Imagereal Capture

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Imagereal Capture Five ‘May Day for Justice’1 H P. Lee ’ High among men's finer traits is their love of justice. Through history’s tornadoes and fitful gusts its flame has kept alive. Sometimes spluttering and flickering, sometimes waxing, sometimes waning, it has always been a reminder that men may look for a determination of their rights to a principle mightier than might alone. — C. G. Weeramantiy, Law in Crisis, at p.vii. On 8 August 1988, Tun Salleh Abas, the Lord President of Malaysia (the highest judicial officer of the land) was effectively ‘removed’ from office. In common parlance, he was ‘sacked’. His removal was made pursuant to the recommendation of a special Tribunal appointed purportedly in accordance with the provisions of the Malaysian Constitution. To the observer (who is unfamiliar with Malaysian politics) and to some Malaysian citizens (confronted with a govern­ ment controlled media), the removal seemed above board: there had been scrupulous adherence to the Constitution of Malaysia. May Day For Justice is the anguished account by Tun Salleh of the convulsion which occurred in the Malaysian judiciary and which resulted in his removal. The account preserves for posterity the shamefulness of the whole saga. It is the harrowing story of a man of simple roots and highest integrity being brought down by a web of lust for political power, greed for self-advancement and plain timidity in the face of a ferocious assault by the Executive on judicial independence. * * t Tun Salleh Abas with K. Das, May Day For Justice Magnus Books, Kuala Lumpur, 1989. * Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Melbourne. 43 Bulletin of the Australian Society for Legal Philosophy The reader of May Day For Justice would have no difficulty in deciding who were, in the end, the ‘heroes’ and the ‘villains’. The story has some bright sides: it tells of the courageous attempt by five Supreme Court judges valiantly to ensure compliance with minimum standards of justice to Tun Salleh — and they were steam-rolled in the process; it contains information on the inspiring role of the Malaysian Bar Council which despite potential vengeance by an unbridled Executive had attempted to plead for subservience to the rule of law. The crisis clearly rocked the Malaysian nation. It attracted national and international attention. On the national plane, the interest was aroused by the political as well as the legal dimension of the crisis. On the international plane, it was the implications for the independence of a highly respected judiciary which aroused critic­ isms from the international legal community. The 1988 constitutional crisis is well documented.1 It is therefore pointless to recite the details of the whole affair except to highlight some main aspects. The chief protagonist, the Prime Minister (Dr. Mahathir), pointed to the writing of a letter by Tun Salleh addressed to the ‘Yang di-Pertuan Agong’ or King of Malaysia12 and the State Rulers as the reason for initiation of the removal process. Tun Salleh, however, highlighted Dr Mahathir’s growing unease with the independence of the Malaysian judiciary as the impetus which set in train the moves to oust him. Tun Salleh referred to a number of cases in which members of the judiciary had rendered judgments unpalatable to the Mahathir government. He documented the verbal abuse which emanated from the Prime Minister in response to the independent stand of the judiciary. It was all the more galling to Dr Mahathir to have a contempt of court action launched by the Opposition Leader against him (an action which was dismissed by die High Court and, on appeal, by the Supreme Court). What was more crucial was the fact that the fate of the Prime Minister hung in the balance pending the outcome of an appeal case, the ‘UMNO 11’ case,3 before the Supreme Court. 1 See e.g. Harding (1990) 391.CL.Q. 57; Hickling [1989] PL. 20; Lee (1990) 17 M.ULM., 386 Trindade (1990) 106 LQ.R. 51. 2 The King at the time of the crisis was Sultan Mahmood Iskandar of the State of Johor. 3 Mohd. Noor bin Othman v. Mohd. Yusof Joafar [1988] 2 M.L.J. 129. 