Shadow Policy Committee

By Debra Chong Despite being hauled up for police questioning today, Bersih chief Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan insists the July 9 march for electoral reforms will continue as planned. The prominent lawyer said she will also not apply for a police permit to hold the street demonstration as the home minister and the police have made it clear one will not be issued. She then slammed the authorities for hauling up civil society members campaigning for electoral reform instead of engaging them. “Instead of threatening people, engage with us,” she urged the authorities, repeating the movement’s statement made last night. Ambiga also repeatedly called the arrests of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members in Penang during the weekend “ridiculous”, denouncing attempts by various groups to link the minor political group backing Bersih to “communists”. “I don’t know what it’s about... They are caught in a time warp. Who talks about communists in this day and age?” she quizzed, claiming the arrests wer...

It's a bold step forward towards freedom of speech. In an unprecedented move, the Penang government will launch a "Speaker's Square" at the Esplanade for the public to air their views. The square will be located at the Millennium Square concrete stage near the seafront. It is expected to draw social activists and members of non-governmental organisations to take the limelight and speak their mind. Penang Local government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the public would be allowed to speak whatever they hold to be important every Wednesday and Sunday from 6pm to 9pm from May 9. “It is for spontaneous demonstration of free speech as anyone can turn up unannounced and talk. Of course, you will have to wait until the person on the stage has finished before you go up to talk," said Chow. “There will be no PA system. So, those who wish to speak will have to bring their own equipment,” Chow told the press . “Although our aim is ...

Penang is waiting to see if Selangor is successful in enacting the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) as its own state legal adviser has hampered it, saying it is “unconstitutional”. Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng (picture) today repeated his call for freedom of information to mark World Press Freedom Day tomorrow. “In Penang, the state legal adviser has objected to the Penang state government’s intention to enact a FOI on the grounds that it is unconstitutional,” he said in a statement. He said the legal adviser’s opinion is that information is under the federal list of the federal Constitution and not within the jurisdiction of the state government. “The state government is closely following the efforts by the Selangor state government to enact the FOI and should this be successful will then enact a similar law in the Penang State Assembly,” he said. Lim lamented that DAP as well as other interested parties had long called for the abolis...

By: Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General, Penang Chief Minister and MP for Bagan It saddens me that less than one week after the arson attempts on two suraus in Muar, more despicable incidents took place in the Klang Valley today, whereby the heads of wild boars were found at the Masjid Jumhuriyah in Taman Dato Harun and the Al- Imam Tirmizi mosque at Taman Sri Sentosa near Old Klang Road this morning. This reminded us of the infamous “cow head” incident that took place last year in Shah Alam where irresponsible parties tried to fan religious and racial sentiments by hurling insults against fellow Malaysians who are Hindus. Such actions were condemned by Malaysians of all religious backgrounds and similar condemnation must be directed against the culprits who caused today's “pig-head” incident in mosques. Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had downplayed the various attacks on places of worship in the country since early this month as “minor aberrations”. It is not i...