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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Jusuf must apologise to Anwar
- Law expert: Federal Court has ruled promising election goodies is not bribery
- Use ‘Tanah Melayu’ label, Utusan columnist tells government
- Ex-IGP demands IPCMC after Kugan verdict
- Jusuf, stop interfering with Malaysian politics – PKR
- Vote against 'conversion' Bill, MCA MPs told
- ‘45% of civil servants still unable to own a house’
- ‘Admit to electoral fraud, racism, corruption first’
- Will Wan Azizah back Thamrin’s ousting?
- China media warns Philippines of ‘counterstrike’ in South China Sea
- It’s payback time as PM dishes out goodies to Umno loyalists
- High Court judge VT Singham retires
| Posted: 28 Jun 2013 06:03 PM PDT
DAP chairman Karpal Singh has slammed an ex-Indonesian leader for revealing details of a private meeting between Anwar Ibrahim and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak. Athi Shankar, FMT Karpal Singh wants former Indonesia vice-president Jusuf Kalla to publicly express regret and apologise to Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim for an alleged breach of confidentiality. Karpal slammed Jusuf Kalla for publicly revealing details of a private meeting between him, Anwar and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak held in Jakarta in March this year. He said Jusuf Kalla should not have revealed confidential details to the press on what transpired during the meeting, adding that it did not speak well of the former vice-president. He expressed regret that a person of such high public position like Jusuf had such low dignity to accuse Anwar of receiving foreign aid. "What was discussed ought to have remained confidential. Jusuf Kalla obviously has his own agenda. It's obvious that Anwar should not have trusted him. "Jusuf Kalla should express regret for his statement and apologise to Anwar," insisted Karpal, the DAP national chairman. He acknowledged that Jusuf's revelations that Anwar had received foreign funds for the "Blackout 505" rallies would affect public confidence in Pakatan Rakyat. Jusuf Kalla had reportedly stated that Anwar received funds from a giant company in Philippines, Turkey, USA, Thailand and China. Jusuf also ridiculed Anwar's hopeless aspiration to become the country's Prime Minister despite Pakatan Rakyat only having 89 parliamentary seats against Barisan Nasional's 133. He accused Anwar of breaching a gentleman agreement to accept the 13th General Election results by making all sorts of electoral fraud claims.
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| Law expert: Federal Court has ruled promising election goodies is not bribery Posted: 28 Jun 2013 05:09 PM PDT
(fz.com) - Law expert Azhar Azizan Harun said today the Federal Court has ruled that it is not considered a bribe when an election candidate is addressing the public promising goodies. It is only a bribe when the people are asked to vote in return. Azhar, who is a practicing lawyer, said a minister can make monetary promises if it was not made in a personal capacity but spoken on behalf of the government. "What the cases have shown now is if it was made not in a personal capacity but in his capacity as a minister or prime minister and that promise is not made to just a particular individual or small section of the society then it is not bribery. "As long there is no bargaining, it is not bribery," he told a post-election series seminar organised by the Bar Council. "If he is not asking for them to vote for him and there is no acceptance of that request, then it is not bribery," he added. He also said the challenger in the election petition will have a high burden of proof because they have to prove a case that the candidate had the intention or knowledge to prove there was vote-buying. More to come at: http://www.fz.com/content/law-expert-federal-court-has-ruled-promising-election-goodies-not-bribery#ixzz2Xagrmv00 |
| Use ‘Tanah Melayu’ label, Utusan columnist tells government Posted: 28 Jun 2013 05:06 PM PDT
(The Malay Mail Online) - Don't the Malays see the attitude of other races that are trying to bring them down in their own tanah air (motherland)? Now all sorts of tactics are done to bring down the Malays, whether from the economy, political or social aspect. The government should revert to using the "Tanah Melayu" (land of the Malays) label in all its official documents, an Utusan Malaysia columnist suggested today, as the paper continued to lament the alleged loss of the Malay identity following a divisive general election. In an article published today, columnist Azman Anuar said it was unfortunate that the Malay community had forgotten the significance of the "Tanah Melayu" label to refer to the prominence of the Malay race as sons of the soil or Bumiputeras. "Refer to any paragraphs in the early Constitution, it's not mentioned as Semenanjung (peninsula) but by its full name Semenanjung Tanah Melayu (Malay peninsula). "So it's good for the government and Umno to return the name of Tanah Melayu to all official government reports and documents," Azman wrote in an opinion piece titled "Melayu tak kisah apa bakal terjadi pada PRU-14?" (Malays don't care what will happen in GE-14?). Malaysia comprises Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, with the former being separated from the latter two by the South China Sea. These two areas are also commonly referred to as West Malaysia and East Malaysia. Earlier, Azman lamented that the Malay community was not concerned with the loss of their identity. "The Malays no longer care that the names of 'Malay' is being lost in their own land. "The Utusan Malaysia paper that defends the Constitution has also been slammed hard and accused of being racist," he wrote. Read more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/use-tanah-melayu-label-utusan-columnist-tells-government |