44 ‘May Day For Justice’ The political dimension became clearer when Tun Salleh set the saga in the context of the power struggle which had divided the dominant party (UMNO) of the ruling BarisanNasional coalition. UMNO (which stands for ‘United Malays National Organisation’) had dominated and still dominates (now as UMNO Baru) the Malayan and then the Malaysian political spectrum. The person who is elected the President of UMNO inevitably becomes the Prime Minister of Malaysia. By the time of the election for the presidency of UMNO in 1987, the cleavage in UMNO had resulted in two factions, both factions being headed by very determined and ambitious politicians : Dr Mahathir (heading ‘Team A’) and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (heading ‘Team B’). The 1987 election was won by Dr Mahathir by a very slim majority of 43 votes: Dr Mahathir received 761 votes while his rival, Tengku Razaleigh, received 718 votes. The validity of this election was challenged by eleven dissatisfied members who alleged that a number of UMNO branches which had elected delegates to divisional conferences (who in turn had elected delegates to the general assembly) had not been registered by the Registrar of Societies, and that this was in clear violation of the Societies Act 1966. The High Court judge who heard the case simply held that UMNO by virtue of the existence of the unregistered branches had become an unlawful society. The case created utter confusion. The plaintiffs who wanted a declaration that the general assembly election itself was null and void appealed to the Supreme Court. Tun Salleh explained: In view of the importance of the ‘UMNO 11 ’ case I then decided on a full coram of 9 judges to hear the appeal. The tenth Supreme Court judge, Tan Sri Syed Agil Barakbah was about to retire very shortly. Nine would constitute the correct, odd-numbered coram. There has never been an occasion in the history of the country in which almost the entire Supreme Court... had sat on a case ... But we were living in extraordinary times — and this was indeed an extraordinary case. To put it plainly, the fate of the Prime Minister hung in the balance weighing the case, and that made it very, very special indeed.4 Tun Salleh then stated how on 23 May 1988 he had instructed his Senior Assistant Registrar to fix the case for 13 June. While all these political developments were taking place, events on the judicial front were also occurring. The verbal onslaught by the Prime Minister against the judiciary proved too much for a judge of the High Court (Justice Abdul Razak Abu Samah). The judge felt so 4 Atp. 81. 45 Bulletin of the Australian Society for Legal Philosophy agitated that he wrote a letter to Tun Salleh in which he said, inter alia: It may well be that in due course, if patience shall cease to be the better part of me, I shall in turn retaliate with all conceivable means, which act would be most undesirable. It is clear in my view, that the purpose of this oral abuse is to instil fear in the minds of judges, which is clearly an act of contempt.5 Spurred on by this letter, Tun Salleh decided to call together as many judges as possible for an urgent meeting. As he had to go overseas for medical treatment on 28 March 1988, Tun Salleh explained that the meeting was indeed speedily convened and in consequence no outstation judges attended. There were 20 judges at the meeting held on 25 March 1988. Among them were the Chief Justice (Malaya), Tan Sri Abdul Hamid, and Supreme Court Judge, Tan Sri Hashim Yeop. The meeting finally agreed unanimously that representation should be made to the King to resolve the problem: ‘And the decision was to write a letter to [the King], basically expressing a consensus of unhappiness over the Prime Minister’s extraordinary behaviour’.6 A drafting committee of three was appointed to prepare the letter. Eventually, Tun Salleh, with its assistance, drafted the letter. The letter was addressed to the King and copied to each of the Rulers of the nine Malay States. Tun Salleh provided the following translation (and not the official version) of the letter. I, as Lord President, on behalf of myself and all the judges in the whole of Malaysia humbly and with due homage wish to express our sentiments regarding the development of the relationship between the Executive and the Judiciary. We feel disturbed because various comments and allegations have been made by the Honourable the Prime Minister against the Judiciary, not only outside but inside Parliament. We are nevertheless exercising restraint and do not wish to reply to these adverse remarks since such an act would not be in accord and consistent with the position of judges under the Constitution. And according to Malay custom such an act would not be becoming or proper.... It is to be remembered that we as judges are appointed and conferred with the authority by Your Majesty and the Malay Rulers to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. As such it is clearly proper for us all to exercise restraint in the interest of the nation. In addition, the said allegations and comments have brought disrepute and caused us mental anguish in carrying out our duties in a correct and proper manner. We cannot but feel embarrassed because we 5 The letter is set out in full at pp.
