Author: Intern Post

Adam’s story: How illegitimate Muslim children here carry ‘bin Abdullah’ stigma

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Source: Malay Mail Online

Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Adam is now 14, but the NRD’s policy of having illegitimate Muslim children bear the ‘bin Abdullah’ patronym is hampering him from getting a MyKad. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 — Adam* is like any other child in Malaysia, except the National Registration Department (NRD) wants him to ditch his father’s name and use “bin Abdullah”, a patronym that is virtually a badge of shame worn by illegitimate Muslim children.

Muslim parents Rahman* and Aisyah* married in Selangor and gave birth to Adam in the same state in 2004. Adam was issued a birth certificate and a MyKid that carried Rahman’s name with no questions asked by the NRD then.

Prepared to see their newborn child registered with “bin Abdullah” as he was born less than six months into their marriage, they were surprised and thought the department made an exception by accepting Rahman as the father’s name. Read more →

The loaded dice in redrawing electoral constituencies

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Source: The Malaysian Insight

The Malaysian Insight file pic

The Election Commission should ensure that every citizen’s vote is equal to another, and not weighted. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, January 4, 2018.

IF all things are equal, the current electoral re-delineation exercise throughout Malaysia should iron out past gerrymandering that allowed a wide disparity in voter numbers in constituencies across the country.

If.

But as one can see from the exercise in Selangor, the Election Commission (EC) seems to have a different idea of what all things being equal is all about. The weightage of voters in the electoral seats is as different as night and day.

And that has lead Selangor government think-tank Institut Darul Ehsan (IDE) to conclude that the ruling federal coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) could wrest back Malaysia’s richest state if elections are held after the re-delineation exercise. Read more →

Activist Fahmi Reza charged with distribution of offensive caricature of PM

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Source: The Star

Pic drawn from The Star Online

Pic drawn from The Star Online

IPOH:  Activist and graphic designer Fahmi Reza (pic) has been ordered by a Sessions Court here to enter his defence to a charge of posting a caricature image of a national leader on his Facebook account.

Fahmi, 40, whose full name is Mohd Fahmi Reza Mohd Zarin, had allegedly posted an edited image of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on his Instagram account on Jan 31, 2016.

He has been charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for the offence.

For the charge in Ipoh, Mohd Fahmi was said to have uploaded the image intentionally on his Facebook account on Feb 8, 2016.

Sessions Court judge Norashima Khalid instructed Mohd Fahmi to enter his defence after the prosecution proved a prime facie case against him.

He choose to give sworn evidence from the dock. He was represented by counsel Syahredzan Johan, while Nazrul Nizam Zameri prosecuted.

Mohd Fahmi was charged under Section 233 (1) (a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 which carries a sentence of one year imprisonment, a RM50,000 fine or both.

Deputy MB: Kelantan to model Qatar’s hudud law, including amputation

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Source: Malay Mail Online

Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah (left) stressed that Kelantan’s currently dormant hudud enactment can only be enforced after a private member’s Bill by Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang is passed in the Parliament. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — The Kelantan government will study ways of adopting Qatar’s implementation of hudud, the Islamic penal law, said Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah.

According to Mohd Amar, the state will allocate RM1 million to research how best to implement hudud that includes amputation, whipping and stoning for some offences.

“Qatar is one of the best models to follow the process of hudud implementation,” he was quoted as saying in Sinar Harian.

Currently, the PAS vice president said the state lacked the expertise and knowledge to perform some of the procedures necessary for selected hudud punishments, such as the surgical removal of limbs.

Theft, for instance, is punishable by the amputation of a hand in some instances. There is no equivalent to this in the country’s criminal law. Read more →

A look at various kinds of corruption: Part 1 — Greg Lopez

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Source: Malay Mail Online

BY GREG LOPEZ

JANUARY 2 — Corruption is a word that Malaysians hear regularly. There are many other words that are often confused or used interchangeably with corruption.

The World Bank has the following words that are often used interchangeably with corruption.

