Latest news with #RM42
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Najib's royal addendum: I've discussed with PM, but it's up to the King, says Zahid
KANGAR: The implementation of Datuk Seri Najib Razak's addendum decree for house arrest will be expedited but remains subject to the discretion of the King, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He added that due process must be respected, with the legal proceedings involving the addendum decree to go through the Pardons Board. "This step will still follow the legal process under the Pardons Board, which is currently chaired by the King. That is what must be respected in this ongoing process," he said. He was speaking to reporters after officiating the Kangar Umno division delegates' meeting at a hotel here today. Also present were Kangar Umno division chief Datuk Dr Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, who is also Perlis Umno liaison deputy chairman; Perlis Umno liaison chairman Datuk Rozabil Abdul Rahman; and the heads of Kangar Umno's Youth, Wanita and Puteri wings. Zahid said he had met with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to discuss in detail the legal steps required to act on the decree. "Regarding the addendum decree, I have met with the prime minister and we've had detailed discussions on the legal process that must be followed. "God willing, follow-up action will be taken in accordance with legal procedures," he said. Najib, who has been serving his sentence at Kajang Prison since Aug 23, 2022, for misappropriating RM42 million in funds belonging to SRC International Sdn Bhd, filed a petition for a royal pardon on Sept 2, 2022. The Pardons Board later reduced his jail term from 12 years to six, and his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million, in February last year.
The Star
5 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Paying it forward for past care
Grateful for the care: Soh and her children looking at a photo album together. — Photo courtesy of Soh PETALING JAYA: A widow turned what was once her grief into hope for others by donating a RM42,000 dialysis machine to the centre that took care of her husband. After losing her husband to chronic kidney failure, Soh Sua Koo from Melaka saw the need to give back to the centre that stood by her family during their most difficult years. 'I knew how it was for me to support my husband and struggle financially at that time, just running a kopitiam. 'Now, I have some money and want to help others and do something meaningful in honour of my late husband,' said the coffee shop owner in Taman Pertam Jaya. Soh's husband, Richard Kua Kee Juan, was a salesman at a Japanese automotive company. He was first diagnosed with hypertension at the age of 39. Then, after his health deteriorated, Kua was told by doctors that he suffered from chronic kidney failure. 'It was around 1991 and we had to seek medical assistance at the dialysis centre in Bachang,' said Soh, 71. 'At that time, my children were still very young and I was running my shop and also helping out an old folks home where my mother-in-law was a resident. 'In my absence, the centre staff took good care of my husband,' the mother of two added. Soh recalled that she had to juggle multiple jobs for money. 'Some people even told me to sell my house to pay for my husband's dialysis treatment,' she said. Kua endured the condition for over 10 years before he passed away at the age of 51. 'When my husband left, I was lost for words. It was so tragic for our family because he was so young,' she said. For Soh, the dialysis centre was more than just a medical facility. It was a source of hope during one of the most challenging times of her life and now, it's time to repay her gratitude. 'I saw a brochure from the dialysis centre stating that it needed funds for new dialysis machines. So I quickly took the opportunity to donate one,' said Soh, adding that some of the machines there were very old. The initiative to contribute a new dialysis machine was on her own accord. The Bachang dialysis centre assists patients battling chronic kidney failure, particularly those from the low-income group. To raise funds to support growing demand for treatment and for the purchase of new machines at the centre, a charity dinner will be held on Aug 18.