Recommended publications
  • Muslim Father's Rights in Determining His Minor Child's Conversion to Islam in Malaysia
    ISSN 2411-9563 (Print) European Journal of Social Sciences May-August 2015 ISSN 2312-8429 (Online) Education and Research Volume 2, Issue 3 Muslim Father’s Rights in Determining His Minor Child’s Conversion to Islam in Malaysia Dr Zuliza Mohd Kusrin ([email protected]) Senior Lecturer of Department of Shariah, Faculty of Islamic Studies, The National University of Malaysia (UKM) Affiliation in Comparative Family Law and Constitutional Human Rights Associate Professor Dr Salasiah Hanin Hamjah ([email protected]) Associate Professor of Department of Dakwah, Faculty of Islamic Studies, The NationaI University of Malaysia (UKM) Affiliation in Islamic Counselling Associate Professor Dr Fariza Md Sham ([email protected]) Associate Professor of Department of Dakwah, Faculty of Islamic Studies, The NationaI University of Malaysia (UKM) Affiliation in Dakwah Psychology among Adolescents Abstract Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. For children, their rights to freedom of religion are mentioned in Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution. However, there is conflict of law, i.e. between the civil law and Sharia Law, in some cases involving the child’s conversion to Islam, following the conversion of his or her parents. This article aims to discuss on provisions of the Federal Constitution on the child’s right to the freedom of religion. The discussion also elucidate on the father’s right in determining his minor child’s conversion to Islam. The methodology used in gathering relevant data is content analysis. Data was gathered from Sharia Laws, legal provisions, law journals and reported cases relevant to the issue.
    [Show full text]
  • (Incorporated in Malaysia) (Company No
    (Incorporated in Malaysia) (Company No. 3907-W) [This page is intentionally left blank] CONTENTS 2 Corporate Information 3 - 5 Profile of Board of Directors 6 Group Financial Highlights 7 - 9 Chairman’s Statement 10 - 13 Audit and Risk Management Committee Report 14 - 16 Statement On Corporate Governance 17 Statement On Internal Control 18 - 54 Financial Statements 55 List of Properties/Material Contracts 56 Statement of Directors’ Shareholdings 57 - 59 Statistics of Shareholdings 60 - 62 Notice of Annual General Meeting Form of Proxy CORPORATE INFORMATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUDITORS Tan Sri Datuk Amar Chong Siew Fai Ernst & Young - Chairman Chartered Accountants Level 23A, Menara Milenium Chan Kien Sing Jalan Damanlela Mark Wee Liang Yee Pusat Bandar Damansara Robert Yong Kuen Loke 50490 Kuala Lumpur Derek Chin Chee Seng Lim Meng Kwong REGISTERED OFFICE Heng Kiah Choong John Ko Wai Seng 11th Floor, Menara Berjaya (Alternate Director to Mark Wee Liang Yee) KL Plaza, 179 Jalan Bukit Bintang 55100 Kuala Lumpur SECRETARIES Tel: 03-2935 8888 Fax: 03-2935 8043 Su Swee Hong (MAICSA No. 0776729) Wong Pooi Cheong (MAICSA No. 0782043) PRINCIPAL BANKERS AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Berhad Bumiputra-Commerce Bank Berhad Tan Sri Datuk Amar Chong Siew Fai - Chairman/Independent Non-Executive Director STOCK EXCHANGE LISTING Chan Kien Sing Main Board of Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange - Non-Independent/Non-Executive Director STOCK SHORT NAME Heng Kiah Choong - Independent Non-Executive Director MATRIX (3239) SHARE REGISTRARS PLACE OF INCORPORATION AND DOMICILE Berjaya Registration Services Sdn Bhd Malaysia Lot C1-C3, Block C 2nd Floor, KL Plaza 179 Jalan Bukit Bintang 55100 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 03-2145 0533 Fax: 03-2145 9702 MATRIX INTERNATIONAL BERHAD Incorporated in Malaysia (Company No.
