Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- PAS continues to push for hudud
- Selangor exco to be sworn in Thursday, says Khalid
- Still no word on swearing-in date for Selangor executive council
- PKR Youth chief rapped for criticising PAS chief
- EC denies Malaysia’s voting system will keep BN in power forever
- ‘EC must explain discrepancy’
- Lajim Ukin’s son charged with graft
- Yazid, Hilmi re-arrested under SOSMA
- Ipoh Timur MP and Perak PKR secretary charged with failure to comply with Peaceful Assembly Act
- Azmin’s BN-friendly move welcomed
- EC seeks polls law review
| PAS continues to push for hudud Posted: 26 May 2013 05:53 PM PDT
However the hudud law will only be implemented when people want it to be implemented, says Khalid Samad. Lisa J. Ariffin, FMT Islamist party PAS will continue to pursue its Islamic state agenda, including the implementation of hudud law in Malaysia, said Selangor PAS deputy commissioner Khalid Samad today. Khalid said the implementation of hudud law has always been the party's ideology and it would never drop that plan. "As far as PAS is concerned, the basis of our struggle and reference is the same and will never change," Khalid told FMT today. "When we talk about Islam, we will talk about hudud. And obviously we'll never say we have given it up," he added. However, Khalid stressed that hudud law will only be implemented "when people want it to be implemented". "Our struggle is to convince society to accept its implementation. All of Islam including its legal system will be part and parcel of our objective," he said. "Our struggle is to open up the society, have all our views presented and convince the public that there would be no harm if Islamic law is implemented," he added. DAP will never accept hudud DAP national chairman Karpal Singh, who has always been outspoken against the implementation of hudud, today reiterated his party's stand "remains the same". "There is no change in our stand whatsoever. These matters have already been put away and for them to bring it up again now is not quite right," he said. "I speak on behalf of my party and not in any circumstances will it change its stand," he added. The Bukit Gelugor MP also called on PAS leadership to make a formal stand on the issue to prevent unnecessary confusion in future. "There must be some sort of formal stand… it cannot be up and down," he said.
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| Selangor exco to be sworn in Thursday, says Khalid Posted: 26 May 2013 02:21 PM PDT
(The Star) - The Selangor executive council will be sworn in on Thursday, as the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has consented to the line-up. Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had an audience with Tuanku on Monday, and told reporters later that the exco list had been finalised. "The swearing in ceremony for all selected exco members will be held this Thursday at 9.30am at Istana Alam Shah, Klang," he said. However, Khalid refused to reveal the names of those picked for exco, nor the party composition of the line-up. "I will announce the composition after I have informed the three parties. "It would not be fair to them if I announced it now before speaking to them," he said, adding that he would be meeting party leaders from DAP, PAS and PKR later. Khalid was seen entering Istana Kayangan here at 10.15am on Monday, and left around 11.30am. In the previous exco line-up, DAP and PAS had three representatives each while PKR had four. PKR will have three representatives this time, but it is not known if DAP or PAS would get the extra exco seat. DAP already announced two of its exco representatives, Datuk Teng Chang Khim (Sungai Pinang) and Ean Yong Hian Wah (Seri Kembangan).
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| Still no word on swearing-in date for Selangor executive council Posted: 26 May 2013 01:49 PM PDT
(The Star) - Although three weeks have passed since the May 5 polls, no date has been set for the swearing-in ceremony of the Selangor executive council. Many expect the announcement to be made this week, as Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had indicated on May 18 that the line-up would be sworn in after he returned from receiving medical treatment for an old leg injury in Germany. Khalid returned to Malaysia on Friday, but a source in his office said the date for the swearing-in ceremony had yet to be fixed. Before he left the country, Khalid had submitted a list of names to the Sultan of Selangor for approval. Khalid had then said that he expected to receive feedback on the proposed names from the Sultan after his return. In the previous line-up, the DAP and PAS had three representatives each while the PKR had four. The PKR will have three representatives this time, but it has not been finalised whether DAP or PAS would get the extra seat. The DAP has already announced two of its proposed representatives – Datuk Teng Chang Khim (Sungai Pinang) and Ean Yong Hian Wah (Seri Kembangan).