| Ex-IGP demands IPCMC after Kugan verdict Posted: 28 Jun 2013 02:45 PM PDT
(The Malay Mail) - Former national police chief Tan Sri Musa Hassan has added his weight to pressure the government to introduce the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) after the current Inspector-General of Police (IGP) was ruled responsible for a suspect's death under custody. In a landmark civil suit on Wednesday, the High Court here ruled that Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, at that time the Selangor police chief, was liable to misfeasance in A. Kugan's death behind bars in 2009. "You need monitoring, of course, on the police," Musa (picture) told The Malay Mail Online yesterday. "But as I've said earlier, you need to do a bit of changes in the clauses of the IPCMC because they don't allow for appeal once a decision has been made by the IPCMC," said the former IGP. High Court judge Datuk V.T. Singham was reported as saying that the injuries on Kugan, a car thief suspect, could not have been inflicted by only one policeman with senior officers pleading ignorance. The civil trial reportedly heard that Khalid told a press conference in 2009 that Kugan had died because his lungs were filled with water. A second autopsy, however, showed that Kugan had died of kidney failure after being severely beaten and starved. Former police constable V. Navindran, who was the only one charged over Kugan's death, was sentenced last year to three years' jail for causing hurt to the 23-year-old. Navindran is appealing the conviction. English-language daily The Star also reported Singham as saying that the IPCMC needed to be set up immediately to protect those who have been detained by the police. The historic judgment comes after three policemen were charged recently with murdering another suspect, N. Dhamendran, on May 21. The 32-year-old former lorry driver had been held under remand in the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters over the shooting of two men in the capital city. R. Sri Sanjeevan, chairman of crime watchdog MyWatch, said it was "high time for the IPCMC". "Judge V.T. Singham called for the IPCMC," Sanjeevan told The Malay Mail Online recently. "If a currently serving judge can say that, it's so obvious that throughout the trial, they have seen a lot of police violence that occurred in Kugan's case," he added. Malaysian Bar president Christopher Leong said the court verdict on Kugan's death highlighted the need for an "independent oversight and disciplinary body dedicated solely for the police". "The EAIC should not be re-casted to deal with the police as it has too many other agencies within its purview," Leong told The Malay Mail Online in a recent interview, referring to the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC). The EAIC was set up in 2011 to monitor complaints of abuse of power in the police force and 18 other enforcement agencies. But the commission has often been criticised as a "toothless" body for its lack of prosecutorial powers. "There is... no good reason why decent, honest and hard-working police personnel should fear the IPCMC," the lawyer said. "They should in fact welcome it. Only those who are prone to misconduct themselves would fear the IPCMC," Leong added. Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, however, told Parliament last Wednesday that the proposed IPCMC could not be implemented as it contradicted Article 7 of the Federal Constitution and the Extra-Territorial Offences Act 1976. Leong denied the IPCMC would violate Article 7 of the Federal Constitution, highlighting the provision only states "a person shall not be punished for an act or omission which was not punishable by law when it was done or made." "The IPCMC does not create any new offences or new punishments," he noted. "The IPCMC is merely a new body and mechanism to independently investigate whether there has been breaches of existing laws and offences and, if so, to impose existing punishments. Further, disciplinary action is different from criminal prosecution," he said. Nine deaths in police custody have occurred this year so far. The last recorded is that of a 33-year-old Japanese man who died in his cell at the USJ8 police station lock-up in Subang Jaya on June 8. Since 2006, the Bar Council and civil society have been pushing for the implementation of the IPCMC, which was mooted by a royal commission led by former Chief Justice Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah. The police top brass has repeatedly shot down all calls for its setting up.