Borneo Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- Borneo Post
After over 41 years of serving the nation, Sarawakian Abdul Rahman Sebli retires as Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak
Abdul Rahman is pictured at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Legislative Year in Putrajaya on Jan 8, 2025. — Malay Mail photo KUALA LUMPUR (July 25): Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli has retired as the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, after over 41 years of serving the nation — including 17 years at the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Federal Court. This is because he has reached the age of 66 years and six months today. The Sarawakian had reached the mandatory retirement age for judges when he turned 66 years old on January 25, but was granted a six-month extension. Yesterday was his last day as a judge. Beyond serving as a judge who had heard high-profile cases, including a former prime minister's conviction challenge, Abdul Rahman was also quite the artist and a firm advocate of better laws to protect animals and wildlife. A Sarawakian's long career in law and courts Born in Sibu, Sarawak and a Universiti Malaya (UM) law graduate, Abdul Rahman started serving in Malaysia's judicial and legal service in December 1983. The positions that he had held included being a deputy public prosecutor for Sarawak, Pahang, Kelantan, and Kuala Lumpur; a senior federal counsel at the Sarawak State Attorney General's Chambers; and as a Sessions Court judge in Kota Kinabalu and Miri. He had also been Pahang's state legal adviser and director of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department's legal division. Abdul Rahman then became a judicial commissioner at the High Court in September 2008 and was elevated to be a High Court judge on Aug 9, 2010. He served at the High Court in Kota Kinabalu, Shah Alam, and Johor Bahru. He was later appointed as a Court of Appeal judge on Sept 12, 2014, as a Federal Court judge on Aug 8, 2019, and served for about three years and five months before becoming Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak. Since his Jan 17, 2023 appointment until his retirement today, Abdul Rahman has served for two-and-a-half years as the top judge overseeing administrative duties for the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak. Abdul Rahman is pictured during the swearing-in ceremony as the new Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya on Jan 17, 2023. — Malay Mail photo Notable court decisions Abdul Rahman is perhaps best known for being the only dissenting judge in a case involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's bid to challenge his conviction over SRC International Sdn Bhd's misappropriated RM42 million. Just two days after becoming Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Abdul Rahman on Jan 19, 2023 chaired a five-judge panel hearing Najib's application to ask the Federal Court to either overturn his conviction or order a retrial. On March 31, 2023, while the four other judges rejected Najib's review bid, Abdul Rahman was the only judge to say that the former prime minister was deprived of a fair hearing and should be acquitted in the SRC case. On Feb 9, 2024, Abdul Rahman was the only dissenting judge in a Federal Court case, with the eight other judges deciding that 16 provisions on Shariah criminal offences in a Kelantan state law were unconstitutional and invalid as Parliament is the one with powers to make laws on such crimes. Abdul Rahman's sketch 'Clock Tower at the Old Court House', depicts the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur, from The Malaysian Judiciary Yearbook 2017. A talented artist Apart from carrying out his duties as a judge, Abdul Rahman also displayed his 'surprise' artistic skills when his detailed black-and-white drawings were twice featured as the cover artwork for the Malaysian judiciary's annual yearbook. For the 2017 yearbook, Abdul Rahman's sketch titled Clock Tower at the Old Court House depicted the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur — a heritage landmark located opposite Dataran Merdeka that once housed Malaysia's superior courts, namely the Federal Court, Court of Appeal and High Court. In the 2018 yearbook, his drawing titled The Eye-Catching Facade of the Kuching Court Complex received praise from the yearbook's editor, then Federal Court judge Tan Sri Idrus Harun. 