A PARLIAMENT unaccustomed to a larger and vibrant opposition bench has proven challenging for Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia. Often, he is the target of criticism alleging his bias towards the executive. In the first part of an interview with The Nut Graph at his office in Parliament on 6 April 2011, […]
Speaker
Dilemma over Batu
By Gan Pei LingConfusion reigns over the status of Batu MP Tian Chua because of a lack of understanding about what the constitution says. Found in Quotation says it all.
Kota Siputeh: Testing the courts
By Ding Jo-AnnEC chairperson Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof THE nationwide constitutional law tutorial continues with the latest Kota Siputeh case. The court has had to intervene once again to arbitrate between the speaker of a legislative assembly and the Election Commission (EC). This time, the 16 Nov 2009 High Court decision ruled that the EC […]
Shameful behaviour in Perak
By Deborah LohLIKE the 7 May 2009 sitting, proceedings in the Perak legislative assembly today, 28 Oct 2009, were again a showcase of unparliamentary behaviour and the state of political affairs at their worst. The Pakatan Rakyat (PR)’s challenging of the forced seizure of its state government in February 2009 through defections and desertions is still morally […]
Police warns against commotion at Perak assembly
IPOH, 23 Oct 2009: The police today advised all quarters, especially party supporters, not to create a commotion during the Perak state assembly sitting, scheduled for Wednesday, 28 Oct 2009. Perak police chief Datuk Zulkefli Abdullah also urged assemblypersons not to create tension which might lead to untoward incidents. “Action will be taken against those […]
Sivakumar gets leave to challenge EC
KUALA LUMPUR, 22 Oct 2009: Embattled Perak Speaker V Sivakumar and six others were given the nod by the High Court here today to challenge the decision of the Election Commission (EC) in not holding by-elections in three state seats in Perak. Sivakumar, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) assemblypersons Chen Fook Chye, Tai Sing Ng and A […]
EC acted beyond powers, court told
KUALA LUMPUR, 4 Sept 2009: The Election Commission (EC) acted beyond its powers and functions in not holding by-elections for three state seats in Perak, the High Court here was told today. Counsel Datuk S Ambiga said the EC’s decision in holding that the state assembly seats of Behrang, Changkat Jering and Jelapang were not […]
Perak assembly sitting passes 3 resolutions
IPOH, 2 Sept 2009: Members of the Perak state assembly from the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) today had a state assembly sitting at the Heritage Hotel here and “passed three resolutions”. The resolutions were to endorse the rights and privileges committee reports of 27 July 2009 and 12 Aug 2009, and the appointments for three committees […]
Confusing party with government
By Shanon ShahTan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Pawanteh WHEN Tan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Pawanteh was Dewan Negara president, the upper house of parliament started regaining just a little bit of its clout as a check and balance to executive power. In 2005, for example, senators resisted just being a rubber stamp for the controversial amendments to […]
Announcement of Permatang Pasir by-election before 10 Aug
PENANG, 31 July 2009: The Election Commission (EC) is expected to announce the nomination and polling dates for the Permatang Pasir state by-election by 10 Aug, EC chairperson Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said. The by-election, the eighth since the March 2008 general election, has to be called because of the death of the […]