Daniel Chandranayagam is a freelance writer and researcher, who also offers occasional consultation on legal matters and business development. With a background in law and legal editing, Daniel has been writing and researching for close to ten years. His blog is at http://pottedplot.com/, and he is the Chief Editor for the CSR Digest (http://csrdigest.com/).
Latest posts by Daniel Chandranayagam
Malaysia: What's The Real Deal With Palm Oil?
Palm oil has become the target of criticism from environmentalists and green activists in recent years. Daniel Chandranayagam sums up the issues surrounding the impact of palm oil production in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Activism and Motherhood in Asia
What does a woman sacrifice for the cause she fights for? How are her children affected by persecution taken against her? This post explores briefly the lives of women activists in Asia who are also mothers.
How the recession has affected motherhood
When the economies of world plummeted late last year, that “motherhood” would be a victim of the spiraling trend might not have been foremost in the minds of most. However, mothers are as much a casualty of the recession as the stock markets.
Singapore: More Cash ≠ More Babies
Will a cash incentive make women want to have a child? Going by recent figures under Singapore’s recent Baby Bonus initiative, a government plan to raise declining birth rates in the country, the answer is “no”.
Malaysia: Humans as Commodities
In early 2009, Malaysia had the dubious privilege of being investigated by the US senate for the trafficking of humans. News reports stated that the migrants involved were mostly from Myanmar, but other foreigners were also allegedly taken by the government officials to the Malaysian-Thai border, where they were extorted or sold to human trafficking syndicates.
Malaysia: To Live By The Slopes
Within the period of two days, two landslides caused much damage and death in Kuala Lumpur. This perhaps might not have made such major headlines had it not occurred just a few days to the 15th anniversary of the Highland Towers tragedy, which caused the deaths of 48 people.
Malaysia: The Plight of Penan
The Penan tribe, indigenous people of East Malaysia, have taken quite some press and blog space this year. Bloggers react to stories of abuses committed against the Penan Tribe.
Malaysia: Are the police being too brutal?
A peaceful rally in Malaysia was violently dispersed by the police. Civil society groups have condemned the dispersal, especially the use of force, the repression of assembly and expression, and Malaysian bloggers are up in arms on the whole episode.
Southeast Asia: The Power of the Pontianak
One of the most enduring legends of South East Asia is the Pontianak, said to be a bone-white lady, with ruby-red eyes, who is borne from her death in birth-giving. The Pontianak, or sometimes called the "Kuntilanak", lives in almost all of South East Asia, except the Indochina region.
Reforming the Malaysian Judicial Services
The Malaysian judiciary has long been criticised of corruption, and also for being less-than expeditious in its process. With the resignation of de facto Law Minister, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, the appointment of Tan Sri Zaki Azmi, and newly-voiced resistance to judicial reform, the jury is out on what will take place with the corridors of justice in Malaysia.
Malaysia's Jungle Spirits
Lush with primary and secondary virgin jungle, Malaysians have long held a respect for the forests. It also helps that myths, whether bearing down from the forefathers or from urban legend, has caused a lot of superstition surrounding the vast jungle of Malaysia.
Malaysian Media Council: Double handcuffs or media freedom?
Amidst a number of recent journalistic blunders, Malaysia’s Home Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, announced that the government has full intention of establishing a national media policy, together with a regulatory body over Malaysian media. Syed Hamid said that that a policy is currently being drafted and also that the foundations...
