Latest news with #Sabah
CNA
10 hours ago
- Politics
- CNA
Sabah election: Has political instability derailed development?
Sabah is expected to hold its state election this year, but which parties can finally solve its perennial problems? The election is the first in a series of noteworthy state polls - next up are Melaka, Johor and Sarawak - between now and 2028, by when Malaysia's 16th General Election (GE16) must be held.
Free Malaysia Today
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Give Sabah, Sarawak their own JACs, says assemblyman
Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap called for a statutory quota for Sabahan and Sarawakian representation in the federal and appellate courts, to reflect the states' equal constitutional standing. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Sabah and Sarawak should have their own judicial appointments commission (JAC) to strengthen judicial independence, a Sarawak assemblyman suggested today. Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap lamented the 'glaring underrepresentation of Sabah and Sarawak in the appointment process of our nation's judiciary'. 'Sabah and Sarawak should each have their own JAC, empowered to identify and propose qualified candidates for appointment as chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak, as well as other High Court positions within the states. 'This is essential to ensure that appointments are grounded in local context, professional merit and the aspirations of local communities,' the Borneo Post quoted him as saying. Yap also called for a statutory quota for Sabahan and Sarawakian representation in the federal and appellate courts, prescribed by law to reflect the states' equal constitutional standing. 'The current discretionary approach, where representation depends on executive appointments without clear statutory safeguards, is inadequate and incompatible with the letter and spirit of our founding agreements,' he said. Yap said the lack of Sabahan representation in the JAC not only went against the Malaysia Agreement 1963's spirit of partnership, but also 'risks eroding public confidence in the impartiality and inclusiveness of the justice system'. 'The Federal Constitution itself acknowledges Sabah and Sarawak's special position. 'Article 122B(3) clearly requires that the prime minister consult the chief minister of the state concerned before advising the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the appointment of the Chief Judge of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak. 'While this consultation is not binding, it is intended to ensure the leadership of the judiciary in Sabah and Sarawak is not decided unilaterally by Putrajaya.' The JAC is tasked with selecting suitable candidates to sit as judges in the superior courts – the Federal Court, the Court of Appeal, and the High Courts. FMT reported last month that a senior judge had been summoned by the JAC to answer claims of interference in the appointment of judges dating back to last year. Police are probing the allegations under the Official Secrets Act.
Free Malaysia Today
12 hours ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Activist brings ‘green' toilet, and hope, to Sabah water village
A communal toilet (left), which looks like a wooden shed, and a more modern one belonging to one of the villagers in Kampung Bukit Besi. PETALING JAYA : For many years, activist Lina Ramsah spent her school holidays at her father's village—Kampung Bukit Besi—nestled in the waters of Beluran, Sabah. Although she always enjoyed her time there, there was one reality that Lina was unable to ignore. Despite its charm, the village—located 160km from Kota Kinabalu and accessible only by boat—has long struggled without access to clean water. Its 220 villagers, mostly fishermen, rely on Sg Labuk for their bathing and other daily needs, but the river's waters are not fit for drinking. The lack of a proper sewage system means villagers must either flush their waste directly into the river or bury it in the ground. They would also have to take a one-hour boat ride to Beluran town to buy bottled drinking water. Now, Lina believes she has the solution to Kampung Bukit Besi's decades-old problem. She wants to introduce biogas toilets. Biogas is methane-rich gas produced through the decomposition of organic waste. It is a renewable and sustainable energy source. All that is needed is for the village's existing communal and individual toilets to be retrofitted with a 'biodigester' —a closed container which will capture and store human waste, and allow it to decompose safely. The resulting biogas can be harnessed for energy, while the remaining sludge can be converted into fertiliser. The process will significantly reduce the amount of waste being discharged into the river, Lina said. NGO Beluran Hope founder Lina Ramsah (right), with her cousin, Karim, a resident of Kampung Bukit Besi, in Sabah. 'When MYbiogas told me of their project, I kept thinking how suitable it would be for Kampung Bukit Besi,' she told FMT, referring to the non-profit organisation that equips communities with biodigesters. Biogas, she said, can be used as cooking gas, a game-changer in a village where gas tanks are expensive and difficult to transport from the nearest town. With most households still relying on wood-burning stoves, biogas offers a cleaner, more accessible alternative. 