidence in the police. Above its vital role in maintaining order, the commitment of the police to uphold the rule of law was unquestioned.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to better manage Malaysia’s migrant labour, especially in improving the unhygienic conditions of their living spaces.

THE response to the bold but fair suggestion was not surprising, given the protected status of the country’s 1.71 million strong public servants.