KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 18, 2012): A witness in a civil suit by a political cartoonist against the police and the Malaysian government told the High Court here today that the contents of the plaintiff’s book, “Cartoon-O-Phobia” could confuse the people and incite hatred against the leaders. ASP A. Arikrishna who is also the first defendant in the legal action by Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque also known as Zunar, testified that he had scrutinised the book and found that each page contained cartoon drawings and portrayals of national leaders, the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) among others, that were tantamount to instigation and intended to cause racial and religious animosities. “I also expected the book to be banned,” he said during examination in-chief by Senior Federal Counsel (SFC) Norhisham Ismail. In the suit filed on June 15, 2011, Zunar...
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  Farhana claimed Bukhairi’s treatment stemmed from authorities’ concern over increasing student awareness in the country. — File pic KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — Lawyer for a Universiti Malaya (UM) student who was remanded four days for allegedly refusing to co-operate in an impromptu police search, claimed today authorities are trying to smother growing student activism here.  “The police are intimidated by student uprising in the country. This is revenge as they cannot accept that more and more students are rising up (against authorities),” lawyer Farhana Abdul Halim told reporters today here. Last Friday, Bukhairi Sufian, 21, was approached by seven plainclothes policemen at the UM main entrance and asked to produce his identity card. When told to produce the contents of his bag, Bukhairi insisted they frisk him in a brightly lit area “as it was dark and...
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It is certainly true for Anwar Ibrahim, poised to be convicted once again by Malaysia’s criminal justice system (perhaps “injustice” more apt?) on more ridiculous sodomy charges on 9 January – that the more things change, the more they remain the same. If he survives the near certain conviction and incarceration, he should really consider employing female only staff the next time around as I am sick and tired that the two things Malaysia is mainly known for internationally are the Truly Asia tourism campaign and sodomy. Although, now that the UMNO conspirators have a chubby Anwar look-alike (I thought he looked more like Chua Jui Meng), any lurid and salacious plot will now be possible. So don’t be surprised if the next Anwar sex scandal revolves around a Jewish-US-World Bank-IMF-Communist-free and fair election plot to undermine Islam and the...
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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — Student activist groups Bebas and Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) say they have photographic and video evidence to back claims of excessive force by police when breaking up an academic freedom rally in Tanjung Malim on New Year’s Day. They also say they have witnesses to police beating protesters. The activists urged Bukit Aman to conduct an independent investigation into their complaint after lodging a police report today. “We urge the police from Bukit Aman to look into this matter because we believe we need an independent investigation to find out what really happened,” lawyer Fadiah Najwa Fikri told reporters today after lodging the report here. “There were many witnesses who clearly saw the police kick, step on and beat up the undergraduates. We even have photos and videos of police using excessive force when...
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VIDEO INSIDE KUALA LUMPUR: The police have been urged to investigate the alleged use of excessive force in dispersing students who gathered at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) in Tanjung Malim, Perak, in the early morning of New Year’s Day. A representative of the students and spokesperson for the Movement for Academic Freedom (Bebas) Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz said the policemen involved must be brought to court. “Those who attacked the students should be charged and punished so this does not happen to other Malaysian citizens,” he told reporters outside the Dang Wangi police headquarters here. Among other violations, Haziq alleged that the police arrested the students violently and without proper reason. “All these arrests are against the law and done in mala fide (malice)” he said. He urged the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters to be “neutral, fair...
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Lawyers For Liberty condemns the act of police brutality inflicted on student activists who were peacefully assembling to demand academic freedom in front of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) on January 1,2012 at about 12.30am.   The police have unlawfully used excessive force against peaceful and unarmed students in their attempt to disperse the students.A number of students was severely injured including Safwan Anang, the President of BEBAS who was according to eyewitness account beaten and stomped on by the police, leaving him unconscious with broken teeth.17 students have been arrested and detained in Tanjung Malim Police Station.   This barbaric and uncivilised act of police brutality is an affront to the rule of law as it violates Principle 13 of the United Nation Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials which was adopted...
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2011 akan melabuhkan tirainya tidak berapa lama lagi. Tahun ini telah menyaksikan beberapa sejarah yang telah merubah lanskap politik Malaysia. Ternyata tsunami politik pasca PRU-12 masih lagi menunjukkan bisanya walaupun pelbagai usaha dilakukan oleh kerajaan memerintah untuk menawarkan ‘bisa’ gelombang kebangkitan rakyat. Mengambil ‘berkat’ rancangan Maharaja Lawak yang bakal berakhir hujung tahun ini, saya mengandaikan begitulah jangkahayat Barisan Nasional. Sewaktu saya menulis artikel ini, Dewan Negara telah pun meluluskan Rang Undang-Undang Perhimpunan Aman 2011 hanya dalam masa sehari. Hebat bukan? Satu Rang Undang-Undang yang dikritik oleh pengamal undang-undang bahkan oleh Special Rappoteur Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu boleh diluluskan dalam masa sehari oleh Dewan Negara. Ini lah uniknya Malaysia. Negara yang tiada apa-apa yang mustahil –‘Boleh Land’ . Benarlah kata orang Malaysia Truly Asia. Secara peribadi saya merasakan Bersih 2.0 merupakan kemuncak bagi kebangkitan rakyat tahun ini. Rakyat Malaysia yang prihatin...