'The stunning cover sketch for this publication depicting the beautiful facade of the court house in Kuching, Sarawak is the product of excellent work of Justice Abdul Rahman Sebli who once again demonstrated his pure talent when he volunteered to draw the cover sketch gratis,' Idris wrote in the yearbook when commenting on Abdul Rahman's offer to draw the artwork for free. Abdul Rahman's sketch 'The Eye-Catching Facade of the Kuching Court Complex' from The Malaysian Judiciary Yearbook 2018. Advocacy for wildlife and environmental protection On Feb 26, 2024 at his opening speech for the Borneo Rainforest Law Conference 2024 held in Sabah, Abdul Rahman said efforts should be made to update and strengthen existing environmental laws, and to ensure that these laws are comprehensive and effectively enforced. He said the courts in Sabah and Sarawak had introduced sentencing guidelines for wildlife and forest crimes, but noted that the courts' role in enforcing environmental laws has its limits and that long-term solutions were needed from the executive and legislative branch of government. He called for strict laws to prevent illegal wildlife trade and to protect marine ecosystems, as well as to promote sustainable fishing practices and marine conservation efforts. In the judiciary's 2017 yearbook, Abdul Rahman in a seven-page piece titled 'Animal Cruelty and Wildlife Protection' outlined and compared the three different laws on wildlife crime in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. In his article, he spoke out against abuse of pets, saying that the court must make clear that it would not tolerate crimes of cruelty to animals. He also urged for heavier penalties in the law against animal cruelty. Who will succeed Abdul Rahman? On July 18, the Malaysian judiciary issued a statement to announce that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has assented to appointing Court of Appeal judge Datuk Azizah Nawawi to replace the soon-to-retire Abdul Rahman as the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak. The judiciary also said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has assented to appointing Court of Appeal judge Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as the next Chief Justice of Malaysia and Federal Court judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais as the next President of the Court of Appeal. The three new top judges will be sworn in on July 28 at Istana Negara. As of now, Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim is temporarily carrying out duties as the acting Chief Justice, while Federal Court judge Datuk Zabariah Mohd Yusof is temporarily carrying out duties as the acting President of the Court of Appeal. — Malay Mail
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Abdul Rahman Sebli retires as Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak: A look at his judicial legacy, artistic flair and wildlife protection advocacy
KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 — Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli has retired as the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, after over 41 years of serving the nation — including 17 years at the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court. This is because he has reached the age of 66 years and six months today. The Sarawakian had reached the mandatory retirement age for judges when he turned 66 years old on January 25, but was granted a six-month extension. Yesterday was his last day as a judge. Beyond serving as a judge who had heard high-profile cases, including a former prime minister's conviction challenge, Abdul Rahman was also quite the artist and a firm advocate of better laws to protect animals and wildlife. A Sarawakian's long career in law and courts Born in Sibu, Sarawak and a Universiti Malaya (UM) law graduate, Abdul Rahman started serving in Malaysia's judicial and legal service in December 1983. The positions that he had held included being a deputy public prosecutor for Sarawak, Pahang, Kelantan and Kuala Lumpur; a senior federal counsel at the Sarawak State Attorney General's Chambers; and as a Sessions Court judge in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and Miri, Sarawak. He had also been Pahang's state legal adviser, and director of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department's legal division. Abdul Rahman then became a judicial commissioner at the High Court in September 2008, and was elevated to be a High Court judge on August 9, 2010. He served at the High Court in Kota Kinabalu, Shah Alam and Johor Bahru. He was later appointed as a Court of Appeal judge on September 12, 2014, as a Federal Court judge on August 8, 2019, and served for about three years and five months before becoming Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak. Since his January 17, 2023 appointment until his retirement today, Abdul Rahman has served for two-and-a-half years as the top judge overseeing administrative duties for the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak. Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli is pictured during the swearing-in ceremony as the new Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak at Palace of Justice in Putrajaya January 17, 2023. