Latest news with #AhmadMarzuk
The Star
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Star
Rowdy MPs ejected from Parliament
DATUK Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) was ordered by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul to leave the chamber and will be suspended for 10 days under Standing Order 42(2) for contempt of the House. The decision was taken by Johari following last week's incident in which Awang had challenged other MPs to a fight as he was walking out of the lower House. When Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) questioned whether RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) would face the same fate, Johari referred to Standing Order 36(10)(c), stressing that MPs must refrain from using words that provoke hostility or resentment. Same fate: (From left) Awang and Ahmad Marzuk. 'Do not call PAS a deviant sect in this chamber. I know former prime ministers, including Pagoh and the then Langkawi MP, have said so – but they said it outside. 'Once you are in this House, enough. Do not say it anymore,' Johari said. He further reminded lawmakers not to brand one another as 'kafir'. 'Imagine families at home watching us calling each other 'kafir'. To build a house takes a long time, but to burn it down is very fast,' he added. Later in the afternoon, the Dewan Rakyat proceedings turned rowdy as a shouting match ensued, followed by another opposition lawmaker being booted out for two days. As Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar was winding up on the debates related to his ministry, Datuk Dr Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PN-Pengkalan Chepa) pressed for answers on why a non-Muslim consultancy was appointed for the rejuvenation of the Lembaga Tabung Haji brand. In reply, the minister said there was a stringent process to adhere to prior to making any approvals. 'If I want to bring up such matters, 23 non-Muslim companies were also appointed when Pengkalan Chepa was the deputy Religious Affairs Minister,' said Mohd Na'im, resulting in cheers from the floor. Ahmad Marzuk, however, did not take this lightly and again asked for an answer to his question. He also accused the minister of misleading the House. 'He's not answering the questions and just spinning,' he said. Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Alice Lau called for order and directed Ahmad Marzuk to take a seat. However, he continued to speak despite his microphone being switched off. This led to Lau asking Ahmad Marzuk to leave the House for 30 minutes, with the latter, however, still continuing to speak. 'Earlier, I said it was 30 minutes, but you continued speaking without permission. Do you want two days?' she asked, with several voices heard cheering on. 'Okay, then two days it is,' she said, as the opposition MP was escorted out of the lower House. At a press conference later, Ahmad Marzuk remained defiant, saying he was merely raising an issue concerning the Lembaga Tabung Haji brand rejuvenation process. 'But the minister chose not to answer my questions. It is also disappointing that I was ejected and suspended for two days. 'That is what happened at the Dewan Rakyat,' he said.
Barnama
13 hours ago
- Business
- Barnama
Consortium Of Four Local Firms Appointed For Th Branding With Board Approval
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- The company appointed for Lembaga Tabung Haji's (TH) branding exercise is a consortium of four local firms, selected based on expertise and capabilities aligned with the project's requirements. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said the consortium comprises professionals of various races, and the appointment was approved through TH's procurement processes and governance, which are overseen by its Board of Directors. 'Since 1963, TH has carried out brand reviews three times, in 1969, 1995, and 2009. TH consistently upholds the highest standards of corporate governance and complies with all procurement policies and procedures. 'TH has always prioritised Bumiputera companies under its procurement policy. Last year, 81 per cent of TH's appointed vendors were Bumiputera firms, accounting for 70 per cent of TH's total expenditure,' he said in winding up the debate on the motion of the 13th Malaysia Plan in the Dewan Rakyat today. For the branding project, Mohd Na'im said TH has confirmed that the consultancy cost is RM5.9 million over three years, and not RM20 million as alleged. Meanwhile, Datuk Dr Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PN-Pengkalan Chepa) was suspended from Dewan Rakyat for two days starting today after failing to comply with Deputy Speaker Alice Lau Kiong Yieng's instructions. During Mohd Na'im's clarification on the involvement of non-Bumiputera firms in the TH branding exercise, Ahmad Marzuk repeatedly interjected, disrupting the session. Lau initially asked Ahmad Marzuk to leave the chamber for 30 minutes, but after he continued his provocation, she ordered him to be escorted out. 'I had given you 30 minutes to leave and return afterwards, but Yang Berhormat continued speaking without permission. Would you prefer two days (out of the chamber)? Very well, two days it is,' she said.
The Sun
25-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Suhakam report exposes overcrowding, abuse and deaths in prisons
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's prisons are in a grip of 'silent humanitarian crisis,' with overcrowding, inhumane treatment and rising deaths in custody, painting a grim picture of the country's justice system, former Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Ahmad Marzuk Shaary told Parliament yesterday. Citing the 2023 Suhakam Annual Report which was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat, Ahmad Marzuk described the findings as 'a dark side of the justice system', revealing prisons bursting beyond capacity, and allegations of torture and systemic neglect that have cost lives. 'These are not mere statistics. These are lives, human faces we have forgotten,' he said, calling for urgent reform and accountability. According to the report, 42 prisons built to house 65,000 inmates are holding over 72,000 people. As of November last year, prison population had surged to 87,419 – far exceeding the system's intended capacity of 65,000. 'This is not just a logistical burden. This is a crisis of human dignity,' said Ahmad Marzuk. He pointed to troubling reports from a prison in the northern region, where 125 inmates had signed a petition alleging they were beaten with PVC pipes for minor infractions. Even more disturbing, he said, were claims that instruments of torture had been deliberately hidden during visits by Suhakam. 'The treatment of detainees, especially those on remand who have not been convicted, is deeply troubling. They are stripped naked, denied bathing and fed spoiled food. Complaints are met with violence. This is not justice – it is cruelty.' Ahmad Marzuk also highlighted the rising number of custodial deaths, revealing that 77 were recorded in 2023, including 11 within the prison system. Many of those who died had untreated medical conditions or showed signs of physical abuse, he said. Earlier in the Dewan Rakyat, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said tabled the Suhakam report and reaffirmed the government's commitment to upholding the principles of human rights and constitutional freedoms. She said this commitment was in line with the Malaysia Madani vision, which places human dignity and societal well-being at the heart of national governance. 'Human rights remain a key national and international concern. They are the cornerstone of justice, social harmony and shared prosperity. In Malaysia, these rights are firmly grounded in the Federal Constitution, specifically in Part Two, which outlines basic liberties from Articles 5 to 13.' Azalina said the government views the safeguarding of these rights as a fundamental obligation. 'We believe that strengthening human rights is essential to building a peaceful, inclusive and progressive society.' She also stressed that the tabling and debate of Suhakam's annual report was not merely procedural, but a vital component of Malaysia's democratic accountability.
