The Malaysian Bar - Knowing laws of the land better

Home

Committees

Constitutional Law Committee

Knowing laws of the land better

Wednesday, 18 November 2009 06:44am

© The New Straits Times (Used by permission)

(14 Nov 2009) KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council yesterday launched a campaign to help Malaysians understand the Federal Constitution and empower them to fight their own battles.

The MyConstitution campaign is supported by the government.

The Bar Council's Constitutional Law Committee chairman Edmund Bon said the Constitution was a complex legal document and few Malaysians understood it.

"So this campaign is going to simplify it, so that everyone can learn about the Constitution. We want to educate you on the Constitution, on your rights, so that you can fight your own battles.

"We want to help you empower yourself, so that you can be a fully participating member of the democratic system of this country. If an issue arises that concerns the Constitution, we want you to be able to read the Constitution, and analyse the issue for yourself." he said.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk V.K. Liew, in launching the campaign, said the law must be stable but not stand still.

"We, therefore, ought to review and change the laws where we have the means to do so, especially those that are outdated, unjust and onerous.

"A Constitution does not split hairs or dabble in semantics. It is either black or white. It is either this or that, no in-betweens or ambiguity."

He regretted that most Malaysians had never picked up a copy of the Constitution, much less read it.

"Perhaps the word `Constitution' is intimidating, conjuring the connotation of something lofty and difficult to understand."

He added that the government was endorsing the campaign to raise public awareness of the Constitution.

About 100,000 booklets on "What is the Federal Constitution?", printed in English and Bahasa Malaysia, have been printed for distribution.

Articles on the website www. perlembagaanku.com will also provide an introduction to the Federal Constitution.