    [Show full text]
  • FAUZILAH SALLEH V. UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA TERENGGANU HIGH
    Fauzilah Salleh v. [2012] 4 CLJ Universiti Malaysia Terengganu 601 A FAUZILAH SALLEH v. UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA TERENGGANU B HIGH COURT MALAYA, KUALA TERENGGANU MOHD YAZID MUSTAFA J [CIVIL SUIT NO: 22-02-2009] 16 OCTOBER 2011 C ADMINISTRATIVE LAW: Rules of natural justice - Right to be heard - Breach of - Revocation of Master’s Degree by University due to allegation of plagiarism - Whether there was a violation of the university’s constitution - Whether University partly contributed to commission of plagiarism - Whether plaintiff accorded right to be heard D The plaintiff was awarded a Master’s Degree in Marketing Science from the defendant University. She was then offered by the defendant University a three-years PhD course commencing on 23 July 2006 and ending on 22 July 2009. On 22 January 2007, an inquiry was held by the Jawatankuasa Penyiasatan (‘the E inquiry’) where the plaintiff appeared as a witness before a committee. After a lapse of one year, the plaintiff received a letter dated 22 January 2008 from the Registrar of the defendant University informing her that the Chancellor of the defendant University, on the recommendation of the board of the University, F had revoked her Master’s Degree under cl. 57(1)(b) and cl. 2 of the constitution of the defendant university on the ground that she had committed plagiarism. Aggrieved, the plaintiff filed the present suit claiming that the revocation of her Master’s Degree by the defendant University was in violation of cl. 57 of the said G constitution and the principle of natural justice. She also asked for a declaration that the revocation was invalid and an order for the return of the degree to her, damages, interests and costs.
    [Show full text]
  • Rule of Law and the Independence of the Judiciary
    Rule of Law and the Independence of the Judiciary Speech delivered by Arthur Moses SC, President, Law Council of Australia at the Australian High Commissioner’s Residence, Kuala Lumpur. 11 January 2019 Telephone +61 2 6246 3788 • Fax +61 2 6248 0639 • Email [email protected] GPO Box 1989, Canberra ACT 2601, DX 5719 Canberra • 19 Torrens St Braddon ACT 2612 Law Council of Australia Limited ABN 85 005 260 622 www.lawcouncil.asn.au Good evening. Thank you, Your Excellency, for your hospitality in hosting tonight’s reception to mark the Opening of the Legal Year 2019. It is a great honour to be here in Kuala Lumpur and to deliver this address on behalf of the Law Council of Australia. I am delighted to acknowledge here this evening The Right Honourable Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Richard Malanjum, Ministers, President of the Malaysian Bar, and distinguished guests and colleagues. Thank you for welcoming me so warmly to your beautiful city. The legal professions of Malaysia and Australia enjoy a strong relationship that has developed over decades. This friendship is anchored in our mutual respect for the rule of law, and our shared commitment to promoting and upholding the rule of law both within and across our borders. As President of the Law Council of Australia, I look forward to working with you in the year ahead to continue to strengthen the bond between our professions, to serve and to advance the administration of justice throughout our region. I am humbled to have been invited to Malaysia as my first official engagement.
    [Show full text]
  • Constitutional Documents of All Tcountries in Southeast Asia As of December 2007, As Well As the ASEAN Charter (Vol
    his three volume publication includes the constitutional documents of all Tcountries in Southeast Asia as of December 2007, as well as the ASEAN Charter (Vol. I), reports on the national constitutions (Vol. II), and a collection of papers on cross-cutting issues (Vol. III) which were mostly presented at a conference at the end of March 2008. This collection of Constitutional documents and analytical papers provides the reader with a comprehensive insight into the development of Constitutionalism in Southeast Asia. Some of the constitutions have until now not been publicly available in an up to date English language version. But apart from this, it is the first printed edition ever with ten Southeast Asian constitutions next to each other which makes comparative studies much easier. The country reports provide readers with up to date overviews on the different constitutional systems. In these reports, a common structure is used to enable comparisons in the analytical part as well. References and recommendations for further reading will facilitate additional research. Some of these reports are the first ever systematic analysis of those respective constitutions, while others draw on substantial literature on those constitutions. The contributions on selected issues highlight specific topics and cross-cutting issues in more depth. Although not all timely issues can be addressed in such publication, they indicate the range of questions facing the emerging constitutionalism within this fascinating region. CONSTITUTIONALISM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA Volume 2 Reports on National Constitutions (c) Copyright 2008 by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Singapore Editors Clauspeter Hill Jőrg Menzel Publisher Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung 34 Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore 089848 Tel: +65 6227 2001 Fax: +65 6227 2007 All rights reserved.
