#ambiga

Former Malaysian Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan warned of a potential judicial crisis, citing delays in appointing the Chief Judge of Malaya (CJM) and upcoming retirements of Federal Court judges. Speaking at a Bar Council forum, she criticized the government for taking nearly 10 months to fill the CJM position without explanation. Ambiga expressed concerns about judicial independence,…

Ambiga Sreenevasan : A desecration of the rule of law.

Published on 8 Jun 2021 11:39AM ·  IT should be patently obvious by now that the January 11 proclamation of emergency and the ensuing Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 have primarily served to contain our parliament, rather than the pandemic. Repeated calls for the reconvening of parliament, including by no less than the deputy speaker, have been ignored. Worse, the recent announcement…

New Post has been published on http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/04/16/may-13-set-for-hearing-of-ambigas-case-against-sabah-state-govt/

May 13 set for hearing of Ambiga’s case against Sabah state govt

KOTA KINABALU, April 16, 2015:

The High Court here set May 13 for the hearing of activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan’s case against the Sabah state government for refusing her entry into the state last year.

She is seeking an Order of Certiorari to quash the notice of refusal into the state and an Order of Mandamus to compel the respondents to allow her entry into the state.

The human rights activist and former Malaysian Bar president filed an application in January for a review of the state’s ban on her through a letter dated Nov 14 issued by the Director of Immigration, Sabah under the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Revised 1974) and the Immigration Regulations 1963.

Judge Justice Stephen Chung set the date today following a request from Ambiga’s lawyer James Tsai to allow more time to prepare his reply to the affidavit.

Ambiga named four respondents namely Sabah Immigration Department director Noor Alam Khan Wahid Khan; followed by Ghulam Jelani Khanizaman, in his capacity as state authority under section 62 of the Immigration Act 1959/63; Sabah Chief Minister, as state authority under section 62 of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and as minister responsible for Immigration; and also Moktar Yassin Ajim, in his capacity as the secretary of the Internal Affairs and Research for the state.

Last month, Ambiga was granted leave by the High Court here for a judicial review for not being allowed into the state on Nov 25 for a roadshow with pro-unity group Negara-Ku, of which she is a patron.

She was scheduled to attend the event along with the group’s co-patron Tan Sri Simon Sipaun and prominent Sabah politician Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

New Post has been published on http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/02/12/anwar-will-dangerous-inside-prison-warns-ambiga/

Anwar will be 'more dangerous' inside prison, warns Ambiga

KUALA LUMPUR Feb 12, 2015:

The decision to jail Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be one that the Barisan Nasional-led government would live to regret.

In declaring this, former Bar Council president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said the Opposition leader would “be a far more dangerous opposition inside prison than being outside”.

“If the government thinks that the Anwar factor has diminished with his incarceration now, he has become a bigger factor in the Malaysian political scene,” she said at a forum titled: “Anwar behind bars: The future of Malaysian politics”.

The forum was organised by Malaysiakini.

In a strong message to Pakatan Rakyat, however, Ambiga also warned the Opposition coalition to be united for the sake of the people if they were to capitalise on Anwar’s momentum.

“The people are anticipating and demanding such unity from Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

“With capable and intelligent people in your ranks, are you telling me that you cannot solve your problems?”

She was apparently directing her questions to fellow panellists, including Parit Buntar Member of Parliament Datuk Dr Mujahid Rawa (PAS), Batu Member of Parliament Tian Chua (PKR) and Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong (DAP).

She said Pakatan Rakyat needed to have stronger will power and less internal bickering to attract the people to its side.

The internal bickering, she said, was very tiring for the people who wanted the Opposition coalition to come up with a common policy and be convinced that Pakatan could provide a viable alternative government.

On Anwar’s conviction by the Federal Court, Ambiga slammed lead prosecutor Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah for preparing statements that personally attacked the Permatang Pauh MP (Anwar).

“It was totally uncalled for because never in my experience have I seen any prosecutor, including a deputy public prosecutor from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, have the need to produce a statement once the person is found guilty. There is no need.”

Ambiga said producing such statements to justify the judgment only showed their nervousness and this should not have been the case in the first place.

New Post has been published on http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/01/30/ambiga-raps-dca-mishandling-mh370-next-kin/

Ambiga raps DCA over 'mishandling' of MH370 next of kin

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30, 2015:

The manner in which the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) cancelled a press conference on the missing MAS flight MH370 yesterday has been described as cruel by Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.

The human rights lawyer and activist also questioned why the DCA was afraid of meeting the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370 victims’ next of kin who were present at the press conference area yesterday.

