IN the upcoming Galas by-election, Umno is expected to harp on “Ladang Rakyat”, a PAS state government development project that has reportedly benefited a private company over the rights of settlers. While Umno is championing the land rights of Malay Malaysian settlers, however, the Orang Asli remain one of the most impoverished communities under the […]
Bar Council
Assessing Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor
WHAT has the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Selangor government achieved after two and a half years in power? If one relied on traditional media reports or Umno’s “Save Selangor” roadshow, the answer may well be, “Not very much”. But the reality is much more nuanced, as demonstrated in the book The Road to Reform: Pakatan Rakyat […]
Talking about retrenchment
S K WIGNESWARY was an executive at an established media organisation for more than nine years. One Monday, she went to work as usual. By that evening, she was out of a job. “The department head made an announcement at about 4pm that a list of names would be called out and our services would […]
Should the subordinate courts have more power?
WHY has there been such a furore over the government’s amendment of the Subordinate Courts Act? And why should the public care that the Act has been amended? As a result of Parliament passing the amendment, the Sessions Court can now hear civil cases worth up to RM1 million while the Magistrates Court cases worth […]
Orang Asli Hospital not fulfilling role
KUALA LUMPUR, 22 Mar 2010: A hospital set up by the British to serve the Orang Asli in Gombak is not fulfilling its objectives in part because most of its patients are non-Orang Asli. Dr Selva Vathany Kanapathi Pillai, recently transferred out of the hospital after publicly voicing her concerns, told The Nut Graph that […]
Appeal Court’s ruling on MACC wrong
Corrected at 3.40pm on 11 Dec 2009 THE Malaysian Bar is disappointed with the Court of Appeal‘s ruling on 17 Dec 2009 that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) can question witnesses beyond office hours. The decision, which overturns the High Court‘s earlier ruling, is inimical to the protection of witnesses, who have the right to refuse […]
Nazri’s remarks over Lingam case “irresponsible”
PETALING JAYA, 18 Nov 2009: Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz‘s challenge to Karpal Singh to prosecute VK Lingam himself has come under fire by senior lawyers who have described his remarks as irresponsible. Former Bar Council president Yeo Yang Poh said the remark by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department was “not responsible” because […]
Probe high number of deaths of migrants in custody
THE Malaysian Bar is disturbed about the high number of migrants who have died while in custody. In July 2009, the Dewan Rakyat was told that some 2,029 persons died in prisons, rehabilitation centres and immigration detention centres between 2002 and 1 June 2009. More recently, Suhakam Commissioner Datuk Siva Subramaniam was quoted as saying […]
Bringing talent home
“We must bring the talents home and provide incentives to keep them home.” PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his speech at the Mahathir Science Award 2008 and 2009. He said more scientists and innovators were needed, and that Malaysia must identify the reasons for the country’s inability to nurture a bigger pool of […]
Hishammuddin has trivialised issue
THE Malaysian Bar is disappointed with Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein‘s response to the demonstration outside the Selangor secretariat building on 28 Aug 2009. By not denouncing the offensive actions of some of the demonstrators and instead accepting their weak explanation, he has trivialised the seriousness of the incident. It is also disquieting that […]
