THE federal government has prevailed yet again in keeping secrets from the Malaysian public. On 25 Feb 2011, the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court decision compelling the disclosure of an audit report and a 2004 water concession agreement. How are the audit report and the agreement significant? And why did the Court of […]
judiciary
Remembering the Perak crisis
By Ding Jo-Ann
IT’S been almost two years since Barisan Nasional (BN) wrested the Perak government from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) but does anyone still care to remember? And how would we choose to remember it? If, as the saying goes, “History is written by the victors”, then the history of the Perak takeover would probably go like this: […]
Judicial creativity: What are the limits?
By Ding Jo-Ann
IT’S a running joke in the legal fraternity that lawyers cannot count. The recent confusion surrounding Batu member of Parliament (MP) Tian Chua’s possible disqualification however, suggests that judges might also have similar issues. Chua was fined RM2,000 by High Court judge Datuk Ghazali Cha for biting a police officer. Article 48(1)(e) of the Federal […]
Who qualifies as a syariah lawyer?
By Ding Jo-AnnCan non-Muslims practise in the syariah courts?LAWYER Victoria Jayaseelee Martin made headlines in mid May with her quest to be admitted as a syariah lawyer in the Federal Territory. The Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council had refused admission to Martin because she was not a Muslim. On 14 May 2010, she was granted leave to have […]
Mohd Hatta Ramli (Kuala Krai)
By Ding Jo-AnnKUALA Krai Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli’s response to the MP Watch: Eye on Parliament project, which asks all 222 MPs six questions. (source: parlimen.gov.my) Name: Dr Mohd Hatta RamliConstituency: Kuala Krai Party: PAS (Opposition) Years as MP: Since 2008 Government position: None Party position: Treasurer Central committee member Membership in parliamentary committees or caucuses: None Blog/Website: http://hattaramli.blogspot.com/ Would you support […]
Perception vs fact in the judiciary
By Ding Jo-Ann“FOR any decision, the losing party will say it’s unfair, the winning party will say it’s fair,” says Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi. He says as people tend to root for the underdog, decisions favouring the government tend to be viewed as a result of government bias. In the second and final part of an […]
Malaysia, the model Muslim country
By Shanon ShahMalaysia? BACK when he was deputy prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak pledged that Malaysia would become “a role model to the Islamic world”. He said this in the middle of the 2009 Kuala Terengganu by-election, which Najib’s Barisan Nasional (BN) eventually lost to Pakatan Rakyat (PR). Najib’s pledge was poetic, since a “role model” […]
Perak: Losing confidence
By Ding Jo-AnnIT is a cardinal rule in the game of musical chairs that once someone has occupied a seat, no one else can validly sit in it. The Federal Court however, appears to think otherwise in declaring the Barisan Nasional (BN)’s Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir the rightful Perak Menteri Besar. This is despite the […]
Don’t charge Nasir Safar
By Ding Jo-AnnDATUK Nasir Safar‘s alleged racist remarks have sparked calls by Barisan Nasional component parties for Nasir to be charged with sedition and even detained without trial under the Internal Security Act. Buckling under such pressure, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein announced on 4 Feb 2010 that the now former special officer of the prime […]
In independence we trust
By Ding Jo-AnnBook on Muslim women no longer banned THE High Court has been demonstrating their ability to be independent over the past few weeks in striking down several decisions by government institutions. On 22 Dec 2009, the High Court censured the police for wrongfully arresting participants of the Asia Pacific Conference on East Timor II (Apcet […]
