Day: April 29, 2016

Suing lying politicians doesn’t protect journalists, media group tells AG

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

Malaysiakini reporter Kow Gah Chie is being investigated under Section 505(c) of the Penal Code for allegedly causing public mischief. ― Picture by Kamles Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 ― The Attorney-General’s suggestion that journalists sue politicians who lie about being misquoted does not protect the media from police investigations when they are instead accused of inaccuracy, a press freedom group said.

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) highlighted the case of Malaysiakini reporter Kow Gah Chie, who is being investigated under Section 505(c) of the Penal Code for allegedly causing public mischief after Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) politician Dr Annuar Rapaee accused the journalist of taking his speech at a recent seminar in Sibu, Sarawak, out of context.

“While CIJ welcomes the AG’s acceptance of the reality of politicians lying about being misquoted, his solution seems topsy-turvy,” CIJ director Sonia Randhawa told Malay Mail Online recently.

“The onus should be on politicians to take action against false news reports, rather than on journalists to take action against politicians. This ignores how journalists rely on politicians as news sources.

“Further, in the recent case where a politician accused a journalist of lying, the journalist faced the threat of a police investigation. The proposed solution would not protect journalists from this threat,” she added.

AG Tan Sri Apandi Ali reportedly said at a recent talk that media outlets should take legal action against politicians who falsely claim to be misquoted or who renege on their own remarks, as this would hold public figures accountable. Read more →

Stop using criminal laws against journalists — Institute of Journalists Malaysia

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

APRIL 29 — The Institute of Journalists Malaysia (IoJ) is deeply concerned over the Royal Malaysian Police’s (PDRM) continued use of the Sedition Act 1948 to investigate journalists for writing news reports.

The police have called in The Heat Malaysia journalist Zakiah Koya for questioning under the Act today following an article she wrote about the Citizens’ Declaration early last month.

Zakiah is being investigated for her report, “Ousting Najib by all means”, which was based on a press conference held by several prominent political leaders on March 4 this year.

We strongly condemn the use of the Sedition Act against any journalist in the line of duty. Read more →

Federal Court upholds sanctity of court orders ― Gurdial Singh Nijar

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

BY GURDIAL SINGH NIJAR
(HAKAM Deputy President)

APRIL 29 ― The Federal Court today ordered the IGP to arrest Indira Gandhi’s ex-husband for contempt of court over his refusal to hand custody of their youngest child to her in the high-profile child conversion case.

In a single stroke, the apex Malaysian court has restored confidence in the judicial process and the rule of law.

“He is wilfully disobeying the court order and he still refuses to hand over Prasana Diksa to the appellant. He defended his action when he was found guilty of not obeying the custody order and he appealed to the Federal Court. Read more →

Federal Court orders IGP to arrest Indira Gandhi’s ex-spouse for contempt

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

M.Indira Gandhi (second left) is all smiles after the Federal Court ruling today which ordered IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to locate and arrest her Muslim convert ex-husband Mohd Riduan Abdullah for contempt of court. ― Picture by Yiswaree Palansamy

M.Indira Gandhi (second left) is all smiles after the Federal Court ruling today which ordered IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to locate and arrest her Muslim convert ex-husband Mohd Riduan Abdullah for contempt of court. ― Picture by Yiswaree Palansamy

PUTRAJAYA, April 29 — The Federal Court ordered the national police chief today to arrest M. Indira Gandhi’s ex-husband for contempt of court over his refusal to hand custody of their youngest child to her in the high-profile child conversion case.

The Federal Court also upheld the initial mandamus order issued by the Ipoh High Court to Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, ordering the court to monitor the procedures to track and to arrest Muslim convert Muhammad Riduan Abdullah following today’s decision.

The four-men bench at the apex court today ruled that the committal order against Muhammad Riduan was justified as he has repeatedly failed to produce the couple’s child — Prasana Diksa, now aged seven — in court.

“Pathmanathan despite having exhausted all avenues with regards to the custody order granted by a civil high court, is now willfully disobeying the courts, after his application for leave appeal was rejected by this court, he still refused to hand over Prasana Diksa to the appellant,” Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif, who led the bench, said today in the unanimous decision, referring to Muhammad Riduan by his name at birth.

“When he was found guilty for contempt of court with regards to custody order, he appealed to the Court of Appeal, but when his appeal was struck out, he disappeared together with Prasana Diksa.

“The chronology in this case shows that Pathmanathan has no respect for the court’s order, that he willingly submitted himself to the civil court and due process was accorded to him, but when the case didn’t turn out to be in his favour, decided to disobey the court’s order,” he added. Read more →

Polis kritik Siap, beri gambaran polis gagal ambil tindakan kes mati

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Sumber: The Malay Mail Online

KUALA LUMPUR, 29 April — Kes kematian N Dharmendran tidak sepatutnya dibincang di luar mahkamah kerana boleh mendatangkan prejudis dan subjudis terhadap kes itu, kata Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

Ini kerana kes itu belum diputuskan di mahkamah malah, keempat-empat anggota polis yang dituduh terlibat dalam kes itu akan dipanggil untuk membela diri di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur, katanya dalam kenyataan di sini, malam tadi.   Read more →

Time to ban child marriage in Malaysia – Heather Barr & Linda Lakhdhir

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Source: Malaysiakini

BY HEATHER BARR & LINDA LAKHDHIR

ChildMarriage-AzlanZamhari-MkiniThis month, Malaysia’s lower house amended the country’s Child Act 2001 without banning all marriage by girls and boys under the age of 18, as called for by several members of parliament and rights groups.

Absent from the debate was any appreciation of the core problem with child marriage – the real and lasting damage that early marriage causes to girls.

Around the world, there is overwhelming evidence that child marriage has devastating consequences for girls.

Married girls are unlikely to stay in school, and more likely to live in poverty. Married girls are more likely than women who marry at a later age to be the victims of domestic violence.

Child marriages often result in early pregnancy, which carries serious health risks – including death – for both girls and their babies. Read more →

Time for concrete action on custodial deaths, group says after EAIC reports

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 ― The police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) must have the willpower to take action in cases of deaths in custody, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) said after the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) released its third report on a custodial death yesterday.

LFL executive director Eric Paulsen pointed out that there was no follow-up action from the police or the AGC, after the EAIC found last October that Syed Mohd Azlan Syed Mohamed Nur’s 2014 death in custody in Johor was caused by police violence and recommended murder charges.

Yesterday, the EAIC released another report on a death in custody case, concluding that N. Dharmendran was tortured, with his ears stapled, and beaten to death by the police in 2013 when the 31-year-old man was detained at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.

“Clearly, the burden is on the police and for the AG to make sure that swift action is taken against all these personnel,” Paulsen told Malay Mail Online.

“The police must be willing to take action against their own personnel. The AGC ― they must be willing to prosecute these police personnel.

“It’s not to pass the duties to other groups like Suhakam and EAIC. That would mean the government, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Home Ministry ― they must ensure that the police and AGC do perform their duties to ensure there are follow up actions taken for these failures,” the human rights lawyer added. Read more →