Day: January 28, 2016

Dewan Negara approves motion allowing Malaysia’s TPP participation

admin

Source: The Malaysian Insider

Dewan Negara has approved Malaysia's TPP participation. – Wikipedia pic, January 28, 2016.

Dewan Negara has approved Malaysia’s TPP participation. – Wikipedia pic, January 28, 2016.

The Dewan Negara has just approved a motion to allow Malaysia to participate in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) following Dewan Rakyat’s endorsement yesterday.

The Senate sitting discussing TPP started this morning.

Dewan Rakyat‘s 127 backbenchers voted in favour of the pact while the 84 opposition MPs voted against the motion.

The lower house had a two-day special parliamentary meeting on the controversial multi-national trade pact.

The upper house, in a special meeting, approved, based on a voice vote, the motion to back Malaysia’s participation in the TPP, reported Bernama. Read more →

Ambiga: AG’s discretion not absolute, can be challenged in court

admin

Source: The Malay Mail Online

Ambiga said those who understand the international scenario will know that similar people-organised tribunals are held globally and have provided a platform for people to come forward and give their evidence. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Ambiga said those who understand the international scenario will know that similar people-organised tribunals are held globally and have provided a platform for people to come forward and give their evidence. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — The Attorney-General (AG) does not have absolute power in deciding whether or not to press charges and his decisions can be questioned in the courts, prominent lawyer Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said today.

Ambiga said there was no such thing as an “absolute power in a democracy” and asserted that the AG’s discretion still has to be exercised reasonably and after taking into account proper factors.

“And we have now a case, which is the Rosli Dahlan case, decided by Justice Vazeer, upheld by the Court of Appeal, that the AG’s discretion can be questioned, it is not absolute, it is open to review,” the former Bar Council president told reporters when met at the court complex. Read more →

Hindu mother files appeal in final push to reverse unilateral conversion on her children

admin

Source: The Malaysian Insider

M. Indira Gandhi has applied to reverse the appellate court’s ruling on the unilateral conversion of her minor children. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 28, 2016.

Kindergarten teacher M. Indira Gandhi has filed her leave application to reverse the Court of Appeal ruling on unilateral conversion of her minor children, lawyer M. Kula Segaran said.

The lawyer said the application to the Federal Court was filed today via e-filing and copies had been served to the respondents.

“We have framed eight legal questions, which we think are of public importance to obtain leave from the apex court to hear the merit of the appeal,” he told The Malaysian Insider. Read more →

Yazid and Hilmi acquitted of terror charges, sentenced to alternative charge

admin

Source: Loyar Buruk

Jan 27, 2016, Kuala Lumpur – After 33 days of trial, the Public Prosecutor dropped its original charges against Yazid Sufaat and Hilmi Hasim. The charges were for promoting the commission of terrorist acts (maximum punishment: 30 years) and being members of a terrorist group (maximum punishment: life).

The decision to drop the charges came after the cross-examination of the prosecution’s star witness, Mohamad Razin Sharhan Mustapha Kamal, by counsel for Yazid and Hilmi, Amer Hamzah Arshad. Razin’s evidence was exculpatory of the accused persons.

The defence then made a representation that the charges be dropped. The prosecution agreed.

Instead, an alternative charge of omitting to give information relating to terrorist acts under section 130M of the Penal Code was preferred against Yazid and Hilmi. The offence is punishable by imprisonment of up to 7 years.

Yazid and Hilmi pleaded guilty to the alternative charge.

After mitigation, the High Court Judge Dato’ Mohd Azman Husin sentenced them to 7 years from the date of their arrests. Read more →

76 stay away from SK Pos Tohoi after deaths

admin

Source: The Malay Mail Online

Orang Asli Network of Kelantan deputy chairman Nasir Dollah is pictured at the press conference. On his left are Midah and Ayel. — Picture by Zuraneeza Zulkifli

Orang Asli Network of Kelantan deputy chairman Nasir Dollah is pictured at the press conference. On his left are Midah and Ayel. — Picture by Zuraneeza Zulkifli

PETALING JAYA, Jan 28 — Seventy-six pupils of Sekolah Kebangsaan Pos Tohoi have not returned to school after five of their schoolmates died tragically last August.

Their parents claim they were still traumatised by the incident and the authorities had not done enough to improve conditions in the school.

Ayel Ajib, 48, the father of Ika, who died in the incident, said his three other children refused to return to school.

“They are so afraid after what happened to their elder sister,” he said.

Ayel admitted that he, too, felt frightened to send his children back to the school.

“I do not want my other children to suffer the same fate. They are still young and have a long life ahead of them,” he told a press conference here after he and 16 other villagers from Pos Tohoi submitted a memorandum to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia.  Read more →