IT has been almost five years since MH17 was shot down but the truth about who was responsible for the despicable mass murder remains unknown.

SO near, yet so far. Timor-Leste has been trudging on for eight years but the road to membership in Asean remains a long and winding one for Asia’s youngest democracy.

WHAT a difference a year makes. In a week, the Pakatan Harapan government will mark its first year in power but in stark contrast to the height of popularity it enjoyed then, support for the coalition has plunged.

Melaka’s growing tourism industry may lose its heritage and uniqueness if the state keeps adding high-density commercial projects indiscriminately.

THE communication lines seem to be clearer now and the right signals are flashing. It may be just a matter of weeks before the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is back on track.

IN Malaysia, it’s never about the paucity of laws. It’s always about the lack of enforcement or reacting when it is too late.

“Babi lah lu! (You’re a pig!)” used to be a common insult in Malaysia although it is no longer taken lightly in these “highly sensitive” days.

AS the ultimate bastion of justice, an impartial and incorrupt judiciary is crucial for maintaining the rule of law.

The Pakatan government faces the arduous task of changing the value system of the people, especially with the unrepentant sense of entitlement within its leadership ranks.

The Dec 8 rally against the UN treaty is a classic example of how politicians can exploit anxieties to gain power.

The prospects of ending the violence in Thailand’s deep south remain bleak, but Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s visit to Bangkok last week has raised hopes.

The power to question unexplained wealth is the missing cog in MACC’s wheel to fight the scourge of corruption in high places.