Project Malaysia

I had favourited the URL link to Project Malaysia for several weeks now. It was launched at midnight August 31. Here's what MCA 7 4 Justice had to say:

A site called www.projectmalaysia.org was launched at midnight one hour ago.  One of the founders, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, tells me that this site will run for one year during which 12 core Malaysian themes will be explored through comprehensive no holds barred critical discourse in which all stakeholders have a chance to put measured views across.  The aim is to find solutions for a better nation and craft a blueprint for the future.

Although I have linked Project Malaysia in the blog, you can click the link here.

WHAT IS PROJECT MALAYSIA?

An online "think tank" for Malaysia and Malaysians. It will aim to effectively identify one theme or issue each month and elaborate on that with articles, commentary and discussion from various industry leaders/ scholars/ experts from that field.

Project Malaysia will be an independent project, highlighting views from all across the board. Malaysians who hold key positions in government or Opposition parties will be given equal opportunities to present their views to the public for dissemination and discourse. Essentially, every view, as long as effectively presented will be published and considered.

The key components of Project Malaysia is being neutral, and objective while looking at issues that are of importance and interest to ALL Malaysians. Besides that, Project Malaysia is about bringing awareness to Malaysians about key issues that affect them and their daily lives in preparation for the coming elections of 2012.

WHY LAUNCH PROJECT MALAYSIA?

The results of the General Elections 2008 showed an increased awareness in Malaysians from all sections of society in their demands for a clean, accountable government.

Non-bread and butter issues - such as the state of the judiciary, corruption in civil service, the misuse of public funds, and so forth have become important to Malaysians from all walks of life. This has been largely due to more Internet penetration, and the rejection of politically skewed news in traditional media.

Articles on the Internet (from blogs and other socio-political websites) regarding many of these issues were printed out and highlighted to rural Malaysians prior to the elections by civil society groups and alternative political parties. This proves there is a need for information among Malaysians that goes past class or income group.

Malaysians are now actively seeking out information about their country. Project Malaysia will capitalise on this newfound need to access information for a large group of concerned citizens, both urban and otherwise. Project Malaysia could not be anymore relevant at this juncture due to the current state of affairs in Malaysia, and most importantly the change in the Malaysian mindset.

HOW WILL PROJECT MALAYSIA WORK?

Project Malaysia will do its part in encouraging debate and discourse through a monthly online publication, concentrating on articles and commentary written by industry leaders that are relevant to that month's theme.

For example, if the theme is the Constitution, Constitutional Law scholars, as well as experts in the study of this topic can contribute articles to Project Malaysia. It can be divided into many aspects such as the issue of religious freedom, or the social contract in Malaysia, or even derivatives of this theme such as the affirmative action policies used in our nation. Otherwise, if the issue is big enough, they could become themes for another month as well.