Exaggerating the urban-rural divide is no help
By Cynthia Hoo
August 2014 FOOTPRINTS
The “kampong mentality” argument has permeated political discourse so deeply that the rural folks’ failure to vote for the opposition is often regarded as an intellectual or moral failing. That is a profoundly unhelpful way of understanding rural thinking.It’s been two months since the byelection in Teluk Intan, a semi-urban seat in Perak, dealt the opposition Pakatan alliance a shock defeat. It had not really expected to lose. There are many reasons for this setback no doubt, but one thing...
Cynthia Hoo
is a journalist who's trying to learn more about the small corners of Malaysia and its people.