Ex-IGP demands IPCMC after Kugan verdict |
| Jusuf, stop interfering with Malaysian politics – PKR Posted: 28 Jun 2013 02:32 PM PDT
(Kuala Lumpur Post) - Parti Keadilan Rakyat communication director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said former Indonesia vice-president Jusuf Kala should stop meddling in Malaysian politics. Speaking to The Mole on Friday, Nik Nazmi said: "I think when he (Jusuf) keeps giving statements and levelling accusations against Datuk Seri Anwar (Ibrahim) and Pakatan Rakyat, he too is interfering in our politics." "I believe he should not do so," he added. The Seri Setia state assemblyman said this when asked to comment on remarks made by Jusuf that opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is receiving help and assistance from Washington to interfere in Malaysian politics. In an interview with news portal Merdeka Online recently, Jusuf questioned Anwar's motive in receiving help from countries considered enemies of Islam and the Malays. Jusuf also claimed to have knowledge that countries such as the Philippines, the United States, Turkey, Thailand and China were helping Anwar fund the 'Blackout 505' rallies. Commenting on this, Nik Nazmi said: "All of these allegations are not something new. They have been accusing us of being foreign agents but up until now none of it had been proven." "In the spirit of democracy, we respect the right of Jusuf to speak up and we listen to it and at the same time we will continue working hard to correct such views and claims," he added. Asked whether PKR still consider Jusuf as a friend to the party, the Selangor deputy speaker said: "That, I leave to Datuk Seri Anwar to decide as I do not know him (Jusuf) personally. As I said, on our part, we will work hard to prove that we are a party that has been accepted by Malaysians." Another Pakatan leader Salahuddin Ayub said Pakatan Rakyat should not entertain the remarks made by Jusuf as the Indonesian leader did not provide any evidence on his allegations. Salahuddin who is also Pas vice-president said: "There have been many accusations against us but there were no solid evidence to prove that we are involved in the matter." "In fact, we did not even have a meeting to discuss on Jusuf's remarks. Unless he gives us all of the proof, I think Pakatan should not entertain this issue."
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| Vote against 'conversion' Bill, MCA MPs told Posted: 28 Jun 2013 02:25 PM PDT M. Indira Gandhi's children converted to Islam by her husband without her permission (fz.com) - An MCA leader has called on the party's MPs to vote against the Administration of the Religion of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill in the Dewan Rakyat because of the inclusion of a controversial provision on conversion. The provision allows a child to be converted to Islam with the consent of only one parent. "I implore on all our seven MCA MPs to vote against this Bill," said MCA central committee member Loh Seng Kok. "Better yet, I urge all the seven MCA legislators to corral the MPs from other political parties irrespective of political coalition to put forward a collective voice against this clearly one-sided Section 107(b)," Loh said in a statement today. He added that he may raise this issue at the central committee "to reaffirm our party's official stand against unilateral conversion of minor children by one parent". The Bill was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat for its first reading on Wednesday. Loh, who is also MCA deputy publicity chief, said Section 107(b) appears to undermine Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution which reads that "the religion of a person under the age of 18 years shall be decided by his parent or guardian". He noted that the need for both parents' consent is reinforced in Article 160(1) of the 11th Schedule which says that "words in the singular include the plural, and words in the plural include the singular". Also, Article 8 states that "there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion…". Further Article 12(4) also provides that for the purpose of Clause (3), the religion of a person under the age of 18 years shall be decided by his parent or guardian.' "MCA re-emphasises that if a religion of a minor child is disputed, the minor's faith remains as status quo at the time of his birth until he reaches the age of maturity which is 18 years," said Loh. "On a deeper realm, besides running ultra vires the Federal Constitution, Section 107(b) in the Bahasa Malaysia version calling for 'ibu atau bapa or penjaga' appears designed to undermine the Federal Constitution and trap non-Muslims into conversion issues," he added. Loh noted that in 2009, the Cabinet had decided that if either spouse were to convert to Islam, the children should follow the faith that the parents had agreed on at the time of marriage, or implied by their common religion. "I implore on the lawmakers to mandate this decision into a law be it in the Federal Constitution, Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976, Child Act 2001, Guardianship of Infants Act 1961 (revised 1988). "Separate incidents have shown that as the Cabinet decision is not etched in law, one parent has rushed his/her minor child(ren) to religious authorities who duly converted them without informing the spouse - this going in direct conflict against the Cabinet decision," he added.