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa Notable court decisions Abdul Rahman is perhaps best known for being the only dissenting judge in a case involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's bid to challenge his conviction over SRC International Sdn Bhd's misappropriated RM42 million. Just two days after becoming Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Abdul Rahman on January 19, 2023 chaired a five-judge panel hearing Najib's application to ask the Federal Court to either overturn his conviction or order a retrial. On March 31, 2023, while the four other judges rejected Najib's review bid, Abdul Rahman was the only judge to say that the former prime minister was deprived of a fair hearing and should be acquitted in the SRC case. On February 9, 2024, Abdul Rahman was the only dissenting judge in a Federal Court case, with the eight other judges deciding that 16 provisions on Shariah criminal offences in a Kelantan state law were unconstitutional and invalid as Parliament is the one with powers to make laws on such crimes. Screenshot of Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli's sketch 'Clock Tower at the Old Court House', depicting the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur, from The Malaysian Judiciary's Yearbook 2017. A talented artist Apart from carrying out his duties as a judge, Abdul Rahman also displayed his 'surprise' artistic skills when his detailed black-and-white drawings were twice featured as the cover artwork for the Malaysian judiciary's annual yearbook. For the 2017 yearbook, Abdul Rahman's sketch titled Clock Tower at the Old Court House depicted the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur — a heritage landmark located opposite Dataran Merdeka that once housed Malaysia's superior courts, namely the Federal Court, Court of Appeal and High Court. In the 2018 yearbook, his drawing titled The Eye-Catching Facade of the Kuching Court Complex received praise from the yearbook's editor, then Federal Court judge Tan Sri Idrus Harun. 'The stunning cover sketch for this publication depicting the beautiful facade of the court house in Kuching, Sarawak is the product of excellent work of Justice Abdul Rahman Sebli who once again demonstrated his pure talent when he volunteered to draw the cover sketch gratis,' Idris wrote in the yearbook when commenting on Abdul Rahman's offer to draw the artwork for free. Screenshot of Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli's sketch 'The Eye-Catching Facade of the Kuching Court Complex' from The Malaysian Judiciary's Yearbook 2018. Advocacy for wildlife and environmental protection On February 26, 2024 at his opening speech for the Borneo Rainforest Law Conference 2024 held in Sabah, Abdul Rahman said efforts should be made to update and strengthen existing environmental laws, and to ensure that these laws are comprehensive and effectively enforced. He said the courts in Sabah and Sarawak had introduced sentencing guidelines for wildlife and forest crimes, but noted that the courts' role in enforcing environmental laws has its limits and that long-term solutions were needed from the executive and legislative branch of government. He called for strict laws to prevent illegal wildlife trade and to protect marine ecosystems, as well as to promote sustainable fishing practices and marine conservation efforts. In the judiciary's 2017 yearbook, Abdul Rahman in a seven-page piece titled 'Animal Cruelty and Wildlife Protection' outlined and compared the three different laws on wildlife crime in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. In his article, he spoke out against abuse of pets, saying that the court must make clear that it would not tolerate crimes of cruelty to animals. He also urged for heavier penalties in the law against animal cruelty. Who will succeed Abdul Rahman? On July 18, the Malaysian judiciary issued a statement to announce that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has assented to appointing Court of Appeal judge Datuk Azizah Nawawi to replace the soon-to-retire Abdul Rahman as the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak. The judiciary also said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has assented to appointing Court of Appeal judge Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as the next Chief Justice of Malaysia and Federal Court judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais as the next President of the Court of Appeal. The three new top judges will be sworn in on July 28 at Istana Negara. As of now, Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim is temporarily carrying out duties as the acting Chief Justice, while Federal Court judge Datuk Zabariah Mohd Yusof is temporarily carrying out duties as the acting President of the Court of Appeal.
