Karpal Singh - 1940 to 2014

This morning, Thousands of people lined the streets of Penang to send off the hearse carrying Karpal Singh on his last journey.

The casket, bearing the body of the “Tiger of Jelutong”, was draped with a carpet bearing an image of a Tiger before it was carried out from the Dewan Sri Pinang on Sunday.

Guan Eng, who is also the DAP secretary-general, said the state government mourned the untimely and unexpected passing of Karpal.

The procession will make stops at places dear to Karpal - the Penang High Court, his office in Green Hall, the Penang state assembly building, his alma mater St Xavier’s Institution and state DAP party headquarters in Rangoon Road - before proceeding to the Batu Gantong Crematorium.

Karpal Singh, a prominent lawyer, an MP and a fearless and defatigeable fighter for justice was killed in an auto accident on his way from Kuala Lumpur to Penang where he was to attend a court case. The accident happened around 1:10am of April 17, Thursday. His personal assistant Michael Cornelius Selvam Vellu also died. His driver and his son were injured while his Indonesia maid is in ICU.

Rest In Peace

Image source: The Star

Internal Security Act - replaced by Security Bill

Following the Bill on varsity students' involvement in politics tabled in Dewan, another Bill tabled in Parliament is the Security Bill. This Bill replaces the Internal Security Act introduced in 1960 at that time to counter armed communist insurgency but has since become a source of controversy.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz tabled the first reading of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Bill 2012 to repeal and replace the ISA.

In contrast to the ISA that allows detention without trial, the Bill stipulates that all security offences be tried by the High Court.

More from The Star..

Security offences include waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or aiding the escape of a prisoner of the State as listed under Chapter VI and VIA of the Penal Code.

Under clause 4 of the Bill, a police officer may, without warrant, arrest any person whom he has reason to believe is involved in security offences. However, no person should be arrested solely for his or her political belief or political activity.

A person arrested under the proposed Act may be held for 24 hours but the detention may be extended up to 28 days by a police officer of the rank of Superintendent or above to facilitate investigations.

If the police officer believes that further detention is not necessary, the person may be released but an electronic monitoring device will be attached to the person until the 28-day period is up. Any person convicted of tampering with or destroying the device faces a maximum jail term of three years and is liable to pay for damages.

In most circumstances, no bail will be granted to a person charged with a security offence. However, a person below 18, a woman or a sick or infirm person charged with a security offence may be released on bail, subject to an application by the Public Prosecutor that the person be attached with an electronic monitoring device.

The investigation officer will notify the next-of-kin of an arrested person of the detention and allow that person to consult a lawyer.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the repeal of the ISA in his Malaysia Day message in September last year as part of government efforts for political transformation.


Source: The Star..Security Bill has been tabled

Bill on varsity students' involvement in politics tabled in Dewan

As a nation matures, changes in policies and rulings are inevitable. In Malaysia, the voting age is still at 21 but more and more students are mature enough to enable them to get involved in politics.

In a recent Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) sitting, The Universities and University Colleges (Amendment) Bill 2012, which seeks to enable a student to be a member of any political party, was tabled for first reading.

From The Star..

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin tabled the bill.

The bill proposed that a student may become a member of any organisation, whether in or outside Malaysia, including any political party.

However, it imposes restrictions on students' involvement in political activities in the campus. No restriction is imposed on such activities outside the campus.

The bill also proposed that "students cannot stand for election or hold any post in any campus organisation if the student holds any post in a political party."

This prohibition aims to maintain a neutrality in the campus.