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| PKR Youth chief rapped for criticising PAS chief Posted: 26 May 2013 01:40 PM PDT Syarhan said PKR had also back-stabbed PAS by negotiating with PSM which has never been an ally of Pakatan. (The Star) - PAS Youth officials have slammed PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin for criticising PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang over the party's decision to field candidates against its allies in GE13. Perak PAS Youth chief Mohd Zawawi Abu Hassan defended his party's decision in fielding candidates and said that the statement by the PKR Youth movement reflected his immature political attitude. "When the head of the PKR Youth dares to belittle and accuse our president without seeking a clarifications first through a joint discussion then it can be construed as a wild accusation," said Zawawi, who is the Gunong Semanggol assemblyman. He said that the attitude displayed by Shamsul Iskandar was unacceptable. Meanwhile, PAS Gombak division head Syarhan Humaizi Abdul Halim reminded Shamsul Iskandar to be careful before criticising PAS. He noted that it was PKR's cavalier attitude in selecting its own election candidates that had led to the fall of the Pakatan Rakyat government in Perak in 2008 after a number of its state assemblymen defected. Syarhan said PKR had also back-stabbed PAS by negotiating with PSM which has never been an ally of Pakatan. He claimed that it was PAS election machinery that had worked hard in the recent general election, including in helping PKR's candidates to win as they were more disciplined and prepared. "If we in PAS Youth can respect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as PKR adviser although there are many things which we may not agree upon, it would be nice if PKR Youth also learnt some manners by not criticising our leader. "Behave yourself before the possibility arises that some other leaders will resort to criticising Anwar in public due to this uncouth act," said Syarhan. Apart from criticising Abdul Hadi, Shamsul in his policy speech at the party's ninth congress here on Saturday also called on the leaders of the respective parties in the Pakatan Rakyat to expel their members who had contested against candidates from other Pakatan member parties, thus forcing multi-cornered fights.
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| EC denies Malaysia’s voting system will keep BN in power forever Posted: 26 May 2013 01:27 PM PDT
Amin Iskandar, TMI The Election Commission (EC) has denied claims that the first-past-the-post voting system practised in Malaysia will keep the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) in power forever, while insisting that it is among the best electoral systems in the world. Academics have said malapportionment — unequally-sized constituencies — and gerrymandering — manipulation of electoral boundaries — have led to one rural vote being equal to six urban votes in the May 5 general election where Pakatan Rakyat (PR) won the popular vote but BN got to form the government. "This first past the post, it's not until forever that BN will win. This first past the post is a simple system where (there's a) contest for seats in an area," the EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar told The Malaysian Insider in an exclusive interview. "Because of this first past the post, BN did not get two-thirds majority in PRU13 (13th general election). Because of this first past the post, the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government won with two-thirds majority in the state assembly (DUN)," he added. According to Wan Ahmad, the electoral system used in Malaysia is also used by developed countries that have been practising democracy for a long time. "Britain, already a few hundred years practising democracy, until now it uses first past the post. "Australia, first past the post. New Zealand first past the post mixed a bit with the proportional representation (PR) system. India, the largest democratic country in the world, 800 million voters, first past the post," he said. The EC deputy chairman said it would not be possible for PR to win so many seats, including a few states, if the "first-past-the-post" system was unfair. "Because of this first past the post, Kelantan was ruled by one party only, PAS for 25 years. In Penang, DAP won in all the seats it contested. I feel that those who make these statements do not understand the electoral system in Malaysia," Wan Ahmad said. PR currently rules the three states of Kelantan, Penang, Selangor after it recently lost its one-term PAS-led administration in Kedah to BN and failed to recapture Perak.
