LOW-cost flat units are supposed to be reserved for low-income earners, and primarily to provide housing for squatter residents who are displaced by the development of the land they one occupied. To ensure that only the poor are allowed to purchase these low-cost units, the Selangor government has set the following rules: the purchaser must […]
Letters to the Editor
Questions about Khazanah’s investment
KHAZANAH Nasional’s recent acquisition of a 10% stake in OUC for RMB300 million, or RM150 million, raises the question of what exactly Khanazah‘s investment role, strategy and philosophy are. Is Khazanah a strategic investor meant to play an active role in bringing about and developing key industries and technologies in Malaysia via mega developments such […]
Stop book confiscation, banning
THE Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is concerned by the government’s latest move of confiscating two books, Where is Justice? and 1Funny Malaysia, published by online news site Malaysiakini.com. On 29 Jan, the news portal reported that 64 copies of the books had been confiscated from two retail outlets in Malacca and Penang. A Malaysiakini […]
Allow lawyers to fulfill duties without fear or favour
THE Malaysian Bar is appalled that the office of the law firm representing the Herald suffered a break-in that was discovered this morning. If this incident is related to their role in the ongoing case involving the Herald, it is a clear case of harassment and coercion of the lawyers concerned, who are the latest targets […]
Ensure transparent eradication of corruption
I REFER to the announcement today by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Datuk Abu Kassim Mohammed. He said that with immediate effect, the MACC would enforce an existing ruling prohibiting those who lodge reports with the commission to inform the public, including the media, on the matter. This would be so that it would […]
Judiciary must not be intimidated
THE Malaysian Bar welcomes the reported efforts of the police in monitoring and investigating the reprehensible incidents of arson and vandalism of various places of worship this past week. These incidents, along with the hacking and defacing of the Malaysian judiciary’s website last week, constitute attempts to harass, and put undue pressure on, the judiciary […]
Protect our freedom of religion, prime minister
INSTEAD of beginning the New Year as a single, united Malaysian nation, churches have been attacked in a series of orchestrated acts of violence. Such acts render the 1Malaysia concept pure rhetoric. The police and the prime minister have promised swift action against the perpetrators. However, the government has made too many empty promises in […]
Civil dialogue necessary for a civil society
WHILE investigations into the recent attacks on churches are ongoing, we shouldn’t point fingers willy-nilly and accuse Umno or the government as being the culprit behind these arsons. But let’s take a step back to think about how we have reached a point where Malaysians burn the places of worship of another. A friend of mine […]
“Stand up against violence”
THE Christian Federation of Malaysia strongly and unreservedly condemns the violent attacks and attempted fire-bombing of several churches in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya in the early hours of 8 Jan 2010. We are against such actions that seek to intimidate people and also to rend the country’s peace and fabric of goodwill. Thus far […]
“Attack on churches un-Islamic”
THE cowardly and utterly senseless act of a group of misguided, chauvinistic bigots in torching at least three churches in the Klang Valley this morning must be condemned in no uncertain terms by all peace-loving Malaysians. This act of arson, committed presumably in the name of Islam, desecrates the very religion it purports to protect. […]
