KUALA LUMPUR, 6 Nov 2008: Two DAP members of parliament (MPs) Fong Po Kuan (Batu Gajah) and Chong Chieng Jen (Bandar Kuching) were ordered to leave the Dewan Rakyat today after they questioned a decision by Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia. Fong had earlier rose and said that Pandikar Amin was ignoring her request […]
Current Issues
Stop harassing lawyers, says Malaysian Bar
By Elizabeth LooiPETALING JAYA, 6 Nov 2008: The Malaysian Bar has called for the police to stop harassing lawyers by calling them in for questioning in relation to their cases. Its president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said lawyers must be free to act for their clients without fear or favour. The independence of the Bar is critical to […]
Police beat base not closed for security reasons
KUALA LUMPUR, 6 Nov 2008: Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said today that the police beat base along Lorong Haji Taib here was not closed due to security reasons. It was closed after the building owner decided to take back the land, he said. “I would like to stress here that the written […]
Permanent gazettement of 10% for green lung
PUTRAJAYA, 6 Nov 2008: With immediate effect, all housing and city development project plans submitted for approval should include the permanent gazettement of 10% of land as ‘green lung’, said Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan. Although there was no law for such enforcement, he reminded state governments to abide by […]
Court sets aside former sec-gen’s conviction
KUALA LUMPUR, 6 Nov 2008: The High Court here today allowed the appeal by former secretary-general of the Rural Development Ministry Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Muhamad and set aside his conviction and five-year jail term for cheating and abetment in criminal breach of trust. Justice Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah, in acquitting him, said that […]
Dompok committed to getting gas pipeline project scrapped
PENAMPANG, 6 Nov 2008: Upko president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said he is committed to the people of Sabah in getting the Petronas gas pipeline project from Kimanis, Sabah to Bintulu, Sarawak, scrapped. He said the party was unhappy with the federal government’s decision to give Petronas the go-ahead to implement the project. “I’m committed […]
Abdul Razak no show at press conference
By Elizabeth LooiKUALA LUMPUR, 6 Nov 2008: Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, who was acquitted recently in abetting the murder of a Mongolian woman, failed to show up in a pre-arranged press conference in a hotel here this morning. Hordes of reporters waited at the hotel’s lobby since 9am, only to be told later that the press […]
Pitfalls in regulating race relations
By Deborah LohWill the proposed Race Relations Act outlaw discrimination? (Source: jpnin.gov.my) IS the proposed Race Relations Act doomed to fail even before it has been drafted? Human rights advocates, lawyers and academics who recently attended a roundtable on the proposed act seem to think so. The act, which was proposed by the government in September 2008, […]
Fatwa council to issue guidelines on swearing
KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Nov 2008: The National Fatwa Council will issue a guideline on swearing in accordance with Islamic rites to address confusions and differences of opinion over the matter. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the council was collating views from authoritative sources so that there would […]
Abdullah hopes Obama will bring positive change
KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Nov 2008: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today congratulated Barack Obama on his US presidential win, and said he should give immediate attention to bringing positive changes to the situations in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Palestine. “These are important issues that have been with us for a very long time […]
