Updated on 7 June 2010 at 11.20am IT was interesting to see our Malaysian government defending the rule of law and upholding human rights in the international arena recently. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his colleagues condemned the recent Israeli commando-style raid of the flotilla of ships attempting to deliver aid to Gaza, resulting […]
law
Who qualifies as a syariah lawyer?
By Ding Jo-AnnCan non-Muslims practise in the syariah courts?LAWYER Victoria Jayaseelee Martin made headlines in mid May with her quest to be admitted as a syariah lawyer in the Federal Territory. The Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council had refused admission to Martin because she was not a Muslim. On 14 May 2010, she was granted leave to have […]
Enforcing the law equally
By Ding Jo-AnnEVER looked both ways while driving and asked your passengers, “See any police?” before making an illegal U-turn? Or snuck a call on your mobile phone without a hands-free kit while driving? Or driven past the traffic lights just as they turned red? If so, did you know you were breaking the law? And if […]
Bung Mokhtar: Lawmaker or breaker?
By Ding Jo-AnnProtestors outside the Gombak Timur Syariah Court (pic courtesy of Women’s Aid Organisation) “(Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin) is a lawmaker and he is breaking the law, but the way the issue is highlighted makes it seem like there’s nothing wrong.” “(He) should step down and should not represent Malaysians (in Parliament) any more. That would […]
Third vote conundrum
By Deborah LohTHE Penang government has started removing hurdles in the way of restoring local council elections, and its next stop could be the Federal Court. Lawyers consulted by the state assert that local polls are possible because: • The federal law which governs the polls was never abolished. This law is the Local Government Elections Act […]
Solving the insurance headache
By Ding Jo-AnnIN 2005, there were roughly 328,000 motor accidents with over 6,000 fatalities in Malaysia, out of over 15 million registered vehicles. In all these cases, injured accident victims often looked to drivers’ insurers to pay their hospitalisation costs and damages for pain and suffering. Under Malaysian law, vehicle owners must obtain coverage for injuries caused […]
Friday sermons to Islam’s rescue
By Shanon Shah“Marilah kita hidup di negara ini dengan hormat-menghormati antara satu sama lain. Budaya ini akan menjamin kesejahteraan dan kebahagiaan. Jika ada pihak lain yang tidak mahu hidup hormat-menghormati, sudah pasti akan berlaku kemungkinan permusuhan, pergaduhan dan pembunuhan yang pastinya kesemua sekali akan rugi negara akan musnah. Hentikanlah menghina Islam, kerana Islam adalah ciptaan Allah.” THE […]
Najib on caning: Who’s listening?
By Ding Jo-Ann“Islam is a religion of compassion and mercy. It is not about corporal punishment. That is the last resort. “That’s how it should be practised. We must not go overboard.” Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak commenting on the sentencing of Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno in July 2009 to six cane strokes after she pleaded […]
BN’s whipping quandary
By Ding Jo-AnnDigging…and digging…and digging THE big hole our government found themselves in after Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno was sentenced to caning for drinking alcohol has just gotten bigger. Stuck between pleasing those who thought moral offenders deserved caning and outraged human rights groups as well as the international community, the government decided to cane three other […]
Normalising caning
By Ding Jo-Ann and Patrick Kratzenstein(Corrected at 3:10pm, 8 March 2010) “The public and world community no longer needs to fear caning as a punishment under the syariah because it is not cruel but instead educates the offenders. It also provides awareness and teaches the offenders to repent and not repeat the acts.” Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who […]
