ON Dec 10, 1948, these words were adopted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."
How we treat those who flee from danger and persecution and seek help at our doorstep is a reflection of the morality and humanity of our society.
Malaysia's refugee story began in 1975 with the arrival of Indochinese refugees by boat. A majority of them were resettled to other countries and some returned home safely.
During the same period, Malaysia offered local integration to some 13,000 Muslim Cham refugees from Cambodia. And in the 1970s and 1980s, Malaysia witnessed the arrival of some 50,000 Filipino Muslims from Mindanao who fled to Sabah.
These refugees were received and eventually locally settled into Sabah by the government with the support of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Since then, we have received refugees from Bosnia, Aceh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Somalia.
PUTRAJAYA: Organisers of Monday’s gathering must guarantee that it will be peaceful, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said.
He said police would protect and maintain public order in line with the spirit of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2011, but the organisers would have to convince the authorities that whatever they were planning would not jeopardise public safety.
He also said to date the organisers had yet to apply for a permit, but added “many” police reports had been lodged against the gathering. As of 2pm yesterday, 475 reports had been lodged nationwide.
He advised the public to be careful of text messages, blog entries and postings on the gathering, adding there was no restraining order to bar supporters from congregating at the High Court on Monday.
He said this after chairing the post-cabinet meeting here yesterday. Present were Deputy Home Ministers Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop and Datuk Lee Chee Leong, and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar.
KUALA LUMPUR: A Health Ministry probe into the shooting of tear gas at two hospitals during the Bersih 2.0 rally found that police did not act intentionally, a ministry official told the Suhakam public inquiry.
Zailani Hashim, who is secretary of the ministry's committee on investigating the claims, said:
“Through our initial findings, there was water sprayed at the multi-level car park and the main entrance and two tear gas canisters were fired in the area near the Waz Lian building,” said Zailani, who is also the ministry's corporate communications chief.
The Waz Lian building is situated on Jalan Pudu Lama, off Jalan Pudu, beside Tung Shin Hospital.
Although tear gas was not fired into the hospital compound, Zailani said the wind blew a cloud towards the main hospital building.
PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat's move to gather 100,000 people in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has placed “undue pressure” over the court's stand on the Opposition Leader's sodomy trial on Monday, says lawyer Art Harun.
He said the trial, which he had described as “highly-charged and highly emotional”, should be allowed to take its own course.
“Why don't they let the court do its work? If they are not happy with the verdict, then appeal.
“What are the 100,000 people going to do there?
“How about the whole of Kuala Lumpur who wants to go to work that day?
“The lawyers and other members of the public who have to be at court as well?”
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court will decide on Friday whether six Malaysians living in the United Kingdom can register and vote as absentee voters in this country.
Judge Datuk Rohana Yusuf fixed the date after both parties concluded their submissions yesterday.
Dr Teo Hoon Seong, 43, Dr Yolanda Sidney Augustin, 31, electrical engineer V. Vinesh, 32, entrepreneur Paramjeet Singh, 54, translator Sim Tze Wei, 28, and software architect Leong See See, 41, had filed the judicial review application on Oct 25.
They were given the green light by the High Court on Nov 14 to challenge the Election Commission's decision to reject their application to become absentee voters in the next general election.
They claimed that because they were not defined as absentee voters, their right to vote was denied.
The applicants stated in their application that the commission had no reason why the postal-vote system used by university students, government officers and army personnel abroad could not be used by Malaysians working in the private sector, retirees or the unemployed living overseas.
KUALA LUMPUR: A water cannon was fired at the Tung Shin Hospital grounds unintentionally as police officers did not realise the hospital was there, the Suhakam public inquiry into the Bersih 2.0 rally heard.
“I did not know the building was a hospital. Our vision in the truck was limited due to the rainy weather, smoky air and water on the truck's windscreen,” said Insp Nor Hisham Razali, the officer in charge of the water cannon truck that went to the area during the July 9 street march last year.
He said he and the four policemen controlling the truck were from Ipoh.
Insp Nor Hisham, 37, said the water cannon was fired to disperse protesters who were standing outside the hospital.
The spray from the cannon, which could reach as far as 30m, had hit the hospital grounds unintentionally, he told the inquiry yesterday.
Laws and litigation go hand in hand. It is hope that developments in the year ahead will give Malaysians a better quality of life.
ONCE again we are at the beginning of a new year. For many, if not most people, it looks like it was a short time ago that we welcomed 2011. In the same way, 2012 will pass. What is in store in the months ahead?
The legal arena is made up of Parliament which enacts the laws, the courts which decide on disputes and complaints, and the police who manage law and order in the country.
Much has been said about laws relating to civil liberties such as freedom of speech and freedom of assembly for the citizens. Into this also comes the consideration involving issues relating to freedom of the press.