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| ‘45% of civil servants still unable to own a house’ Posted: 28 Jun 2013 02:10 PM PDT
(Bernama) - Forty-five per cent of the 1.5 million civil servants still aren't able to own a house due to the price factor, said the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services. Cuepacs president Datuk Omar Osman said its recent study showed that the increasing price of houses was the main obstacle for some 650,000 of its members. He said that, generally, civil servants who were still unable to buy a house were those in the support group and earning low income. "Those above 40 years old, who were on a higher grade and had served more than 20 years, were the fortunate ones," he said. "This 45% group has to continue renting or staying in quarters," he said yesterday. Omar was also concerned over the implications that would arise from this situation if not tackled properly. "One is that if they buy a house at a later age, it will mean that they will take a longer time to settle the loan," he pointed out. "It means that they will use up all of their savings and pension, which is supposed to be for their old age, to pay back the loan," Omar said. "Their life after retirement will continue to be hampered by debts."
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| ‘Admit to electoral fraud, racism, corruption first’ Posted: 28 Jun 2013 01:57 PM PDT
Anwar Ibrahim says national reconciliation can only begin if premier Najib Tun Razak's admits to the BN regime's flaws. Leven Woon, FMT In a tit-for-tat rebut opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Pakatan Rakyat would take up Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's national reconciliation offer if the latter admits that there is racism, electoral fraud and corruption in the country. Earlier this week Najib said for the nation to reconcile, the opposition must accept the 13th General Election results and stop organising rallies. Responding to Najib, Anwar said he is firm in opposing electoral fraud, corruption and racism. "If Najib dares to accept the fact that these three things exist in the country, then I will say yes to national reconciliation," he told some 600 attendees at a Pakatan's fundraising dinner here last night. Earlier in his speech Anwar said he is proud of Malaysians because despite the alleged manipulations, media bias and limited resources, 52% of the Malaysians still voted for them. "Can u think of any other authoritarian or semi-authoritarian regime where we achieve such an outstanding results. Malaysia created history in 2013," he said to thunderous applause. Meanwhile, another speaker PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli also vetoed the Najib-style reconciliation. Rafizi said he would never accept the offer unless there is a change of electoral system.
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| Will Wan Azizah back Thamrin’s ousting? Posted: 28 Jun 2013 01:51 PM PDT
Sabah PKR insiders have hinted that a leadership change in the state could happen as early as next week. Queville To, FMT OTA KINABALU: Sabah PKR has submitted a memorandum to its national president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, proposing that Klias assemblyman Lajim Ukin head the state party as he is "the most qualified person for the job". The memorandum was apparently handed over to Wan Azizah, together with a letter, during a meeting on May 24. Acting PKR Beaufort divisional chief Taufick Ruschi said there was "a strong possibility" that current president Ahmad Thamrin Jaini would be replaced soon as the party's chief in Sabah. "We are hopeful that the president will give our proposal due consideration because currently there is no one more suitable and qualified to lead the state PKR, than Lajim. "But we respect the central leadership's decision and will accept whoever is appointed as the state Chairman but we hope that the leadership will take the divisional chiefs' opinion seriously," he said. So far 19 out of the 25 divisions in the state have done so. Taufick, who is also PKR Sabah's Voter Registration and Membership Bureau chairman, said that the divisions who had voted for a change in the state PKR leadership are Papar, Sipitang, Beaufort, Beluran, Keningau, Labuan FT, Kinabatangan, Pensiangan, Silam, Kimanis, Kota Marudu, Tuaran, Sepanggar, Kalabakan, Kudat, Tenom and Kota Belud. They believe Lajim will bring new ideas to the Sabah PKR leadership and also rejuvenate the people's confidence in the party. "There's an urgent need to reform and re-invent Sabah PKR to better prepare for the 14th general election. "I know people are saying that senior members should be given priority but we must keep in mind that Lajim has vast experience in politics. I personally would turn it down if offered to lead the state leadership," he said. "Lajim's appointment as the opposition's chief whip in the state assembly is a clear hint (that Wan Azizah will accept the proposal)," he said.
