Day: July 18, 2017

Statement on public caning — G25

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

Statement by G25

JULY 18 — PAS may say that the public caning under Syariah law is not a punishment to inflict pain but is imposed merely to serve as a gentle reminder to Muslims that they should not commit moral sins.  However, what should be remembered is that the Quran forbids the shaming and embarrassing of fellow Muslims. Nowhere in the Quran does it provide for the caning of sinners in public.

In addition, not all Muslims agree that in today’s world we should be obsessed with humiliating people who commit personal sins, in violation of the modern concept of justice that even the worst criminals deserve to be treated with respect. A murderer sentenced to death deserves to die in dignity and in privacy. Read more →

Welfare officers will be empowered to protect domestic violence victims, minister says

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: The Malay Mail Online

PUTRAJAYA, July 18 — Some 1,600 Welfare Department (JKM) officers will be empowered to issue an Emergency Protection Order (EPO) to provide immediate protection to victims of domestic violence, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim.

She said it was among five reforms included in the Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2017 which was expected to be tabled for the second and third readings in Dewan Rakyat at the next Parliamentary sitting.

Through the amendment, she said, authorised officers are empowered by JKM director-general to issue ex-parte temporary order effective for one week to protect domestic violence victims during a state of emergency.

“Currently all JKM officers are in the midst or have undergone the relevant course. The ministry wants all JKM officers in the field to be well-trained,” she told reporters at a briefing session on the Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2017 to media practitioners here today. Read more →

Court dismisses Eric Paulsen’s suit against Muslim activist

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: FMT News

Eric Paulsen- pic drawn from FMT News

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today dismissed human rights lawyer Eric Paulsen’s defamation suit against a Muslim activist on claims that he is an “instigator”.

Justice Zaki Abdul Wahad said the lawyer had proved his case against Pembela activist Mohamed Hafiz Mohamed Nordin as the statement referred to him.

“However, he failed to show that the statement uttered by Hafiz had lowered his reputation in society and that it caused the public to look                                                                                        down on him,” he said in his short oral judgment.

At the same time, the court also rejected Hafiz’s defence of fair comment and justification on the lawsuit, saying if Paulsen had proven his reputation was indeed tarnished, the court may award him damages. Read more →

Court dismisses Melaka voters’ bid to challenge EC redelineation

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: The Malay Mail Online 

KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — The Court of Appeal today ruled that seven Melaka voters should not be allowed to continue their legal challenge of the Election Commission’s (EC) redelineation exercise.

Chan Tsu Chong, one of the seven voters and their spokesman, said the appellate court reversed the Melaka High Court’s previous decision for the legal challenge to go on.

“The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal by the AG and EC, which means they dismissed the earlier leave granted by the Melaka High Court,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted today, adding that no costs was awarded.

Chan said the judges did not give the detailed grounds for their ruling and only stated their agreement with the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ arguments for the EC.

The judges on the three-man panel today were Datuk Umi Kalthum Abdul Majid, Tan Sri Idrus Harun, and Datuk Hasnah Mohammed Hashim. Read more →

Malaysia on target to meet UN goal of reducing poverty

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: FMT News

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is on target to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda as set out by the United Nations, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan

Speaking at the UN High Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York yesterday, Rahman presented the voluntary national review on the country, saying that Malaysia was very much in compliance of the goal related to this year’s theme – “Eradicating Poverty and Promoting Prosperity in a Changing World”.

“Malaysia has achieved the biggest reduction in the percentage of population under the poverty line among all countries in Southeast Asia, according to the Asian Development Bank,” Rahman told those in attendance at the HLPF. Read more →