From Malaysian Insider
By Debra Chong
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 – The newly-elected chairman of the Parliamentary Caucus on the Integrity and Independence of the Judiciary wants Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi to include the promotion of judges among the key responsibilities of the soon-to-be-formed Judicial Appointments Committee (JAC).
“What we want is not only the appointment of judges… but also the promotion of judges, especially in light of the appointment of Tan Sri Zaki as Chief Justice,” said Karpal Singh, its first chairman.
He added: “You can’t have independence of the judiciary with a former Umno disciplinary head in it, whatever he may say.”
Zaki was a former legal advisor with Umno. He catapulted into infamy as the newly-appointed Chief Justice early this month.
His fast-moving career had broken many norms, raising eyebrows and causing many tongues to wag at the perceived irregularity within the judicial promotion system. He was a lawyer last year until September when he was promoted to become a Federal Court judge and subsequently Court of Appeal president before arriving at his present position.
Karpal Singh told reporters in Parliament after its inaugural meeting that he was delighted to learn that the government was now preparing the Bill for the setting-up of the JAC to be tabled in Parliament in this session.
But, he stressed that the JAC should be a “high-level commission” with members appointed directly by the King.
“We don’t want the Judicial Appointments Commission to end up like Suhakam, no teeth, no bite,” the Bukit Gelugor MP quipped, referring to the eight-year-old Malaysian Human Rights Commission, which is widely-perceived to be ineffective.
The caucus was formed in Parliament at lunch time today. About 30 lawmakers attended its first meeting, including the sole representative from the Barisan Nasional Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.
It was a poor turnout, considering the fact that the Dewan Rakyat is currently in session, unlike the earlier parliamentary caucus against the Internal Security Act, formed in September this year while the House was in recess.
Six MPs from the Pakatan Rakyat coalition were selected to be in the caucus. They are: Wee Choo Keong (PKR-Wangsa Maju), Yusmadi Yusoff (PKR-Balik Pulau), M. Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat), Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah), Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman (Pas-Pengkalan Chepa) and Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa (Pas-Parit Buntar).
Karpal Singh clarified that the de facto Law Minister Nazri was not in the committee but had been requested to enlist the participation from among the government alliance lawmakers to ensure bipartisanship in the caucus.
The position of deputy chair will be elected from among the BN lawmakers
Sir,
Can you help Msians to raise voice / highlight this issue to MP.
Case of mat rempit (robbers riding motorcycle) with molesting, curi /rompak, pukul ; why never brought this issue to parliament and request PDRM to have major breakdown and operasi. Include this issue in Pakatan Rakyat first general meeting.
Reference:
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/14770/84/
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/11/14/nation/2545937&sec=nation
Thank You very much
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Self regulation is no regulation at all. The most one can expect is a white wash. Unless and until people who are regarded as neutral by both sides of the divide are appointed to key positions, no amount of convincing will authenticate its findings and ommisions.
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DSAI,
I lived in M’sia for 30 years but am not M’sian. I raised my M’sian children with good intent towards all regardless of race/religion (not an easy feat in M’sia let me assure you,)I learned to ‘read between the lines’ in the mainstream media, I worked with good, decent,honest M’sians of all races, I waited 16 years for my red IC card, I tried my best; BUT one evening I was with my M’sian husband driving in Bukit B’tang in KL: there had been a special UMNO meeting and these UMNO bullies, tried to run us off the road as they went about their so-called ‘important business’as we had apparently blocked them.That was the last straw for me. I left M’sia 3 years ago but have kept up with the news and there are several things that concern me as I still have relatives living in M’sia:
1: Najib must never be PM as allegations of murder and financial impropriety hound him (and his wife)& unless he is questioned and cleared professionally and properly in an independent court (not a mosque, as Najib seems to be unaware that this is not a usual judicial path in muslim countries),with an independent judge who will not be made to disappear, resign, emigrate, change his/her name, employ bodyguards etc and retract anything that is HONEST and TRUE.
2: Under the present regime my heart goes out to all M’sians who I know are decent hard working people who are being cheated by not only the present govt but that of the previous TDM’s govt too, threatened by the ISA by govt bullies who are only there sadly because the rakyat did not fully undertand their political platform in 03/08 (and probably because the idiots didn’t think that one day they actually might have to be answerable to their constituents)
3. If you do not take the govt soon I fear for the decent M’sians I speak of in #2. And I say this when I recall coming to M’sia in the late 80′s and you were NOT revered by the Chinese but seen as a threat because of your islamic education and background -not to mention the silly school year change that meant children went to school over the Christmas/International New Year period! However, I believe that 6 years in detention for crimes that I personally do not believe you have committed has the power to change a person and that you now have the interest of ALL MALAYSIANS at heart-Please don’t let me down.
4. A word of advice – don’t wait too long to take the govt. Much as I admire the likes of so many like PKR who has stood TALL for change, TDM for 22 years, in order to keep control instilled much fear in the rakyat while keeping them so comfortable(some more than others of course!) so change is both a difficult practical and intellectual concept for many
5. And finally – WHERE IS BALA? Since there has been a second stat declaration, why is Najob not interested in finding out where he is – afterall will he not CLEAR Najib?? Please let him be found.
Kind reagrds to you and your lovely wife, for whom I have much DSAI,
I lived in M’sia for 30 years but am not M’sian. I raised my M’sian children with good intent towards all regardless of race/religion (not an easy feat in M’sia let me assure you,)I learned to ‘read between the lines’ in the mainstream media, I worked with good, decent,honest M’sians of all races, I waited 16 years for my red IC card, I tried my best; BUT one evening I was with my M’sian husband driving in Bukit B’tang in KL: there had been a special UMNO meeting and these UMNO bullies, tried to run us off the road as they went about their so-called ‘important business’as we had apparently blocked them.That was the last straw for me. I left M’sia 3 years ago but have kept up with the news and there are several things that concern me as I still have relatives living in M’sia:
1: Najib must never be PM as allegations of murder and financial impropriety hound him (and his wife)& unless he is questioned and cleared professionally and properly in an independent court (not a mosque, as Najib seems to be unaware that this is not a usual judicial path in muslim countries),with an independent judge who will not be made to disappear, resign, emigrate, change his/her name, employ bodyguards etc and retract anything that is HONEST and TRUE.
2: Under the present regime my heart goes out to all M’sians who I know are decent hard working people who are being cheated by not only the present govt but that of the previous TDM’s govt too, threatened by the ISA by govt bullies who are only there sadly because the rakyat did not fully undertand their political platform in 03/08 (and probably because the idiots didn’t think that one day they actually might have to be answerable to their constituents)
3. If you do not take the govt soon I fear for the decent M’sians I speak of in #2. And I say this when I recall coming to M’sia in the late 80′s and you were NOT revered by the Chinese but seen as a threat because of your islamic education and background -not to mention the silly school year change that meant children went to school over the Christmas/International New Year period! However, I believe that 6 years in detention for crimes that I personally do not believe you have committed has the power to change a person and that you now have the interest of ALL MALAYSIANS at heart-Please don’t let me down.
4. A word of advice – don’t wait too long to take the govt. Much as I admire the likes of so many like PKR who has stood TALL for change, TDM for 22 years, in order to keep control instilled much fear in the rakyat while keeping them so comfortable(some more than others of course!) so change is both a difficult practical and intellectual concept for many
5. And finally – WHERE IS BALA? Since there has been a second stat declaration, why is Najob not interested in finding out where he is – afterall will he not CLEAR Najib?? Please let him be found.
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hidup pkr……………..
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