News from Home, World and the Vatican

News selected by Catholic Lawyers Society Kuala Lumpur (CLS) for Catholics in Malaysia concerned about social justice and peace.

Includes CLS Internal News | CLS in the News | CLS Press Statements

Sad beginning for the struggle for freedom

The hearing of Dr. Michael Jeyakumar and 5 other PSM (Socialist Party of Malaysia) members’ habeas corpus application was adjourned today to 5 August 2011.

The hearing was adjourned at the request of Senior Federal Counsel, Othman Yusof (SFC) representing the Inspector General of Police, the Government and the Minister of Home Affairs, the Respondents. The ground advanced by the SFC was that they needed to respond to 15 affidavits filed by the applicants, namely the 6 detainees. These affidavits were served on them on 19 July. Read more »

RCI: Teoh Beng Hock committed suicide

The Teoh Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report claims that the MACC instituted the "fourth interrogation" during the wee hours of July 16, 2009, from 3.30am to 7am, which "must have been the final straw that broke the camel's back".

According to the report, after having to endure three strenuous rounds of interrogations, the RCI panel believes that DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock was put through yet another round of intense interrogation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). Read more »

Pakistan: Court Declares Farah's Case Closed And Girl Stays With Her “Husband”

The bride has willingly accepted to stay a prisoner for life. Today, Farah Hatim, the Catholic Pakistani girl kidnapped in May last year, forcibly converted to Islam and made to marry her Muslim kidnapper, presented herself before the local section of the Punjab High Court, in Bahawalpur.

The appeal had been presented by the APMA (All Pakistan Minorities Alliance) after a court of first instance had rejected the family’s request to meet the girl. Read more »

Ops Kuningan Malaysia

The BERSIH 2.0 movement for electoral reform does not end with the 9 July rally.

Malaysians wishing for free and fair elections must not forget that the 8 immediate demands for Perhimpunan BERSIH 2.0 have yet to be achieved.

BERSIH 2.0 calls on all supporters of free and fair elections to continue participating in shaping a more democratic Malaysia. Read more »

Archbishop Of Kuala Lumpur: "Meeting Between Voice Of Moderation And Voice Of Peace"

"The voice of moderation - Prime Minister Najib Razak - met the voice of peace, justice, human rights, the reasonableness of faith, who is the Holy Father Benedict XVI.

I am very happy for this meeting and its outcome, and I hope it will bear abundant fruit. I hope that it can have major success and a positive impact in our country ": with these words His Exc. Mgr. Murphy Pakiam, Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, commented Read more »

Viewpoint: DAYAK AWAKENING: Accomplishing Big Dreams Together

This paper was prepared by Duwen Babat for the Forum  “Is it time for a Dayak Reawakening”  held in Kuala Lumpur on July 18, 2011. The paper is the exclusive views of the author.

1. Introduction

1.1 This opinion of mine is to briefly address specific subjects that could give significant impact to the rural population especially the Dayak community in Sarawak. Thus, issues pertaining to urban areas and matters of national implication are not discussed in this paper. Read more »

Pope Meets Malaysian Prime Minister

Pope Benedict XVI met with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak Monday at the Papal summer residence at Castel Gandalfo.

In the cordial conversations the positive developments in bilateral relations were discussed, and an agreement was reached to establish diplomatic relations between Malaysia and the Holy See. Read more »

Viewpoint: Open Letter To His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI - By Martin Jalleh

Dear Holy Father, I am a Catholic, writing from my blessed and beloved country, Malaysia, a land of poignant diversity, pitiful contradictions, pathetic leadership and plentiful opportunity.

It is a nation which I am proud of, one where anything and everything is possible – from the most virtuous to the most vile and venal.

Very soon our Prime Minister (PM) Najib Tun Razak will be paying you an official visit at your summer residence Castel Gandolfo. Read more »

Bar Council: International Criminal Court Is Step In The Right Direction

17 July is commemorated worldwide as International Justice Day. It marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court (“ICC”) in 1998.

The ICC is an independent and permanent court to try persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression. Read more »

Bar Council: Lynas Must Get Out Of Our Backyard

The Malaysian Bar continues to view with grave concern the developments with respect to the controversial construction of the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (“LAMP”) at Gebeng Industrial Estate, Kuantan, Pahang.  

We note that the project is still very much shrouded in secrecy and characterised by a serious lack of transparency.  This is outrageous, given that the plant’s by-product of radioactive wastes would have a major adverse impact, directly or indirectly, on human health and the environment. Read more »

CLS Press Statement: Diplomatic Ties With The Vatican

The Catholic Lawyers’ Society, Kuala Lumpur (CLS) welcomes the news that Malaysia intends to formalise diplomatic ties with Vatican.

The recent announcement of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s official visit to the Vatican scheduled on 18 July 2011 and the intended establishment of diplomatic ties with the Vatican is in the right direction. Read more »

Police allow three MPs to visit EO detainee Jeyakumar

After drawn-out negotiations, police today gave permission for three lawmakers to visit Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar, now held under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) in Kuala Lumpur.

According to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, the inspector-general of police Ismail Omar has allowed only three parliamentarians to visit Jeyakumar at 11am, today. Read more »

Press Statement by Doctors: Tear gas and chemical laced water shot into compounds of Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity Hospitals

We, the undersigned doctors, wish not to enter into the polemics of the Bersih 2.0 march on 9th July 2011 but would like to clarify the inconvenient truth.

We are outraged at the incidents, and the subsequent responses from the authorities, to the events where tear gas and chemical laced water were shot into the compounds of Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity Hospitals, two adjacent buildings along Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, with scant regard for the safety of patients, staff and the general public who were at the buildings that afternoon. Read more »

Thailand Buddhists Massacred By Islamic Rebels

While the country is looking for a "common ground" on which to rebuild the fabric of a split society, and seeks paths for "national reconciliation" after the general elections won by the young leader Yingluck Shinawatra, the Muslim onset in the south of the country strongly returns.

Violence and bloodshed are carried out against defenseless families: the victims are mostly Buddhists in the extreme south of Thailand, in the three provinces where most of the people are Muslims (Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat) on the border with Malaysia, and this is where the victims, a small minority live and are targeted by rebel groups who use terrorist methods. Read more »

Hong Kong Church Leaders Join In Urgent Plea Against Illicit Ordinations In China

Hong Kong’s Catholic leaders have issued an urgent appeal to Chinese Catholics to pray for unity in the Church, as officials of the Catholic Patriotic Association prepare to ordain a bishop in defiance of the Vatican.

Cardinal Joseph Zen, the former Bishop of Hong Kong; and his successor, Bishop John Tong, joined in the plea to stop the illicit ordination, scheduled to take place in the Shantou diocese on July 14. They blamed “rogue officials” for creating divisions within the Chinese Catholic community, and urged loyal Catholics to remain united to the Holy See. Read more »

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