Day: June 9, 2017

Granting of citizenship the exclusive right of federal govt

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Source: FMT News

PUTRAJAYA: National Registration Department director-general Mohd Yazid Ramli says the granting of Malaysian citizenship to applicants is the exclusive right of the federal government.

He said in considering applications for Malaysian citizenship, the burden of proving eligibility was the responsibility of each applicant and consideration to grant citizenship was subject to the applicant meeting the various requirements under Part III of the Federal Constitution.

In a statement yesterday, Mohd Yazid said there were several reasons why applications for citizenship were rejected including failing to meet eligibility requirements such as an applicant’s period of residence, good behaviour, knowledge of Malay whether fundamental, adequate or sufficient, and intention to reside permanently in the country. Read more →

No more politicians in GLCs, MACC board tells Putrajaya

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

Chairman of Anti-Corruption Advisory Board Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim advises Putrajaya against appointing politicians to head government-linked companies. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 ― The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) advisory board advised the government today against appointing politicians to head government-linked companies (GLCs), amid the crisis in Felda Global Ventures (FGV).

The board reasoned that most politicians bring their political habits along to the business they are handling, which it said results in unscrupulous practices when they run the business.

“The Advisory Board wishes to express in the strongest possible terms its concern about the government’s long-held practice of appointing party politicians as chairmen of GLCs.

“In every instance, they have fallen well below the ethical standards we have come to expect from those in positions of trust,” chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim said in a statement today. Read more →

Selangor says ‘shocked’ over rushing of EC court hearing

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

The Selangor and Melaka court cases were filed to get the courts to nullify and invalidate the EC’s alleged unconstitutional redelineation bid and the alleged use of defective electoral rolls with missing addresses for voters. ― Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 ― The Selangor government today expressed shock over the alleged rushing of court dates for its legal challenge against the Election Commission’s (EC) redelineation exercise.

Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said no reason was given for the courts’ insistence on fixing an early date for the Selangor government’s constitutional challenge of the EC’s redelineation bid.

“We are shocked by the sudden rush and irregular manner with which the dates were fixed today by the registrar of the Court of Appeal for hearing a pending appeal in this action,” he said in a brief statement today.

“As this is a matter of immense public interest touching on the constitutional voting rights of citizens, it is incumbent on the Selangor Government as a litigant to seek an explanation for this puzzling change of circumstances,” he added.

According to Azmin, the case management for the Selangor government’s court case was initially fixed for July 6 but was brought forward today without any explanation. Read more →

Explain ‘unusual’ rushing of redelineation court cases, Bersih tells CJ

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

The Selangor and Melaka court cases were filed to get the courts to nullify and invalidate the EC’s alleged unconstitutional redelineation bid and the alleged use of defective electoral rolls with missing addresses for voters. ― Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — The Chief Justice of Malaysia should explain why there is an alleged “rushing” of two court challenges against the Election Commission’s (EC) redelineation exercise, polls reform group Bersih 2.0 said today.

Bersih 2.0 said lawyers for the two separate court challenges in Selangor and Melaka were today told that hearings will be fixed on June 20, leaving them with just slightly over a week to make preparations.

When contacted, Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah told Malay Mail Online that lawyer Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan is handling both cases in Melaka and Selangor and that “she already has another case on the same day”.

“But they refused to change the dates,” Maria said.

Bersih 2.0 said it wants an explanation as to why the two court cases against the EC’s redelineation exercise were “coincidentally” given hearing dates for which the lawyers are unable to ask for changes.

“It is extremely unusual for the Courts to force the parties to agree or to fix cases on dates where Counsels are not available, especially if there are other cases fix earlier,” the group’s steering committee said in a statement. Read more →