    [Show full text]
  • INDIGENOUS GROUPS of SABAH: an Annotated Bibliography of Linguistic and Anthropological Sources
    INDIGENOUS GROUPS OF SABAH: An Annotated Bibliography of Linguistic and Anthropological Sources Part 1: Authors Compiled by Hans J. B. Combrink, Craig Soderberg, Michael E. Boutin, and Alanna Y. Boutin SIL International SIL e-Books 7 ©2008 SIL International Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2008932444 ISBN: 978-155671-218-0 Fair Use Policy Books published in the SIL e-Books series are intended for scholarly research and educational use. You may make copies of these publications for research or instructional purposes (under fair use guidelines) free of charge and without further permission. Republication or commercial use of SILEB or the documents contained therein is expressly prohibited without the written consent of the copyright holder(s). Series Editor Mary Ruth Wise Volume Editor Mae Zook Compositor Mae Zook The 1st edition was published in 1984 as the Sabah Museum Monograph, No. 1. nd The 2 edition was published in 1986 as the Sabah Museum Monograph, No. 1, Part 2. The revised and updated edition was published in 2006 in two volumes by the Malaysia Branch of SIL International in cooperation with the Govt. of the State of Sabah, Malaysia. This 2008 edition is published by SIL International in single column format that preserves the pagination of the 2006 print edition as much as possible. Printed copies of Indigenous groups of Sabah: An annotated bibliography of linguistic and anthropological sources ©2006, ISSN 1511-6964 may be obtained from The Sabah Museum Handicraft Shop Main Building Sabah Museum Complex, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah,
    [Show full text]
  • Volume 30, 1999
    BORNEO RESEARCH BULLETIN ISSN: 0006-7806 VOL 30 PAGE NOTES FROM THE EDITOR I MEMORIALS Roland (Ro) Bewsher, 0.B E Bill Smythies Tuton Kaboy RESEARCH NOTES A Bridge to the Upper World: Sacred Language of the Ngaju: Jani Sri Kuhnt-Saptodewo A Note on Native Land Tenure in Sarawak: M. B. Hooker State Law and lban Land Tenure. a Response to Hooker: Reed L. Wadley Conservation and the Orang Sungal of the Lower Sugut, Sabal?: Preliminary Notes: Lye Tuck-Po and Grace Wong Education and Research on Sustainable Land Use and Natural Resource Management: a New Danish- Malaysian University Program: Ole Mertz el al. Wet Rice Cultivation and the Kayanic Peoples of East Kalimantan: Some Possible Factors Explaining their Preference for Dry Rice Cult~vation:Mika Okushima Dayak Kings among Malay Sultans: Stephanus Djuweng The Kingdom of Ulu Are in Borneo's H~story:a Comment: Bernard Sellato The Brooke-Sarawak Archive at Rhodes House Library, Oxford: Bob Reece Papers of the Brookes of Sarawak Kept in Rhodes House Library, Oxford: P.A. Empson FIFTH BIENNIAL MEETINGS BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCEMENTS BORNEO NEWS BOOK REVIEWS, ABSTRACTS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY The Borneo Researclr Bulletin is published by the Borneo Research Council. Please address all inquiries and contributions for publication to Clifford Sather, Editor, Borneo Research Bulletin, Cultural Anthropology, P.O. Box 59, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, FINLAND.Single issues are available at US $20.00. I BOI-neoReseal-ch Bulletin Vol. 30 Vol. 30 Borneo Research Bulletin contributions to this superb collection, and, as an anthropologist, I would note that the held on 10-14 July 2000 at Crowne Plaza Riverside Hotel, Kuching, Sarawalc.
