Lawsuit seeks to declare BM version of Constitution as authoritative text
He cited Article 160B of the Constitution stating that where the Constitution has been translated into Bahasa Malaysia, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may prescribe it to be the authoritative text.
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Borneo Post
24 minutes ago
- Borneo Post
Wan Junaidi's significant contributions embody Sarawak Day spirit, says Lee
Wan Junaidi waves to the crowd upon his arrival at the Miri Indoor Stadium. – Ukas photo MIRI (July 23): Governor Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar deserves to be honoured symbolically as an embodiment of the Sarawak Day spirit in recognition of his significant contributions to the state, said Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin. The Transport Minister, who is Sarawak Day celebration minister in charge, pointed out Wan Junaidi's most significant contribution was as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Parliament) when the Federal Constitution was amended to restore several of Sarawak's rights. 'Tun Pehin Sri is not only an esteemed figure in administration and legal affairs, but also a true patriot who once stood at the frontline in defending the sovereignty of our homeland,' Lee said in his welcoming speech at the Sarawak Day celebration at Miri Indoor Stadium last night. He noted that Wan Junaidi has always placed Sarawak's interests at the forefront within the framework of the Malaysian Federation, whether in his roles as lawmaker, minister, speaker, or now as Head of State. Lee pointed out that during Wan Junaidi's service with the Police Field Force, the latter had risked his life in several operations against the North Kalimantan Communist Party in areas such as Miri, Sibu, and Kapit. Wan Junaidi's bravery during those tumultuous times stands as a testament to his loyalty and the indomitable spirit of a true son of Sarawak, Lee said. 'Tun Pehin Sri is not only known as a leader of calibre and integrity, but also as a statesman dedicated to Sarawak's development, as well as the unity and prosperity of its people,' he added. He thanked Wan Junaidi and wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi for their presence at this year's Sarawak Day celebration. 'We all pray for the continued protection of His Excellency Tun and Toh Puan, and that they will remain as guiding pillars leading us towards a progressive and prosperous Sarawak,' he added. Among those present at the event were Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof, and Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, and Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian. lead Lee Kim Shin Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Prabowo rolls out state-backed co-ops to boost grassroots
JAKARTA: President Prabowo Subianto launches 80,081 cooperatives under the Red-and-White Cooperatives (KMP) programme during a ceremony in Bentangan village, Klaten, Central Java. In his speech on Monday, Prabowo described the cooperatives as 'a tool of struggle' for the poor and a way for 'economically weaker groups' to build collective strength. He framed the initiative as a 'strategic movement' aimed at challenging the longstanding economic dominance of big players. 'Initiatives like these aren't welcomed by major capitalists or large investors. 'In many of their minds, cooperatives may be seen as competitors. And there are certain countries that wouldn't be happy to see a big nation rise,' he said. The state-backed cooperatives will be equipped with warehouses, cold storage facilities, delivery vehicles and retail outlets, such as basic goods stores and pharmacies, in an effort to streamline supply chains and reduce logistical bottlenecks. They will also have access to 'super micro financing', Prabowo said, noting that the loan amounts will be smaller than those in typical microfinance schemes, with funds disbursed through state-owned banks. He added that the government had allocated up to 2.5 billion rupiah (US$150,000) per village for the programme's first year, sourced from existing village funds, though actual costs 'could be lower in areas with idle public assets'. Coordinating Food Minister Zulkifli Hasan, who also leads the task force behind the initiative, said that out of the 80,081 cooperatives established, only around 108 are ready to operate at the moment. 'We are preparing one million cooperative managers to support villagers and build a strong, prosperous Indonesia from the grassroots,' Zulkifli said during the launch. Suroto, chief executive of the cooperative organisation Inkur, criticised the government's push to establish 80,000 village cooperatives as a form of 'structural coercion', saying the pressure was evident in the withholding of village fund disbursements for the sake of KMP's establishment. Support letters and deeds for establishing cooperatives became requirements for villages seeking access to the second tranche of 2025 village funds. The policy stems from a Finance Ministry circular issued in response to Presidential Instruction No. 9/2025 on accelerating the formation of village cooperatives. 'This is a top-down push to create what are essentially fake cooperatives,' Suroto said on Monday. 'You cannot build real co-ops by force from the top. That goes against the whole idea.' He further argued that the government's move to set up cooperatives violates the Constitution's guarantees of freedom of association, assembly and expression, as the rushed rollout undermines the voluntary and democratic spirit of cooperatives by pressuring villagers into forming them. Cooperatives Minister Budi Arie Setiadi denied in May that the effort is top-down, saying the government does not interfere in selecting cooperative leaders, as they are chosen through 'democratic voting' by villagers. 'The idea may be top-down, but the formation is still grassroots,' Budi said. Suroto highlighted a glaring disconnect between the government's push for cooperatives and the public's understanding on the ground. While officials were eager to scale up the initiative rapidly, he noted that many villagers still did not understand what a cooperative actually is. 'I have spoken to people in the field. The first questions they ask are: 'When do we get paid by the cooperative?' or 'When will the government pay our salary'?' he said. Without proper education and groundwork, Suroto warned, these newly established cooperatives risk becoming inactive or collapsing entirely, as they lack the grassroots understanding and genuine community ownership needed to sustain them in the long term. A new report by the Centre of Economic and Law Studies also highlighted serious fiscal and economic risks associated with the programme. — The Jakarta Post/ANN
Daily Express
3 hours ago
- Daily Express
No maritime border change without Sabah's consent: Shafie
Published on: Wednesday, July 23, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 23, 2025 By: Abbey Junior Text Size: Shafie said Sabah's claim over areas such as Sipadan and Ligitan had previously been upheld at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) based on strong legal and historical evidence, including British-era records and community presence on the islands. Kota Kinabalu: Any decision on maritime boundary changes, particularly involving the Ambalat Block, must go through the Sabah Legislative Assembly and cannot be decided unilaterally by the Chief Minister, says Warisan President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal. Raising the issue in Parliament on Tuesday, the Semporna MP reminded the Government that Sabah has historical, legal and constitutional rights that must be upheld, citing Article 2 of the Federal Constitution, which requires consent from the State Assembly for any border amendments. 'This is about trust in nation-building. The law must be enforced. The Chief Minister does not have the absolute power to agree on maritime boundary shifts, whether in Sulawesi or elsewhere,' he said. He stressed that while Sabah's legal team may be involved in negotiations with Indonesia, all decisions must be democratically approved by the State Assembly. Shafie said Sabah's claim over areas such as Sipadan and Ligitan had previously been upheld at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) based on strong legal and historical evidence, including British-era records and community presence on the islands. On the economic front, Shafie criticised the longstanding imbalance in petroleum revenue sharing, saying Sabah has only received five per cent oil royalties since the Petroleum Development Act 1974 came into force. 'During my time as Chief Minister, we imposed a sales tax — that's how the Government earned an additional RM2 billion to RM3 billion,' he said, adding that maritime development talks must also clarify what economic benefits Sabah would receive. 'Will there be jobs? Will upstream or downstream activities be offered to Sabahans? We don't want Sabahans questioning the returns while others benefit,' he said. He called on the Prime Minister to be transparent about what Sabah stands to gain from any negotiations involving maritime development with Indonesia. 'This country would not have been formed without Sabah and Sarawak. If this region contributes to Malaysian territory, then we must ensure Sabah is not sidelined,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
