JULY 13 — The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) urges the Attorney General’s Chamber to drop the charge of “obstructing a public servant” against human rights lawyer Siti Kasim. We also call on the Malaysian government to end discriminatory laws, policies, and practices against the transgender community, and further comply with international human rights standards. Read more
Author: Wei Meng Lim
Kelantan passes shariah law to allow for public caning
Source: FMT News
July 12, 2017
PETALING JAYA: The Kelantan state assembly today passed a law that allows for criminals in the state to be caned in public, New Straits Times reported.
The amendment made to the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Procedure Enactment allows courts the discretion to rule if the caning should be carried out in public or in prison, as has been the case previously. Read more
Crackdown against undocumented migrants in Malaysia
Source: Asian Tribune
Lawmakers from across the ASEAN region expressed concerns today over the Malaysian government’s ongoing crackdown against undocumented migrants in the country, which began on 1 July and has already resulted in thousands detained in facilities notorious for their poor conditions. APHR Board Member Mu Sochua – a member of the Cambodian National Assembly.
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a collective of regional lawmakers, urged the Malaysian government to prioritize the protection of human rights and ensure the fair treatment of all workers, many of whom end up undocumented through no fault of their own. Read more
Women have right to model, groups say after Shell standees removed
Source: MalayMailOnline
KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — Women have the right to promote products and to appear in advertisements, women’s rights groups said after Shell removed standees of a female employee that were “molested” by men.
The Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (Arrow) highlighted Article 8(2) of the Federal Constitution that prohibits gender discrimination in relation to property and employment.
“All women also have the right to appear in advertisements and promotional materials in line with doing their job,” Arrow executive director Sivananthi Thevindran told Malay Mail Online yesterday when contacted. Read more
Tahfiz schoolboy death: Investigation papers to be forwarded to DPP
JOHOR BARU: Police will forward investigation papers on the death of religious school pupil Mohamad Thaqif Amin Mohd Ghaddafi to the deputy public prosecutor.
Newly appointed state CID chief Senior Asst Comm Azman Ayob, who was previously Muar OCPD, said police would seek advice from the DPP on the case.
“The case is still on-going and there is no such thing that it will be closed, as claimed by certain parties,” he told reporters at a press conference here on Tuesday, following the handing over of duties from outgoing Johor CID chief Deputy Comm Police Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat to him. Read more
Azalina: Raus’ appointment based on former CJ’s advice
Source: FMTNews
July 11, 2017. PETALING JAYA: Putrajaya today defended the extension to chief justice Md Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal president Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin’s respective tenures, stating it was based on the Federal Constitution and on the advice of the then Chief Justice Arifin Zakaria, before he retired.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said said Arifin had advised the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on March 30, on making Raus and Zulkefli additional judges, while he was still the chief justice. Read more
With top court victory, Teresa Kok keeps RM350,000 award over ISA arrest
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PUTRAJAYA, July 11 — DAP MP Teresa Kok won again in her long eight-year legal battle when the Federal Court today ruled in her favour and maintained a RM350,000 compensation over her wrongful arrest in 2008.
The Federal Court dismissed the government’s bid to appeal an earlier court ruling to award RM350,000 to Kok to compensate for her arrest and detention under the now-abolished Internal Security Act (ISA). Read more
Developing Critical Thinking should be an important agenda toward TN50 — Ng Seng Yi
By Ng Seng Yi
In today’s context of a plethora of information available on social media, a “critical thinking ” approach could help discern fake information – Ng Seng Yi.
IF I were asked what my aspiration for the Transformasi Nasional 2050 (TN50) initiative is, I would say a developed nation with people who can think critically.
At the Eighth Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking and Education Reform, Summer 1987, Michael Scriven and Richard Paul defined critical thinking as the intellectually disciplined process of actively conceptualizing, applying, analysing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.
In other words, critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally about what to do or what to believe. It includes the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking when evaluating a plethora of information presented to readers. Read more
Malaysia’s bauxite exports rise despite mining ban
An excavator fills a lorry with bauxite at the stockpile area at Kuantan port in this file picture. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri
KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 ― A year and a half after banning bauxite mining to force miners to meet environmental standards, Malaysia’s exports to main customer China are again growing, raising public anger over illegal mining.
Residents and politicians in the east coast bauxite mining region are calling for a total export ban of the aluminium raw material, but industry figures and analysts say shipments are likely to continue.
Malaysia halted bauxite mining in January last year, but allowed exports to continue to deplete vast stockpiles at ports where run-off after monsoon rains had polluted waters and led to a public outcry.
But 18 months later, the stockpiles are the same size as they were at the start of the ban, even asMalaysia has exported more than 9 million tonnes of bauxite to China, according to Chinese import data. Read more
Tony Pua’s appeal to challenge 2015 travel ban fails
Pic taken from The Star Online
PUTRAJAYA: Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua failed in his bid to challenge the Immigration Department director-general’s decision to bar him from travelling abroad.
Pua had filed an appeal against the High Court’s July 2016 dismissal of his judicial review application challenging the director-general’s decision.
He named the director-general and the Government as respondents.
In a unanimous decision Wednesday, Court of Appeal judge Justice Mohd Zawawi Salleh said there was no reason for the panel to interfere with the High Court’s decision. Read more