Announcements made in the course of the past year have created great expectations with regard to changes in the law which touches on restraint of liberty, detention without trial, and the like. Will Malaysians really enjoy the freedom of speech and assembly they aspire for, and if so, to what extent?
Seminar on Rights Denied — The Orang Asli Struggle Continues! (19 Nov 2011)
Posted by Web Administrator
Tuesday, 03 January 2012 01:35pm
Contributed by Fong Lee Wee, Member, Committee on Orang Asli Rights, and Greg Das, Pupil in Chambers, with photos by Ambran Abu Bakar, Administrative Assistant, Bar Council
The seminar entitled “Rights Denied — The Orang Asli Struggle Continues!”, organised by the Bar Council Committee on Orang Asli Rights (“COAR”), was held on 19 Nov 2011 at the Raja Aziz Addruse Auditorium.
It was a well-attended event, with participation by individuals from various disciplines. The Orang Asli themselves showed up in full force and full regalia, strikingly attired in their customary headgear and bamboo sashes.
The seminar aimed to raise awareness of the struggles faced by the Orang Asli – the indigenous peoples of Malaysia – and to provide an avenue through which those problems could be addressed. The event undoubtedly achieved both objectives.
Lawatan ke Pusat Kanak-kanak Terencat Akal Bahagia, Klebang Kecil, Melaka (29 Okt 2011)
Posted by Web Administrator
Tuesday, 03 January 2012 02:11pm
Disumbangkan oleh Leong Zhi Hong (Ahli, Jawatankuasa Kecil Peguam-peguam Muda dan Pelatih Dalam Kamar, Jawatankuasa Bar Melaka), berserta gambar oleh Candy Lee (Sukarelawan)
Jawatankuasa Kecil Peguam-peguam Muda dan Pelatih Dalam Kamar, Jawatankuasa Bar Melaka (“YLCP”) telah mengadakan satu lawatan ke Pusat Kanak-kanak Terencat Akal Bahagia (“PKTAB”), Taman Anggerik, Klebang Kecil, Melaka pada 29 Okt 2011 (Sabtu). Lawatan ini diadakan sempena Projek Bulan Amal yang dijadualkan dari bulan September hingga bulan November 2011.
Kami telah berkumpul di pejabat Jawatankuasa Bar Melaka seawal jam 9:00 pagi sebelum menuju ke PKTAB secara berkumpulan dengan menggunakan lebih kurang 10 buah kereta.
Kami telah sampai ke PKTAB kira-kira jam 10:00 pagi. Kedatangan kami telah disambut oleh pengasas PKTAB sendiri iaitu Roy Collar dan beberapa pekerja PKTAB. Roy Collar telah menjelaskan kepada kami akan sejarah penubuhan pusat tersebut, bagaimana pusat tersebut beroperasi dan bertahan sehingga ke hari ini.
2012 Hotel Corporate Rates Attending seminars? Going for a holiday? Click on the link above to check out the list of hotel corporate rates for Members of the Bar, which is updated regularly.
Talk on Intellectual Property Law (10 Feb 2012) Organised by the Selangor Bar Committee, the talk on “Intellectual Property Law” will take place at 5:00 pm, at the Selangor Bar Committee Auditorium, on 10 Feb 2012 (Friday). The talk will feature Bahari Yeow Tien Hong. Click on the link above for more details.
Seminar on the Fundamentals of Bankruptcy Proceedings (21 Feb 2012) Organised by the Kuala Lumpur Bar Professional Development Committee, the seminar on “The Fundamentals of Bankruptcy Proceedings”, featuring Sanjeev Kumar Rasiah, will take place at 3:00 pm, at the Kuala Lumpur Bar Auditorium, on 21 Feb 2012 (Tuesday). Click on the link above for more details.
Seminar on the Fundamentals of Conveyancing (24 Feb 2012) Organised by the Kuala Lumpur Bar Professional Development Committee, this seminar featuring Jeremiah R Gurusamy will take place at 3:00 pm, at the Kuala Lumpur Bar Auditorium, on 24 Feb 2012 (Friday). Click on the link above for more details.
Mediation Skills Training Course (29 Feb to 4 Mar 2012) Organised by Bar Council, the Mediation Skills Training Course will take place at 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, at Raja Aziz Addruse Auditorium, Bar Council, on 29 Feb to 4 Mar 2012 (Wednesday to Sunday). Deadline for registration and payment is 17 Feb 2012 (Friday). Click on the link above for more details.
Talk on “Land Fraud: An Australian Perspective” (13 Mar 2012) Organised by IGIL, GSGSG and UUM COLGIS, this free talk featuring Quintin George Rozario of Delta Law, Brisbane, Australia, will take place at 9:00 am, at Dewan Seminar A, Pusat Konvensyen, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah, on 13 Mar 2012 (Tuesday). To RSVP, contact Mr Abutt (04-928 4397; abutt@uum.edu.my).
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Circular No 021/2012: Application to State Authority for Consent to Transfer Properties
