Malaysians should know how to fly the Jalur Gemilang by now, says Dr M
The 100-year-old former two-time prime minister acknowledged public discontent over recent incidents where the flag was flown upside down in the lead-up to Merdeka Day celebrations.
"People feel hurt. I mean, we have been independent for more than 60 years," he said.
"By now, people should know the flag. You should not make any mistakes about that," he said.
Dr Mahathir was met after the case management proceedings of his RM150 million defamation suit against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He was responding to questions regarding the repeated incidents of the national flag being hoisted incorrectly, which have drawn widespread criticism.
The Attorney-General's Chambers has reminded all parties of their responsibility to respect the Malaysian flag as a symbol of national sovereignty and to adhere to laws and guidelines on its use.
The A-GC said it took the improper display, hoisting or flying of the flag seriously and any offences related to raising or displaying that could create confusion, misunderstanding or concern may result in legal action.
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New Straits Times
26 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Blacklisting individuals behind parent developer companies may be strong deterrent against misconduct: Expert
KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed amendment to the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1966 should enhance Malaysia's reputation as a reliable property market, attracting more sustainable domestic and foreign investment. The move will lead to adoption of better governance and financial practices among developers, said an expert. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia associate professor in property economics and finance Dr Muhammad Najib Razali said by ensuring that both residential and commercial developments are subject to stricter oversight, the reform strengthens overall investor confidence and enhances market stability. "Developers will be compelled to adopt better governance and financial practices, reducing the risks of stalled or abandoned projects. "This, in turn, will improve Malaysia's reputation as a reliable property market, attracting more sustainable domestic and foreign investments," Muhammad Najib told Business Times. He added that the proposed amendment is both timely and necessary, pointing out that although the act has traditionally centred on residential projects, commercial developments are just as vulnerable to delays, financial mismanagement and abandonment. "Small businesses and investors who purchase units in commercial developments face risks similar to homebuyers, yet enforcement mechanisms have been limited. "By expanding the scope of the law, the ministry is closing a significant regulatory gap and ensuring comprehensive protection across the property sector," he said. Muhammad Najib added that the blacklisting of board members of parent developer companies and ultimate beneficiary owners under the proposed amendments could be a strong deterrent against repeated misconduct. "Historically, some Malaysian developers have dissolved companies or rebranded under new names to escape liabilities, leaving buyers stranded with little legal recourse. "This has been a recurring issue in Malaysia's property sector, where abandoned and 'sick' projects continue to undermine market stability. "By targeting the individuals behind these companies, the amendment ensures greater accountability and reduces the chances of repeat offences," he said, adding that the move reflects growing public expectations for accountability in the property sector. However, Muhammad Najib cautioned that while blacklisting is a useful measure, it should be carried out with proper due process and clear guidelines to prevent unintended repercussions. He also noted that experts have long stressed blacklisting on its own is not a comprehensive solution, as deeper issues such as fragile financing structures, weak project governance, and speculative development practices persist. "If executed fairly, however, blacklisting could help break the cycle of abandoned projects that has left more than 42,000 housing units, worth over RM12 billion, abandoned in the private sector alone as reported by the Rehda Institute in 2024." Muhammad Najib said in Malaysia's real estate sector, the persistent issue of abandoned projects impacts not just homebuyers but also undermines confidence in both the commercial and residential property markets. "The scale is significant: as of October 2024, Malaysia recorded 113 abandoned housing projects, 212 delayed, and 382 categorised as 'sick', with a total gross development value exceeding RM113 billion. "High-profile failures such as Plaza Rakyat in Kuala Lumpur, left incomplete since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, or the under-occupied Forest City in Johor, demonstrate that both residential and commercial projects are exposed to financial and governance risks," he said Global approaches Muhammad Najib noted that several countries have adopted similar mechanisms to ensure developer accountability and safeguard buyers. He said in Singapore, developers must channel purchasers' payments into Project Accounts, which are closely regulated to ensure the funds are used strictly for construction purposes. "In China, the government has tightened rules on real estate financing and imposed restrictions on developers' ability to take on excessive debt through the "three red lines" policy, directly targeting corporate governance and financial responsibility," he said. He pointed out that in India, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016 enforces stringent disclosure rules, compels developers to place at least 70 per cent of buyer payments into escrow accounts, and blacklists those who abandon or delay projects without valid reasons. "These international examples show that enhanced accountability, blacklisting of errant developers, and stricter financial oversight are increasingly seen as necessary tools to safeguard property markets and protect purchasers," he added. Preventive checks Muhammad Najib said preventive measures are crucial to reduce the risk of housing or commercial projects being delayed or abandoned. He said that developers should undergo stricter checks before getting a licence, including proving financial strength, clear ownership, and feasible project plans. "The government also needs to play a stronger role by having rigorous knowledge and thorough evaluation before approving any new development. "Too often, approvals are given without deep checks into a developer's track record, financial capacity, or whether the project is truly viable. "With better due diligence, weak or speculative projects can be filtered out early, reducing the chances of them being abandoned later," he said. Muhammad Najib said this ensures that only serious, credible developers can enter the market, which protects both buyers and the overall real estate sector.