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| China media warns Philippines of ‘counterstrike’ in South China Sea Posted: 28 Jun 2013 01:43 PM PDT
(Reuters) - China's state media warned on Saturday that a "counterstrike" against the Philippines was inevitable if it continues to provoke Beijing in the South China Sea, potentially Asia's biggest military troublespot. The warning comes as ministers from both countries attend an Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in Brunei, starting Saturday, which hopes to reach a legally binding code of conduct to manage maritime conduct in disputed areas. At stake are potentially massive offshore oil reserves. The seas also lie on shipping lanes and fishing grounds. Both China and the Philippines have been locked in a decades-old territorial squabble over the South China Sea, with tensions flaring after the Philippines moved new soldiers and supplies last week to a disputed coral reef, prompting Beijing to condemn Manila's "illegal occupation". The overseas edition of the People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, said in a front-page commentary that the Philippines had committed "seven sins" in the South China Sea. These include the "illegal occupation" of the Spratly Islands, inviting foreign capital to engage in oil and gas development in the disputed waters and promoting the "internationalization" of the waters, said the commentary. The Philippines has called on the United States to act as a "patron", while ASEAN has become an "accomplice," said the commentary, which does not amount to official policy but can reflect the government's thinking. "The Philippines, knowing that it's weak, believes that 'a crying child will have milk to drink'," the People's Daily said, accusing Manila of resorting to many "unscrupulous" tricks in the disputed waters. Beijing's assertion of sovereignty over a vast stretch of the South China Sea has set it directly against Vietnam and the Philippines, while Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also lay claim to other parts of the sea. The 10-member ASEAN hopes to reach a legally binding Code of Conduct to manage maritime conduct in disputed areas. For now a watered-down "Declaration of Conduct" is in place. On Thursday, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned that countries with territorial claims in the South China Sea that look for help from third parties will find their efforts "futile", adding that the path of confrontation would be "doomed". Last week, China vowed to protect its sovereignty over the Second Thomas Shoal, known in China as the Ren'ai reef. The Philippines is accusing China of encroachment after three Chinese ships, including a naval frigate, converged just nine km from an old transport ship that Manila ran aground on a reef in 1999 to mark its territory. Last year, China and the Philippines were locked in a tense two-month standoff at the Scarborough Shoal, which is only about 124 nautical miles off the Philippine coast. Chinese ships now control the shoal, often chasing away Filipino fishermen.
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| It’s payback time as PM dishes out goodies to Umno loyalists Posted: 28 Jun 2013 12:14 PM PDT
(TMI) - Senior Umno politicians are in for a windfall, possibly as early as next week, when Prime Minister Najib Razak rewards their loyalty with appointments as chairman and board members of Government-linked companies (GLCs) and government agencies. Among the plum positions available are senior positions on the board of Tenaga Nasional, Telekom, Mara, Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Berhad, Tabung Haji, PNB, government officials told The Malaysian Insider. Others, like Azeez of the Putera Umno wing were elected as Members of Parliament but could not be appointed to the Cabinet. And then there were a few who did not create a fuss when asked to make way for new talent and not contest the elections. In the past, prime ministers were wary of putting too many politicians on the board of GLCs, upset that their inclusion could result in a clash of cultures and priorities with the professional management and ultimately lead to poor performance of those companies. But Najib is having to embrace a new approach for two reasons – the long line of Umno politicians outside his office since the May 5th general election and his own party elections later this year. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/its-payback-time-as-pm-dishes-out-goodies-to-umno-loyalists/ |
| High Court judge VT Singham retires Posted: 28 Jun 2013 12:13 PM PDT
(Bernama) - On Wednesday, Singham awarded more than RM800,000 in damages to a housewife whose son, A. Kugan, died in police custody in January 2009. High Court judge Datuk VT Singham, who is highly respected by his colleagues for his dedication and commitment in upholding impartiality of the judiciary system, retired on his 65th birthday yesterday.
News of his retirement caught many in the legal fraternity by surprise as even his staff admitted that they were in the dark when asked by journalists on Singham's decision to opt for optional retirement.
A senior staff, who declined to be named, described Singham as a private person who wanted a very low-key departure from his office.
Asked whether his judgment on Wednesday in the case of A. Kugan had any bearing on his decision to retire, the staff said: "Knowing him (Singham), I doubt that the case has got anything to do with his move."
On Wednesday, Singham awarded more than RM800,000 in damages to a housewife whose son, A. Kugan, died in police custody in January 2009.
In his judgment, Singham ruled that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar (then Selangor police chief) was liable of misfeasance in public office. |
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