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| Posted: 26 May 2013 01:19 PM PDT
(FMT) - Surprised voters said are confused by the very high turnout when in their view the turnout could be only between 65% to 72%, or even lower in some areas. The election figures released by the Election Commission are raising eyebrows here. With Malaysia's registered voters numbering 13.3 million and the average turnout said to be 80%, this should translate into about 10.6 million votes cast. But talk among polls watchers and the internet is that the total number of vote slips counted on May 5 was higher than this. The discrepancy is baffling minds here. Many observers now want the Election Commission, better known as SPR, to explain the discrepancy. They have also raised questions over the delay in releasing accurate data on the final tally. Already in Sabah, surprised voters said they were confused by "the very high turnout" when in their view the turnout could be only between 65% to 72%, or even lower in some areas. A voter here who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed that when he came to vote at about 1.30pm on the polling day on May 5, he found only three or four names underlined (a mark that they had voted) on the same page his name appeared. "How could it be the turnout was that high … more than 80%?" he asked. Another voter from Kota Belud who said he came to cast his vote only after 4pm, less than one hour before polls closed, also claimed that he too saw only a few names underlined on the same page his name was on. Read more at: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/05/27/%E2%80%98ec-must-explain-discrepancy%E2%80%99/ |
| Lajim Ukin’s son charged with graft Posted: 26 May 2013 01:14 PM PDT
Syed Jaymal Zahiid, TMI The son of former Umno leader Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin was today charged with alleged corruption for using forged documents to win a government tender to build roads in Sembrong, Johor. Nizam Lajim, 31, is accused of committing the offence on August 8, 2012, where he was said to have used a forged recommendation letter signed by then Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal to acquire the project. The letter purportedly stated the minister's approval for the road work to be given to several companies allegedly linked to him Nizam was charged under section 471 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum two-year jail term or a fine or both. The 31 year-old claimed trial and the management case has been set for June 25. He was released on RM50,000 bail with one guarantor.Lajim, a former deputy minister who defected from ruling party Umno to form pro-opposition Pakatan Perubahan Sabah late last year, was present in court when the charge was read out to his son.
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| Yazid, Hilmi re-arrested under SOSMA Posted: 26 May 2013 01:02 PM PDT
The section makes it an offence to harbour terrorists. Those found guilty under the act would face a life sentence and liable to a fine, or a maximum of 20 years imprisonment and a fine. K Pragalath, FMT One week after being freed from charges under Security Offences (Special Measures Act) 2012, canteen operator Yazid Sufaat has been detained under the same act once again. Yazid and his assistant Hilmi Hashim were re-arrested under security law this morning. "He was arrested under SOSMA at his home in Ampang. The arrest took place at 8am. His two daughters were also nearly arrested by the police when they protested against the arrest of their father," said lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, when contacted. Another lawyer, Wan Hidayati Nadirah Wan Ahmad Nasir confirmed that Hilmi has also been arrested under similar circumstances. "We have no confirmed information. We believe that both are detained under SOSMA and will be charged under section 130 K (A) of the Penal Code. They are currently detained in Bukit Aman," she said. The section makes it an offence to harbour terrorists. Those found guilty under the act would face a life sentence and liable to a fine, or a maximum of 20 years imprisonment and a fine. In February, Yazid, were detained under SOSMA and charged under section 130 of the Penal Code for promoting terrrorism in Syria. Hilmi and Halimah Hussin were charged with abetting with Yazid. On Feb 8, Yazid, a canteen operator at the Jalan Duta Court Complex here and Halimah, a housewife, were charged with allegedly committing the offence at a house in Taman Bukit Ampang, Ampang, between 8.30 and 10.30 am, from Aug 1 to Oct 20, 2012. They were the first individuals to be charged under Section 130G(a) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum of 30 years in prison and fine, upon conviction, after the abolishment of the Internal Security Act 1960. All three were however freed last week after judge Kamardin Hashim allowed the application by defence counsel led by Amer Hamzah Arshad to strike out the charges on the grounds that SOSMA which was enacted under Section 149 of the Federal Constitution could be used to detain the trio. Kamardin said Article 149 of the Federal Constitution was only applicable for acts of threats in Malaysia. "Since the charges against them involved offences committed in Syria, Article 49 and SOSMA, which is enacted under Article 149, cannot be used to prove the charges against them," he added. He said it would be an abuse of the court process if the prosecution was allowed to go on. Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Wahab Mohamad then applied for the three to be detained pending an appeal of the court's decision at the Court of Appeal. However, the application was rejected.
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| Ipoh Timur MP and Perak PKR secretary charged with failure to comply with Peaceful Assembly Act Posted: 26 May 2013 12:23 PM PDT (The Star) - Ipoh Timur MP Thomas Su Keong Siong, 47, was charged with failure to inform the district police chief of a rally held in Ipoh at least 10 days before the event under Section 9 (1) of the 2012 at the Sessions court here on Monday. Su, was charged with committing the offence on May 9 at 7.30pm at the Dewan Wisma Chin Woo, No. 36, Jalan Hussein, Ipoh. Perak PKR secretary Mohammad Anuar Zakaria, 46, was also charged in the same court under the same section for a different rally. Mohammad Anuar was charged with committing the offence on May 12 at 7.30pm, in front of the PKR office, No. 10, Jalan Medan Istana, Ipoh. In both cases, Judge Julie Lack Abdullah set bail at RM4,000 with one surety and July 19 for mention. Gobind Singh lead the defence counsel of 10 lawyers for Su, while Baldip Singh, Mahdi Hassan and Ranjit Singh defended Mohamad Anuar. Deputy public prosecutors were Masri Mohd Daud and Fadhli Abdul Wahab.