New Straits Times
26 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Govt mulls special entry rules for non-citizen parents of Malaysian children
KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry is drafting special consideration criteria for entry permits for non-citizen spouses with Malaysian children who have been separated from their Malaysian partners. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the move aims to support family institutions and to ensure that non-citizen parents are not separated from their Malaysian citizen children. He said that under current regulations, if a marriage between a non-citizen and a Malaysian citizen ends, either through divorce or the death of the Malaysian spouse, the long-term social visit pass for the non-citizen is no longer valid. "For non-citizens married to Malaysian citizens, they are eligible for the long-term social visit pass to reside in Malaysia. With this pass, they may apply for an entry permit and subsequently submit a permanent resident application to the National Registration Department. "However, if the marriage ends, whether due to death or divorce, the long-term social visit pass will no longer be granted. The privilege of applying for an entry permit through the spouse-to-citizen pathway will also lapse automatically," he said in a parliamentary written reply. He was responding to Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari (PH–Sungai Petani), who asked about the status of non-citizen single mothers and fathers with Malaysian children who could not apply for permanent residency during their marriage due to stringent requirements but are now sole guardians of their Malaysian children. Saifuddin said three measures had been introduced to ease entry permit applications and reduce barriers for parents in such situations. He said that the ministry had cleared all 19,205 backlog applications dating from 2013 to 2023. Of these, 14,918 applications were from wives of Malaysian citizens and 4,287 from husbands. "The requirements for entry permit applications have also been refined. For wives of Malaysian citizens, applications can be made once the marriage has been registered for three years and the applicant has held a spouse pass for at least one year. "For husbands of Malaysian citizens, applications can be made once the marriage has been registered for five years and the applicant has held a spouse pass for five years," he said. He added that the ministry had introduced a new standard operating procedure (SOP) for entry permit applications, which sets a six-month processing and decision-making timeframe for complete applications.
The Star
34 minutes ago
- The Star
Words ‘offensive' and ‘annoy' crossed out from online law
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has struck down a part of Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 that consisted of the words 'offensive' and 'annoy'. A three-judge panel, chaired by Federal Court judge Justice Lee Swee Seng, held that the words 'offensive' and 'annoy' in Section 233 were unconstitutional. 'We find the impugned words 'offensive' and 'annoy' in Section 233 constituting an offence to be inconsistent with Article 10(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution read with Article 8, and hence unconstitutional and void. 'It is not a permissible restriction to freedom of expression under our Federal Constitution. 'The appeal is allowed and the order of the High Court is set aside,' Justice Lee said. The court did not make any order as to costs. 'Being a constitutional matter, we make no order as to costs as no one is the winner but the Malaysian public where freedom of expression is concerned. 'We declare this decision to have prospective effect so as not to resurrect the past which is better left interned,' Justice Lee said. Other judges on the Bench were Court of Appeal judges Justices Hashim Hamzah and Azman Abdullah. The Court of Appeal's judgment arose from an appeal by activist Heidy Quah, who filed an originating summons to declare the words in the law provision as null and void as it is inconsistent with Article 10 of the Federal Constitution read with Article 8. Section 233(1)(a) states that it is an offence for a person to make, create or solicit, and initiate the transmission of any online comment which is 'obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive' with 'intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person. However, under an amendment effective February this year, the word 'offensive' was replaced with 'grossly offensive'. In this respect, the appellate court found that the amendment did not affect Quah's legal challenge. On July 27, 2021, Quah, who is the founder of Refuge for the Refugees, claimed trial at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to a charge of sharing offensive content over a Facebook post that alleged mistreatment of refugees at an Immigration detention centre. She was accused of making the post through her Facebook page under the name 'Heidy Quah' with intent to insult others at about 5.30am on June 5, 2020. On April 25, 2022, she was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal after the Sessions Court allowed her preliminary objection. At the same time when her case at the Sessions Court began, Quah filed an originating summons at the Shah Alam High Court on Aug 30, 2021, to challenge the provision of Section 233 that was used against her. On Sept 12, 2023, the High Court dismissed her application without order as to costs. Quah then appealed the matter at the Court of Appeal, which resulted in yesterday's judgment.
