Is a ruling party that increasingly marginalises the more vulnerable and less fortunate in our society still worth our vote, asks Angeline Loh.
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Sep 082007
2007: 4
Sep 082007
We should stop this practice and instead infuse international affairs with compassion and concern for the human being, says K Haridas.
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Sep 072007
Mustafa Kamal Anuar reminds us of the importance of embracing humanity and building justice. He points out that human misdeeds have poured scorn on the Grand Design that has created diverse ethnicities, communities, cultures and nations.
Sep 072007
Francis Loh looks at the controversy surrounding the competing civil-sharia jurisdictions in the light of the Lina Joy decision and other recent similar cases as well as the forthcoming 50th Merdeka celebrations. He argues that it is time to push for debate within our own religions and promote a wider notion of unity.
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Sep 072007
In 2006, a representative of the Attorney General’s Chambers announced in the United Nations that they were studying amendments to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1974 (the Act). Among other issues, the amendments are to address the rights and obligations of family members following a family member’s conversion to Islam. Judgments delivered by the courts in this area have been conflicting. This creates social uncertainty, and many families are torn apart by these disputes.
The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) attempts to clarify some of these in the following set of frequently asked questions:
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Sep 062007
In the Lina Joy decision, the express provisions of the Federal Constitution were made to give way to an interpretation of some form of implied jurisdiction of the sharia courts, observes Ambiga Sreenevasan.
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Sep 052007
The decision by the Federal Court in the Lina Joy appeal by a 2-1 majority cannot be authoritative enough for the decision to be a strong precedent from the highest court in the country. In the public interest, the panel should have been a larger one. In fact, in view of the significance of the issue involved, the full bench of the Federal Court should have sat to determine it, says Karpal Singh.
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Aug 252007
If the ruling coalition is denied a two-thirds parliamentary majority, it would be forced to become accountable, to respect the people’s rights and to conduct itself responsibly and prudently. It is time to usher in a new era of accountable politics, says K George.
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Aug 252007
Jakarta: A group of activists representing human rights organisations from East and South-East Asia have renewed calls for the immediate release of Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. They also called on the Government of Indonesia to take a stronger stand on democracy and human rights in Burma.
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Aug 182007
What if tomorrow the US seventh fleet positions itself in the Straits of Malacca and begins to rain cluster bombs on our cities? David Anthony explains why Malaysia should ratify the International Criminal Court.