“Frankly, I think it is appalling and I don’t even understand the announcement,” Ambiga said to The Rakyat Post via a text message.

She also questioned if the announcement was made after thorough investigations.

The government yesterday officially declared MH370 as an accident in accordance with the Standards of Annexes 12 and 13 of the Chicago Convention and that all 239 of the passengers and crew on board MH370 are presumed to have lost their lives.

In a broadcast at 6pm on Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) yesterday following public uproar over the earlier cancellation of the press conference, DCA director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said the Malaysian government acknowledged that the declaration would be difficult for the families to accept.

Ambiga, on the other hand said the manner the families were handled was not right.

“This is a cruel and insensitive way of handling the families of the victims. Why were those in charge afraid to face the families? I feel so sad for the families.”

The flight MH370 which carried 12 crew members and 227 passengers, including two infants, disappeared from radar screens while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, about an hour after taking off from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on March 8, last year.

It was scheduled to arrive in Beijing at 6.30am on the same day.

New Post has been published on http://bm.therakyatpost.com/berita/2015/01/30/mahkamah-tinggi-tolak-tuntutan-saman-kerajaan-malaysia/

Mahkamah Tinggi tolak tuntutan saman Kerajaan Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, 30 Januari:

Mahkamah Tinggi di sini, hari ini, menolak tuntutan saman kerajaan Malaysia terhadap Pengerusi BERSIH 3.0, Datuk S. Ambiga dan 14 jawatankuasa penganjur berhubung kegagalan mengawal perhimpunan yang menyebabkan 15 kenderaan milik kerajaan rosak, pada 28 April 2012.

Dalam pada itu, Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi, Datuk John Louis O’Hara turut memutuskan supaya kerajaan membayar RM30,000 kepada defenden ketujuh, Dr. Wong Chin Huat serta ganti rugi kerosakan sebanyak RM21,000.

Keputusan itu dibuat selepas selesai mendengar hujahan daripada barisan empat Peguam Kanan Persekutuan yang diketuai oleh Kamal Azira.

Kesemua defendan telah memberikan hujah masing-masing sekitar Disember, tahun lalu.

Pada 15 Mei 2012, Kerajaan Malaysia selaku plaintif telah memfailkan saman terhadap penganjur-penganjur bersama perhimpunan haram Bersih 3.0 atas dakwaan gagal mengawal perhimpunan yang diadakan pada 28 April tahun sama.

New Post has been published on http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2014/12/11/behave-will-overseas-ambiga-tells-leaders/

Behave here as you will overseas, Ambiga tells leaders

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11, 2014:

Malaysian leaders behave moderately on the international platform, but not on home ground.

This was the opinion of human rights lawyer Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan who said that the things these leaders said outside the country and how they behaved abroad was the way the nation wanted them to be at home.

“When we look at the basis of how we successfully entered the United Nations Security Council, we can notice that there is an overflow of moderation.”

Speaking at the Bar Council’s forum on “Freedom of Expression” at the Straits Trading Building here today, Ambiga claimed that although what was said overseas may be hypocritical, she wished they could say the same things they said internationally here.

“Instead, when they come back into the country, they continue to be bullies.

“Just like in the situation involving me. Why not, rather than talking about me in the Umno General Assembly, you talk directly to me?

“And if you manage to persuade me, I will change.”

Also present at the forum was Umno’s Pulai Member of Parliament Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, who called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to be braver.

“‘1Malaysia was a very brave statement that he made, but I haven’t heard him talk about it again for a while now.

“He needs to be braver,” Nur Jazlan told those present at the Raja Aziz Auditorium.

The forum, which discussed freedom of expression in the country, saw the panellists discuss the Sedition Act 1948 at length, with Nur Jazlan being the only one in support of the Act.

Nur Jazlan, who is also the Public Accounts Committee chairman, said the Act was needed to regulate people’s behaviour in a country with diverse religions, cultures and races.

“Malaysia is about to face the effects of globalisation that is changing its character.

“I was all for the Sedition Act to be retained even before the Prime Minister announced that the Act was to be retained.

“I was also all for Internal Security Act (ISA) to be retained, but the government decided to revoke it. The problem, however, is not with the Acts. It is with the application.”

Meanwhile, he added that the country was moving forward, but slowly.

“With the heightened political attacks carried out in the social media, the government was at loss at how to handle the pervasive situation, resulting in it retreating back into its shell.

“People should compromise. Don’t just focus on one or two negative issues. Instead look at the environment in total.

“Remember that every action has a reaction. If you are not happy with something, every four to five years (during the general election), you have the right to express your thoughts through the votes.”