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KUALA LUMPUR, 23 DECEMBER, 2011: The student activist who was involved in the ‘infamous’ flag-lowering incident has lodged a police report today over an incident involving an attempt by an unidentified man to punch him a few days ago. Adam Adli, 22 from Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI) gave his statement at Dang Wangi police station. “We cannot divert the issue… There has been attempts to spin the ‘flag lowering’ issue by people who are afraid by the students movements. “Students are still committed… we SMM (Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia) are still committed to continue to demand for academic freedom such as the abolishment of AUKU (Universities and University Colleges Act),” said Adam when met by reporters outside the police station. He said the government should repeal AUKU entirely and immediately instead of amending just Article 15 of the Act. He...
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KUALA LUMPUR, 23 Dis — Aktivis Pelajar yang dipercayai menurunkan kain rentang wajah Datuk Seri Najib Razak di Ibu Pejabat Umno sewaktu demonstrasi tempoh hari tampil membuat laporan polis atas insiden kecaman ditumbuk dan ugutan yang diterimanya daripada seorang anggota Polis di Ibu Pejabat Polis Bukit Aman. Adam Adli, 22, telah menerima ancaman ditumbuk oleh seorang anggota polis bernama Roslan Mokhtar ketika membuat laporan polis terhadap ugutan bunuh yang diterimanya di Ibu Pejabat Polis Bukit Aman minggu lalu. Dalam laporan polis yang dibuat di Ibu Pejabat Polis Dang Wangi hari ini, Adam menyatakan polis berkenaan cuba menumbuknya di hadapan anggota polis yang lain tanpa dihalang mereka. “Jadi keterangan hari ini diambil berdasarkan insiden tersebut dan kita akan lihat sama ada anggota polis yang terlibat ini akan ambil tindakan kerana ia begitu jelas bahawa terdapat ugutan dari pihak polis,” kata...
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Beliau turut menerima notis pendengaran tatatertib dari Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, tempatnya belajar. KUALA LUMPUR: Pemimpin pelajar, Adam Adli yang menurunkan bendera memaparkan gambar Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak di ibu pejabat Umno di PWTC Sabtu lalu membuat laporan polis berhubung ugutan yang diterimanya. Menurut peguamnya, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, ugutan itu dipercayai diterima dari seorang anggota polis dikenali sebagai Ruslan Mokhtar. “Ruslan dipercayai seorang anggota polis kerana pegawai polis di luar pondok Bukit Aman seolah-olah mengenalinya.  Adam pergi untuk membuat aduan tentang ugutan yang diterima dan pada masa sama polis cuba membawa Adam. “Kita mahu lihat anggota polis yang terlibat diambil tindakan kerana jelas ada ugutan dari pihak-pihak yang mempunyai kuasa,” dakwa beliau. Ujar Fadiah , tindakan Adam yang menurunkan bendera itu hanya tidak mematuhi sivil dan bukan berunsur jenayah. Katanya, tindakan itu boleh diterima di seluruh dunia...
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Upon the release of their friends, they chanted outside of the police station, “Hidup Hidup! Mahasiswa!” “Student Power!”. There was so much hope and strength in those voices. The air was filled with conviction. Conviction in the face of lawlessness that robbed 15 students of their liberties, the price they had to pay for believing in what is written in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. On 14 December 2011, 15 students were arrested, detained for six hours for carrying placards in a silent protest to demand academic freedom at KL Sentral. They were denied their constitutional rights to peacefully assemble, constitutional rights to legal representation and they were intimidated by special branch officers who insisted on taking down “intelligence statements”. It was very obvious on that day that their conviction was loathed by those who have been serving...
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Venue         :    Shah’s Village Hotel, No. 3 & 5 Lorong Sultan, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Date            :    18th December 2011 (Sunday) – 10 am to 12pm Speakers   :    Matthew Albert, Renuka T. Bala In early May 2011, the Australian and Malaysian governments suddenly announced a Refugee Swap Deal which sought to transfer up to 800 asylum seekers who have arrived in Australia by sea to Malaysia. This caused a huge public outcry from civil societies and human rights advocates both in Australia and Malaysia given Malaysia’s horrendous track record of ill-treatment of refugees. Despite strong objections to Australia’s attempt to outsource its international obligation under the Refugee Convention 1951,the Government of Australia and Malaysia proceeded to sign the illegal Swap Deal on 25th July 2011. Indignant over the decision, a...
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Lawyers For Liberty condemns the tabling of the Freedom of Assembly Bill in Dewan Rakyat today as the Bill clearly appears to be an affront to the constitutional guarantee of the right to peaceful assembly which is enshrined in Article 10(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution. The Prime Minister has once again reneged on his public promise of reform announced on the night of 15 September 2011 where he said among many things “the Government will also review section 27 of the Police Act 1967, taking into consideration Article 10 of the Federal Constitution regarding freedom of assembly and so as to be in line with international norms on the same matter.” The Freedom of Assembly Bill seeks to prohibit, among others, street protests, peaceful assembly in prohibited areas, and peaceful assembly organized by a person below 21 years of...
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