Corruption — a corrupt practice is the offering, giving, receiving or soliciting, directly or indirectly, anything of value to influence improperly the actions of another party.

Collusion – a collusive practice is an arrangement between two or more parties designed to achieve an improper purpose, including influencing improperly the actions of another party.

Coercion — a coercive practice is impairing or harming, or threatening to impair or harm, directly or indirectly, any party or property to influence improperly the actions of a party. Read more →

Independent judiciary: PPBM must keep its word, say lawyers

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Source: Free Malaysia Today

Pic drawn from FMT News

An independent judiciary is a welcome idea, as there is little transparency nor accountability in the appointment and promotion of judges, says Paulsen. – Pic drawn from FMT News

SHAH ALAM: To realise an independent judiciary, it is important for all parties within Pakatan Harapan (PH) to be of one mind, said human rights lawyer Eric Paulsen.

“As a coalition, it will be difficult for any one top leader to make decisions on his own.

“Therefore, if an independent judiciary is on PPBM’s manifesto, then it is up to the coalition as a whole to keep that promise,” he said.

He was responding to a proposal by PPBM chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad, at the party’s annual general meeting on Saturday, to restore the independence of the judiciary should PH take over Putrajaya in the next general election (GE14).

Paulsen said Mahathir must be reminded that it was during his administration that the judiciary came under its worst attack with the sacking of the then Lord President. Read more →

Efforts of unsung heroes must continue for better 2018

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Source: Free Malaysia Today

Pic drawn from FMT News

Klang MP Charles Santiago says answer for the country’s woes is in the people’s continuous demand for good governance, transparency and accountability. – Pic drawn from FMT News

PETALING JAYA: In a New Year message, DAP’s Charles Santiago lauded the efforts of the nation’s “unsung heroes” who have shown in the past year a desire for a better Malaysia.

Calling them extraordinary, the Klang MP said it also proved that ultimately, the responsibility for a better Malaysia lies with the public.

“I would like to celebrate the unsung heroes who fought for a better Malaysia despite knowing that it would be an arduous battle.

“The answer for the country’s woes is in the continuous demand for good governance, transparency and accountability from both ruling and opposition politicians,” he said in a statement, listing some of the issues which hit the headlines in the past 12 months. Read more →

Education Ministry to issue guidelines on tackling internet abuse, cyberbullies

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Source: Malay Mail Online

GELANG PATAH, Jan 1 — The Education Ministry will be formulating guidelines to tackle incidents of internet abuse, especially cyberbullying among students in the country.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan said cyberbullying was one of the main examples that the ministry was looking at in light of students being more tech-savvy.

“The guidelines on students’ behaviour and conduct have always existed, but the ministry will improve on it by including cyberbullying as a current issue that needs to be addressed,” he said.

Kamalanathan said the inclusion of cyberbullying in the behaviour and conduct guidelines will also take into consideration aspects to protect both parties, who are the students as well as teachers. Read more →

Bersih asks EC: Why hold local enquiries during Xmas week

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Source: The Star

PETALING JAYA: Bersih 2.0 has criticised the Election Commission’s (EC) move to hold local enquiries for its redelineation exercise in Selangor during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

“Most urban voters in Selangor will be spending that week of the year celebrating with families and may be on holiday,” the group said in a statement Thursday. Read more →

Wang Kelian case a test of police integrity, says Paul Low

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Source: the Malaysian Insight

POLICE must start an internal investigation into the alleged cover-up of mass killings and human trafficking along the Perlis-Thai border in 2015 to restore public confidence, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Paul Low.

Low, who is in charge of governance, integrity and human rights, told The Malaysian Insight the cabinet discussed it in its weekly meeting yesterday and will get to the bottom of it.

“Such incidents shouldn’t have had happened. They undermine public trust and confidence in the police as an institution responsible for the protection of citizens and non-citizens in the country.

“The police themselves must launch their own investigation. Who is involved? Were the officers and syndicates working together? Why are there discrepancies in (the police’s internal reports)?” he said. Read more →