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Zurairi AR
Zurairi AR is a humanist and sceptic who believes in doing good for goodness' sake. He tweets for believers and non-believers alike at @zurairi.
More from Zurairi AR
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Malaysia's 2020 lockdown and the massive outburst of Raya songs
MAY 31 — When the movement control order (MCO) was extended until June 9, well after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, one of the jokes that came out was a call for a ban of the P. Ramlee...
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Does anybody really care about the media in the Covid-19 pandemic?
MAY 17 — Over the weekend, a picture of the media jostling for photographs and videos of the first Friday prayers at the National Mosque since the start of the lockdown elicited...
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Viona and prophetic story-telling
MAY 10 — For many Muslims here, the fasting month of Ramadan also brings with it memories of Jejak Rasul (The Footpath of Prophets), a religious documentary that used...
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What does it mean to be Muslim in a Ramadan changed by MCO?
APRIL 26 ― This year’s Ramadan is not the same due to the Covid-19 pandemic ― or at least Ramadan as how it is envisioned in most Muslims’ minds here. It is telling that...
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How Putrajaya is faring when it comes to tackling Covid-19 ‘fake news’
APRIL 19 — Since January, I have fielded questions in several interviews with the foreign press and free speech forums about how the Malaysian government is tackling...
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‘Daulat’ and the politics of journalism
APRIL 12 — The political thriller Daulat captured public attention after a teaser trailer was released on February 24, just after the country experienced a tumultuous...
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Reconsidering what it means to be the ‘head of family’
APRIL 5 — The photo of a man and his father and brother rocking baju kelawars — what the Malays call the brightly-coloured loose-fitting sleepwear tunic commonly worn by...
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Amid Covid-19 shutdown, a peek into the pantry
MARCH 22 — My family and I had been away for a few days practising our own version of social distancing; a long-planned holiday exploring the Mulu caves in Sarawak, away from...
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Where do women go in the Muhyiddin administration?
MARCH 8 — This morning at 10am, thousands will brave the Covid-19 outbreak and the even more dangerous demonisation by the patriarchy, to march from the Sogo mall at Jalan...
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Fascism, evangelism and homophobia all in Bunkface's 'Akhir Zaman'
MARCH 1 — "Discrimination has brought me down/Caused my reputation to quiet down," goes the opening lines in Malay of local pop punk band Bunkface's first cross-over hit in...
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'Pisan zapra': Does it even mean anything?
FEBRUARY 23 — Malaysians have a deep relationship with bananas that is undeniable. After all, the multipurpose fruit and plant is native to the region, according to my father...
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Naim Daniel and the divine oath that is ‘Sumpah’
FEBRUARY 16 — It seems as if the annual Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL) has hit a low with its 34th iteration as all that people remember from last Sunday night are the controversies...
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Don't let zealotry break journalism's moral compass
FEBRUARY 9 — In choosing to be a journalist, one essentially takes up the responsibility of keeping the public posted on important and relevant information so they can form an...
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Rauzan Rahman and others bringing ‘dikir barat’ into the zone (VIDEO)
FEBRUARY 2 — Malay pop artists have long attempted to incorporate the Kelantanese musical art form of dikir barat into their songs. Perhaps the most well-known is ethnic pop...
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'Religionisation' of schools and a parent's dilemma
JANUARY 26 ― The one glimmer of light that comes with Dr Mahathir Mohamad holding the education portfolio is the hope that he will finally have the authority to speed up his...