Latest news with #MariaChinAbdullah
Free Malaysia Today
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Turun Anwar rally was not a people's movement, says Maria
Former Bersih chairman Maria Chin Abdullah said she did not attend the July 26 protest because it did not appear to represent the wider Malaysian public or any concrete issues. PETALING JAYA : Former Bersih chairman Maria Chin Abdullah has questioned the intent and makeup of the recent Turun Anwar rally, saying it did not reflect the voice of the people and lacked clear demands. While acknowledging the people's right to assemble, Maria said she did not attend the July 26 protest because it did not appear to represent the wider Malaysian public or any concrete issues. 'So my question is: if you want Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to step down, the next step should be to table a vote of no confidence in Parliament but that hasn't been done. 'Anwar just presented the 13th Malaysia Plan but there was no mention of a vote of no confidence. So to be honest, I'm not sure what Turun Anwar was really about,' Maria said at youth-based NGO Mandiri's 10th year celebration of the Tangkap Najib rally. The Tangkap Najib rally, held in Kuala Lumpur, was to urge the resignation of then Prime Minister Najib Razak due to his involvement in the 1MDB scandal. Police presence was heavy, and after about 200 protesters gathered, the police moved in to arrest those refusing to disperse, with around 20 to 29 youths arrested. Maria, a former Petaling Jaya MP, said many of those involved in Turun Anwar were politicians and elected representatives and the rally lacked a unifying cause that should resonate with the majority of Malaysians. 'Of course, they have every right to be on the streets but if we want to build a real movement, it has to come from the rakyat. It has to be based on what they're feeling. What are their issues? 'I didn't go (to the Turun Anwar Rally). And if I were to go, I would want to be clear on what the rally is about. And I would want to see it as a representative of Malaysia. 'I'm not saying we did everything perfectly, but the Bersih movement was reflective not only of Malaysia's diverse, multicultural makeup, it also presented the government at the time with very critical issues,' she added. Mandeep Singh, also a former Bersih chairman, said the effectiveness and messaging of the Turun Anwar rally left much to be desired. 'It's the job of the opposition to bring down your opponent. But what is your demand, actually? What are you asking for? Economic reform?,' he said. 'What are your demands? What are you trying to show? At Tangkap Najib there were activists, students, different civil societies and there were people who had no political interests. It was a people's movement. This one is a political movement, just anti-Anwar,' Mandeep said. Police estimated that around 18,000 people attended the Turun Anwar rally last Saturday, though organisers claimed that more than 200,000 rally-goers were present.
The Star
27-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
PJ folk against privatising street parking in Selangor
DOZENS OF Petaling Jaya residents are urging the Selangor government to scrap its street parking privatisation plan. The new Selangor Intelligent Parking (SIP) system will take effect on Aug 1 in four local councils - Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Selayang. Under the new plan, a concessionnaire appointed by state investment arm Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) will handle fee collection. A town hall meeting, organised by PJ Sejahtera, was held on Sunday (July 27) involving elected representatives and stakeholders in Petaling Jaya. PJ Sejahtera is a coalition of resident associations, civil society groups and other stakeholders. Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung, who was part of a four-person panel, questioned the sudden move to privatise street parking. 'The current parking system is working well and there are no complaints among the public,' he said. 'If there are issues, then local councils should be given space to attend to them and fix them." Former Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah called on the state government to be more transparent on the issue. 'Who decided on the implementation of SIP? So far, the information has been coming out in drips, which does not help with transparency,' she said. Former Selangor exco member Ronnie Liu raised doubts over the legality of SIP, saying the right to charge parking was given to local councils under the Road Transport Act 1987. Activist and journalist R. Nadeswaran said revenue from parking should go toward local authorities to fund their services for residents. Also present was Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran. Earlier on Sunday, mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon said Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) had conditionally accepted the state government's decision to privatise street parking in the city. He, however, stressed that any deal must guarantee that MBPJ receives the same amount of revenue from parking fees as before. Sunday's town hall meeting was the latest blow to the SIP implementation, after a petition by four Selangor MPs on Friday, calling on the state government to form a committee to review the move. The other representatives are Selayang MP William Leong, Shah Alam MP Azli Yusof and Subang MP Wong Chen. Taman Medan assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin, at Sunday's town hall, questioned if the MPs, who were from the Pakatan Harapan coalition, had discussed the proposal at party level before bringing it to the state executive council meeting. 'Don't you have a WhatsApp group to discuss issues? It seems that there is a disconnect between decisions made at state level and backbenchers,' he said.