    [Show full text]
  • 'DAP's Opposition of Malaysia As an Islamic State'
    Political Managements and Policies in Malaysia ‘DAP’s Opposition of Malaysia as an Islamic State’ R. Sivaperegasam P. Rajanthiran Abstract e brave and controversial declaration of Malaysia as an Islamic state by YABhg Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on the 29 September 2001, was vehemently opposed by the DAP. is paper analyses and explores the justifi cation of the said declaration as well as the pattern and rationale for DAP’s oppositionism. e DAP had specifi cally highlighted and protested via its “929” campaign that YABhg Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s declaration of Malaysia as an Islamic state was unconstitutional, undemocratic and arbitrary. e DAP party stalwarts maintained that Malaysia was a secular state since Independence and ought to continue remaining so in the best interests of a pluralistic Malaysia. e primary focus of this paper therefore is to identify and discuss the fl aws in the DAP’s said claim, and instead highlight the fact that Malaysia is rightfully an Islamic state from Independence and beyond. YABhg Tun Dr. Mahathir’s declaration of Malaysia as an Islamic state is the climax of the Islamisation policy conducted throughout to put Malaysia back on the world map as a reputable Islamic state just as how it had been during the days of the pre- colonisation era. Malaysia was declared as an Islamic state by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on the 29 th September, 2001 at the Gerakan national 39 th delegates’ conference with the consensus of all other BN component parties present. ! is brave and controversial declaration of Malaysia as an Islamic state by Tun Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • 50 Reasons Why Anwar Cannot Be Prime Minister 287–8, 298 Abdul
    Index 50 Reasons Why Anwar Cannot be mega-projects 194, 313–14, Prime Minister 287–8, 298 320–1, 323 successor 126, 194, 307–9, 345 Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin 298 Proton 319–21 Abdul Aziz Taha 158 Abdullah Majid 35, 36 Abdul Daim Zainuddin see Daim Abdullah Mohamed Yusof 133 Zainuddin Abu Bakar Ba’asyir 228–9 Abdul Gani Patail see Gani Patail Abu Sahid Mohamed 176 Abdul Ghafar Baba see Ghafar Baba affirmative action programme (New Abdul Khalid Sahan 165 Economic Policy/NEP) 30–1, 86, Abdul Qadeer Khan 313 87, 88–9, 96, 98, 101, 103–4, Abdul Rahim Aki 151, 152 110–13, 142, 155, 200, 230, 328, Abdul Rahim Bakar 201 329, 348 Abdul Rahim Noor see Rahim Noor Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Abdul Rahman Putra see Tunku Abdul Organization 23 Rahman agriculture 88–9, 104, 111 Abdul Rahman Aziz 227 Ahmad Zahid Hamidi see Zahid Hamidi Abdul Razak Hussein see Razak Ali Abul Hassan Sulaiman 301 Hussein Aliran (multiracial reform movement) Abdul Wahab Patail see Wahab Patail 66, 70, 324, 329 Abdullah Ahmad 4, 26, 27, 32, 35–6, Alliance 17 38, 128, 308, 319 government 18–19, 24–5, 53, 126, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi see Abdullah 218 Badawi see also National Front Abdullah Badawi 235–7, 268, 299 Alor Star 3, 4–5, 11, 14–15, 16, 130 2004 election 317–18 MAHA Clinic (“UMNO Clinic”) 13, anti-corruption agenda 310–12, 191 317–18, 319, 327–8, 330–1 Mahathir Mohamad’s relocation to Anwar Ibrahim case 316 Kuala Lumpur from 31 corruption and nepotism Alternative Front 232, 233 allegations 312–13, 323 Anti-Corruption Agency 90, 282, 301, economic policies 194, 313–14 311,
    [Show full text]
  • Unjust Order: Malaysia's Internal Security Act
    Fordham International Law Journal Volume 26, Issue 5 2002 Article 1 Unjust Order: Malaysia’s Internal Security Act Nicole Fritz∗ Martin Flahertyy ∗ y Copyright c 2002 by the authors. Fordham International Law Journal is produced by The Berke- ley Electronic Press (bepress). http://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/ilj Unjust Order: Malaysia’s Internal Security Act Nicole Fritz and Martin Flaherty Abstract This Report represents the culmination of a year-long project undertaken by the Crowley Pro- gram to update the study of the use and impact of the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Malaysia in light of international law obligations. We reference first those international commitments that Malaysia has expressly adopted. However, these are very few–reflecting the antipathy felt by the Malaysian government for international obligations of this sort. Additionally, we have made ref- erence to the generally-accepted international law provisions applicable in this context–intended both to demonstrate the extent to which the ISA deviates from widely-upheld international norms, even if those norms are not ones expressly accepted by Malaysia. We have also referenced the extent to which other States, contemplating reviving or enacting similar laws, will fall afoul of their more readily undertaken international obligations in doing so. SPECIAL REPORT UNJUST ORDER: MALAYSIA'S INTERNAL SECURITY ACT Nicole Fritz* & Martin Flaherty** INTRODUCTION The Petronas Towers - two soaring office blocks in the heart of Kuala Lumpur - rise cleanly from their base. Few neighboring skyscrapers hem their space and it is this contrast to their surrounding landscape that makes them, arguably, even more arresting than the Twin Towers they so obviously recall.
