Glenmarie families reject police inquest call, want murder charges

The families of the three youths, including a 15-year old, allegedly forced to kneel before they were shot to death in cold blood have rejected the police’s call for an inquest into their deaths. Speaking through their lawyers, N Surendran and legal rights group Lawyers for Liberty, the families reiterated their demand that all the…

Why special treatment for Aussie boatpeople?

Malaysia’s move to exempt 800 boatpeople from its immigration laws has led to activists questioning the preferential treatment. PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s decision to grant the 800 boatpeople sent from Australia exemption from its immigration laws has been met with hostility from local activist groups. The Australian media yesterday reported that the asylum seekers would not…

Glenmarie shooting was murder, says lawyer

According to the post-mortem report, at least one of the three youths was kneeling when police shot him, N Surendran tells reporters. PETALING JAYA: It was murder in cold blood, according to a lawyer for the families of three youths whom police shot dead in Glenmarie last year. Addressing a press conference at the PKR…

Three ‘executed’ while kneeling before cops, says lawyer

PETALING JAYA, June 9 — Post-mortem reports on three youths showed they were kneeling when they were shot by policemen last year, a legal rights group said today. Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) claimed today that the three were executed. Prominent lawyer and LFL co-ordinator N. Surendran (picture)told reporters at the PKR headquarters here that according…

DBKL ‘vandals’ damage estate property

PETALING JAYA: The residents of Bukit Jalil estate claimed another “official vandalism” took place yesterday when nearly 30 Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) officers tore their banners. It all took place in the presence of nearly 20 police officers. The estate action committee treasurer K Balakrishnan said that DBKL officers arrived at the estate at…

Malaysian police slammed for marking ‘prostitutes’

Malaysian activists condemned police on Saturday for using marker pens to “brand” 30 suspected prostitutes with large crosses on their foreheads. Newspaper pictures published on Friday of the 29 Chinese and one Vietnamese arrested in a vice raid on a high-end nightclub on the holiday island of Penang sparked outrage among rights groups who demanded…

HRW – Indonesia/Malaysia: New Pact Shortchanges Domestic Workers

Weak Protections as Global Body Finalizes Comprehensive Standards (Geneva, May 31, 2011) – A revised agreement between Malaysia and Indonesia provides some benefits for migrant domestic workers but fails to provide some needed safeguards linked to low wages and high recruitment fees, Human Rights Watch said today. A series of high-profile abuse cases led Indonesia in June 2009 to ban new…

Detention without trial must end now

KUALA LUMPUR: Four NGOs -Suaram, Bar Council, Loyar Burok, Lawyers for Liberty- would be filing a judicial review to challenge the detention of three youths under the Emergency Ordinance. Muhamad Arif Abu Samah, 20, was placed under EO in Mersing this month.Two brothers – Mohamed Ramadan Mohamed Ali, 22, and Mohamad Rafe, 20, were placed…

Judge endorses prosecution case in Malaysian opposition leader’s trial

Malaysian High Court judge Mohamad Zadidin Mohd Diah ruled on Monday that the prosecution had established a prima facie case in the trial of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and rejected an application by defence lawyers to dismiss the charge of sodomy. The ruling, like the case itself, was a highly political one. Prime Minister Najib Razak’s…

Refugee nightmare plays out for Gillard

The past week has brought home that the Labor government can’t claim a shred of principle on asylum policy any more. It has shamed itself repeatedly and in a most hypocritical way. Those who condemned the Pacific solution have embraced a Malaysian one. The people who said Nauru was unacceptable for offshore processing in part…

Three to challenge Emergency Ordinance

  KUALA LUMPUR: Three young men detained under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) for suspected vehicle theft will be asking the court to compel the Cabinet to advise the King to revoke the 1969 law, in a test case to challenge the long-standing EO. Muhamad Arif Abu Samah, 19, Mohamed Ramadan Mohamed Ali, 22, and Mohamed…

Setiap bangsa itu istimewa

Membaca berita tentang adik Patmanaban yang gagal mendapat biasiswa kerajaan untuk melanjutkan pelajaran sangat menyesakkan dada saya. Boleh dikatakan setiap tahun ada sahaja kes seumpama ini yang berlaku. Saya sendiri tertanya-tanya, apakah kaedah yang digunakan untuk menyaring dan memilih calon–calon yang layak mendapatkan biasiswa ini. Adakah kelayakan akademik, aktiviti ko-kurikulum dan temuduga sahaja yang menjadi…

Human Rights Watch – Australia: End Threat of Tawdry Refugee Trade

Drop Proposal to Swap Asylum Seekers, Refugees With Malaysia (New York, May 26, 2011) – Australia risks reneging on its international legal obligations if it forcibly transfers 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Human Rights Watch urged Australia not to proceed with…