The Star
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
'Hamilton' 10th anniversary powers immigration aid fundraiser
Lin-Manuel Miranda plans to use the 10th anniversary Broadway performance of his award-winning cultural phenomenon Hamilton as a fundraiser for a coalition of nonprofits providing immigration services. The Aug 6 performance of Hamilton at Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre is expected to raise about US$3mil (RM14mil) for the Immigrants: We Get the Job Done Coalition, 14 nonprofits ranging from the Hispanic Federation and National Immigration Law Center to the Haitian Bridge Alliance and the Tahirih Justice Center. The donation will come from Miranda, the Miranda Family and Miranda Family Fund, and the Hamilton cast. It seemed like a fitting tribute to Hamilton and its inspiration, Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, Miranda told The Associated Press, though he recognises that Hamilton wouldn't have called himself an immigrant. "His narrative in our country kind of mirrors that of an immigrant story,' Miranda said. "He did not grow up here. He didn't come from England. He came from the Caribbean, escaping harsh circumstances. And he really helped shape this country.' Miranda did exclusively reveal some plans for the special, invite-only Hamilton anniversary show and the preshow reception that he will host. Fans already know the possibilities after the special Hamilton medley at the Tonys in June. Even the audience will be "stacked,' he said, since every actor who has ever performed during the show's Broadway run will be invited to be in the audience to watch the show's current Broadway cast that night. "We're working on something special for the curtain call and another nice special thing after that,' Miranda said. "That's about all I can say.' The bulk of the invites have gone to winners selected from a Prizeo sweepstakes, where entrants donated at least US$10 (RM42) to the Immigrants coalition. "One of America's greatest exports - at least for me growing up - was the immigration narrative,' Miranda said. "So many people I know… came to this country from somewhere else seeking a better life and then helped make this country better by being here. And I believe that's one of the greatest promises, one of greatest things about the American experiment, and I'll continue to fight for that and support organisations that are helping that cause.' And the organisations that will benefit from the donations generated by the Hamilton 10th anniversary, better known as #Hamilten, say the donations and encouragement are sorely needed now. Since the start of his second term, President Donald Trump swiftly moved to make good on "Mass Deportation Now!' promises from his campaign. His administration has encouraged US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain and deport people quickly, even to countries where they have never been, in order to rein in illegal immigration. Hispanic Federation President and CEO Frankie Miranda, no relation to Lin-Manuel Miranda, said he is heartened by the more than 125,000 people who have donated to the Hamilton fundraiser. "I think it is the beginning of what could be an incredible movement of philanthropy and individual donors basically saying, 'Enough is enough',' he said. "We have seen it also in the different demonstrations of people around the country where they are expressing their concern and their frustration out in the streets.' Hispanic Federation has already lost millions in federal funding, as the Trump administration cuts support for workplace development initiatives and environmental justice work, Frankie Miranda said. He has also seen some corporations withdraw their financial support because they fear reprisals from the Trump administration. "We need bold ideas like 'Hamilton' where everybody feels that they can stand behind it,' he said. Aarti Kohli, executive director of the Asian Law Caucus, another coalition member, said the donations would help her group continue to provide community legal services to individuals, while also pursuing lawsuits like its challenge to the Trump executive order seeking to strip away birthright citizenship from some children born in the United States. "At this time, when so many people are afraid to speak out and support vulnerable communities, Lin-Manuel Miranda being willing to use the 'Hamilton' platform just shows real leadership and bravery,' Kohli said. "And I'm hoping that more donors will step up and support our sector. We are the firewall between authoritarianism and democracy.' Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, said her nonprofit plans to use the donations from the coalition to support its Defending Democracy initiative, which informs immigrants of their rights and uses the law as "a bulwark against unconstitutional actions carried out by this administration.' Matos sees it as a "full circle' moment to use funding generated by "the story of one of our nation's Founding Fathers who himself was an indigent immigrant, who through his own grit, determination and his brilliance, worked his way up.' "He was somebody who thought deeply about this new nation's democracy,' she added. "What better way to honour Hamilton and to express our gratitude for these resources?' For Lin-Manuel Miranda, the fact that people remain fascinated by Hamilton 10 years later also leaves him feeling grateful. And he remains surprised by the resonance of the line "Immigrants: We get the job done,' a line shared in the show by Hamilton and French military officer Marquis de Lafayette at the Battle of Yorktown. "I thought it was no big deal,' he said. "But from the moment it was performed on stage, the audience reaction was so joyous at just the utterance of that simple fact. It's one of the things that just heartens me and gives me hope. In these dark times, it still gets a big cheer.' The cheering still requires the show to add extra measures of music to wait for the audience to calm down before continuing with the song Yorktown. Miranda attributes it to the fact that so many Americans are only one or two generations away from an immigrant. "It's the same reason why that No Kings protest vastly outnumbered the military parade happening on the same day,' he said. "There are still a lot of people who believe in basic decency and treating people who come here - often from really tough situations - with humanity.' - AP