    [Show full text]
  • '88 Crisis : Money No Cure for Pain Malaysiakini.Com Apr 18, 2008 Beh Lih Yi
    '88 crisis : money no cure for pain Malaysiakini.com Apr 18, 2008 Beh Lih Yi The government's decision to offer a ‘goodwill payment’ to the top judges embroiled in the 1988 judicial crisis and their families has been lauded. However, some felt that an apology would be more valuable. While they saw the government’s admission of having wronged them as positive, there was also the feeling that no amount of money could compensate the pain and suffering endured. At a special dinner last night, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the decision to make the ‘goodwill ex gratia payments’ to the six former judges and their families but remained firm on his 'no apology' stand. Prayer answered bar council judiciary dinner 170408 salleh abas interviewedThe most prominent casualty of the crisis, former lord president Salleh Abas, who was seated at the main table with Abdullah at the dinner, said his prayer for a moral victory had been answered. "Come Aug 8, it will be exactly 20 years (since the crisis). I suffered so much humiliation, being shunned by people, vilification, you name it... So much so, that I ran away from the public," he said Salleh, who now leads a simple life as a farmer in Terengganu, told reporters that the government’s gesture was a right step towards the restoration of the judiciary which, according to him, "has never been the same again" since the 1988 crisis which saw him and two other supreme court judges sacked and three others suspended. Salleh also said that he was "satisfied for the time being" since the government admitted the wrong done unto him and his colleagues after two decades.
    [Show full text]
  • UMNO Factionalism and the Politics of Malaysian National Identity
    UMNO Factionalism and The Politics Of Malaysian National Identity JAE HYON LEE This thesis is presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Murdoch University 2005 I declare that this thesis is my own account of my research and contains as its main content work which has not previously been submitted for a degree at any tertiary education institution. .................................. Abstract This thesis analyses UMNO factionalism from the perspective of the elite’s manipulation of the various modes of nationalisms. This thesis argues that UMNO factionalism, which is seemingly a power struggle between competing UMNO elites, has been significantly shaped by contesting nationalist ideologies that reflect the unresolved questions of national identity in Malaysia. These two issues, that is, nationalism and UMNO factionalism, have shaped Malaysian politics in significant ways. UMNO factionalism has been related to such major political events as the 1969 ethnic riots, the introduction of the New Economic Policy, the UMNO split in 1987 and the Reformasi (Reform) movement in 1998. Frequently, the impact of these disputes extended beyond UMNO politics and affected wider Malaysian politics. At the same time, due to unresolved questions of national identity, nationalism has occupied a central position in Malaysian political discourse. There are ambiguities regarding the relationships among the various ethnic identities and national identity and between the individual and the larger Malaysian community that enable elites to construct and manipulate nationalist ideologies. In this thesis, the conflicting nationalisms are captured by five different concepts of nationalism – ethnocultural, civic and multicultural nationalisms in one group and collectivist-authoritarian and individualistic-libertarian nationalisms in another.
    [Show full text]