Malaysiakini
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
No one should be silenced for speaking up
COMMENT | The recent Federal Court ruling dismissing Maria Chin Abdullah's leave application to appeal in respect of the judicial review of a Syariah Court show-cause order for contempt raises serious concerns about the state of freedom of expression in Malaysia. While the case reflects the complexities of our dual legal system under Article 121(1A) of the Federal Constitution, it raises broader questions about whether Malaysians, particularly women, can engage in legitimate public discourse on issues of justice without fear of legal repercussions. This case is neither merely about legal procedure, nor is it an attack against the syariah courts. It highlights the need to continuously safeguard the space for public discussion, critique, and advocate for reform, especially on matters affecting women in the syariah justice system. Criminalising public comment on judicial decisions risks silencing advocacy, limiting democratic discourse, and undermining the principle of accountability in all branches of the justice system.
The Sun
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Syariah court legitimacy upheld in Maria Chin case, says Mohd Na'im
KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Court's dismissal of former Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah's appeal reinforces the Syariah High Court's authority, aligning with Malaysia's dual legal framework, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar. Mohd Na'im stated that the judicial review attempt against the Syariah High Court's contempt proceedings was an overreach, now firmly rejected by the Federal Court. He emphasised that Article 121(1A) of the Federal Constitution safeguards the separation of civil and Syariah court jurisdictions, preventing civil courts from overturning Syariah rulings. 'Syariah courts operate within their legally defined jurisdiction. Civil court interference disrupts constitutional harmony and undermines Malaysia's unique dual-system stability,' he said. The minister urged respect for both judicial institutions, framing them as complementary forces upholding justice. He cautioned against politicising the verdict, advocating instead for adherence to legal principles and inter-system harmony. 'As custodian of Islamic affairs, I pledge to preserve Syariah court credibility, ensuring a fair, constitutionally grounded Islamic judiciary,' Mohd Na'im added. Earlier, a three-judge Federal Court panel unanimously denied Maria Chin's leave to appeal, citing no novel legal issues. Justices Datuk Nordin Hassan, Datuk Abu Bakar Jais, and Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera upheld the lower court's dismissal of her judicial review bid.
Malay Mail
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Federal Court dismisses Maria Chin's bid to appeal Shariah contempt proceedings
PUTRAJAYA, June 26 — Former Petaling Jaya Member of Parliament Maria Chin Abdullah cannot proceed with her appeal in the Federal Court to challenge the Court of Appeal's decision in denying her leave to challenge a show-cause notice issued by the Shariah High Court for contempt. This followed today's decision by a three-member bench of the Federal Court, consisting of Justices Datuk Nordin Hassan, Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, in dismissing Maria's application to obtain leave to appeal against the appellate court's decision. Justice Nordin, who chaired the bench, said there was no novel issue warranting the Federal Court to hear and determine her appeal. He said the issue relating to the jurisdiction of the Shariah Court and Civil Courts under Article 121 (1A) of the Federal Constitution was made clear in previous court cases, including a recent one on a woman's challenge against her religious status. He said Maria failed to meet the threshold requirement under Section 96 of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964. The Shariah High Court had issued the show cause notice in 2019 after Maria, 68, commented on the court's decision to impose a prison sentence on Emilia Hanafi, the former wife of businessman SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin. Faisal, through his lawyers, had sought leave to initiate contempt proceedings against Maria at the Shariah High Court, and his request was granted by the court. A show cause notice was subsequently issued to Maria in 2019, requiring her to explain why she should not be held in contempt for criticising the Shariah High Court's decision. Maria then sought leave to commence a judicial review application in the Civil High Court in 2021, naming the then Minister of Religious Affairs Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP), and the Federal Territories Shariah Judiciary Department as respondents. On Aug 22, 2022, the Civil High Court granted her leave to commence the judicial review, but this decision was overturned by the Court of Appeal on Nov 27 last year when it allowed an appeal by the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC). In April 2022, the Shariah High Court sentenced Maria to seven days in prison for contempt. Maria, however, did not attend the hearing as she was hospitalised at the time. Meanwhile, lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, who held a watching brief for Faisal today, told the media that Maria has to go back to the Shariah Appeals Court for her appeal against the sentence. In today's proceeding, Senior Federal Counsel Ahmad Hanir Hambaly @ Arwi and Federal Counsel Mohammad Sallehuddin Md Ali appeared for the Attorney-General/s Chamber, while lawyers Rosli Dahlan and Bahari Yeow Tien Hong represented Maria. Lawyers Datuk Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar and Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla held a watching brief for MAIWP. — Bernama