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| Azmin’s BN-friendly move welcomed Posted: 26 May 2013 12:17 PM PDT
(The Sun Daily) - MCA and Gerakan have welcomed the offer by PKR deputy president Azmin Ali to engage with Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders for the good of the nation. "We welcome this as the people have spoken through the ballot box already, so we should respect the rakyat's decision to build the nation," said MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai yesterday. Liow told theSun that all parties have a role to play in nation-building, including the opposition and the government. "What is important is to ensure the wealth and stability of the nation," said Liow. Meanwhile, Gerakan acting president Datuk Chang Ko Youn also agreed with Azmin's views. "It is better to sit down and talk with each other rather than attack each other through the media," said Chang. He said both sides – BN and Pakatan Rakyat have to bring the political temperature down – in the aftermath of the May 5 polls as both sides need to find a common ground. "Instead of exploiting the issues to attack each other, both sides should sit down and to talk about so-called electoral fraud, issues of corruption, the National Economic Policy, and freedom of the media, for the betterment of the people," said Chang. Azmin on Saturday had declared his willingness to initiate an engagement process with the Barisan Nasional (BN) for the good of the nation. Speaking at a press conference after the opening of the Ninth PKR Youth and Women's Wing Congress, he was reported as saying: "We believe there is room for all of us to work together for the interest of the people." "We can agree to disagree but at least there will be a dialogue to share views on matters of national concern," said Azmin. However, he stressed his proposal did not imply a desire to form a "unity government" with BN. Azmin added that while the Dewan Rakyat would be the best platform for such an engagement process, there should also be closed-door dialogues. |
| Posted: 26 May 2013 12:14 PM PDT
(The Star) - Among the matters being considered by the commission was to seek the power to "remove" voters who do not live at the address and update the registration in accordance with the address listed in their MyKad. The Election Commission (EC) will soon begin a review of election laws and voter registration procedures to deal with complaints such as unusually large number of voters registered at the same address. Among the matters being considered by the commission was to seek the power to "remove" voters who do not live at the address and update the registration in accordance with the address listed in their MyKad. "We will examine in detail all aspects related to the present laws governing voter registration to look at all the loopholes which can give room for fraud by any political party when they register voters," EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar (pic) said yesterday. There are two laws, the Elections Act 1958 and the Election Offences Act 1954, governing elections, in addition to three other statutes Elections (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981, Elections (Registration of Electors) Regulations 2002 and Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003. Representatives of political parties appointed by the EC as assistant voter registrars are allowed to sign up new voters but both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat have traded accusations of "shifting" voters by getting supporters to change their address and be registered in constituencies where their side could win. Wan Ahmad said one of the problems the EC faced in dealing with such cases was its inability to strike out the name of any voter from an address even when the commission was sure that the voter had never lived there or was no longer staying at the place. He said that under existing laws, only the voters had the authority to change their voting address. "As such, we want the power to strike out their names, find out from the National Registration Department where their actual addresses really are before we inform the voters and place them in their proper constituencies. This will not jeopardise their right to vote," he said. Wan Ahmad agreed that this would not be enough to fully resolve the problems facing the present voter registration system. "But this is part of a raft of measures that the EC will mull in its review, to identify and fix the loopholes that currently exist in voter registration procedures and laws. "We are doing this review because so many people are questioning the electoral roll. We will tighten the laws and procedures to prevent any opportunity for fraud in voter registration," said Wan Ahmad. He said if it was deemed necessary, the EC would also recommend to the government new measures, amendments to laws or even to abolish the laws altogether so that they could be replaced with new legislation. The last major review of electoral laws and procedures in 2001 led to changes such as the year-round voter registration. Wan Ahmad said the EC set up an internal committee in the wake of the Parliamentary Select Committee's electoral reform recommendations in April last year. He said the panel had completed a detailed probe to identify the weaknesses in the current voter registration system and electoral roll. The EC's top management would study the committee's findings before drawing up its proposals to improve the system. However, Wan Ahmad said no time frame had been set for the review to be completed.
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