'It's also good enough to replace diesel that's used in generator sets. The village has been using generators since I was a child,' said Lina, the founder of local NGO Beluran Hope. Both organisations have now joined forces to launch the biogas toilet initiative in Kampung Bukit Besi, with the first system set to be installed in the home of the village chief. Explaining the two organisations's roles, Lina said MYbiogas was contributing the technical expertise needed to install the system, while Beluran Hope is spearheading on-the-ground coordination, including managing logistics and sourcing for building materials. The project is currently being crowdfunded, with the team so far raising half of their RM10,000 goal. Lina said that the NGOs will have to use a barge to transport the necessary building materials, 'which will be a little expensive'. Another challenge, she said, is roping in the needed manpower, pointing out that it is not easy for those on the mainland to travel to the village. Despite the challenges, Lina hopes the success of the pilot project will draw funding from corporate donors and individual benefactors. 'I hope the biogas toilet will give villagers an electricity supply that is free and relieve their financial burden of having to buy diesel. 'This is not the life we should want for our fellow Malaysian citizens. It's absolutely ridiculous that some people still have to live like this.' To help in this endeavour, please channel contributions to MYbiogas Enterprise, Maybank Account No. 5624 0570 3759.
Free Malaysia Today
12 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Religious teacher gets 26 years' jail, 5 strokes of rotan for raping girl
Lahad Datu sessions court judge Suhaila Selaq ordered that the prison sentence begin from the date of arrest, August 20, 2024. (Pexels pic) PETALING JAYA : A religious teacher was sentenced to 26 years in prison and five strokes of the rotan by the sessions court in Lahad Datu on two counts of raping a child last August. Judge Suhaila Selaq handed down the sentence after Basry Asang, 49, pleaded guilty to the two charges, Berita Harian reported. On the first charge, Basry was accused of raping an 11-year-old girl at a house in Lahad Datu between 1pm and 3pm on Aug 18, 2024. On the second charge, he was accused of repeating the offence at the same location and time the following day. Suhaila sentenced the accused to 13 years in prison and two strokes of the rotan on the first charge, and another 13 years and three strokes on the second charge. She ordered the prison sentences to run consecutively, starting from the date of the accused's arrest on Aug 20, 2024. Deputy public prosecutor Ng Juhn Tao had asked the court to impose a heavy sentence, citing the seriousness of the offence, which he said showed a complete disregard for human dignity. He said the accused had violated the victim's privacy and sanctity, and brought shame and humiliation, leaving the victim deeply traumatised. The accused was also ordered to undergo counselling throughout his sentence and to be placed under police supervision for two years after his release.
Free Malaysia Today
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Putrajaya PKR files report against Harakah over anti-Anwar rally
Putrajaya PKR deputy chief Shariff Jeev (third from left) and other division leaders after filing the police report at the district police headquarters. PUTRAJAYA : Putrajaya PKR has lodged a police report against PAS organ Harakah Daily over an allegedly seditious article that promotes a protest against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. At a press conference outside the district police headquarters, the division's deputy chief Shariff Jeev claimed the article contained seditious content that would incite Malaysians. 'We urge the police to investigate the article and the planned protests under Section 124B of the Penal Code (for committing an activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy) or any appropriate law,' he said. When asked if he wanted the authorities to prevent the rally from going ahead, he said it should be allowed to proceed if it was held in an 'appropriate way'. Shariff nonetheless claimed that the protest planned for July 26 could become a threat to the country's peaceful way of life and its parliamentary democracy. 'So far, 52 police reports have been lodged throughout the country, including in Sabah and Sarawak. Today alone six reports were filed', he added. Putrajaya PKR information chief Hafiz Osman called for the protest to be held somewhere else instead of Dataran Merdeka to prevent it from 'spiralling out of control'. 'We do not want the protesters to provoke others. We hope the police will be able to cordon off the area.' The rally organised by Perikatan Nasional aims to push for Anwar's resignation as prime minister. Last week, over 300 rallied in Shah Alam for the same cause. The smaller rally was held to promote the Dataran Merdeka protest.
