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Focus Malaysia
3 days ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Judiciary is not a playground of partisan preferences
LATELY there have been statements from various groups on the government's decision not to extend former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat's tenure following her retirement on July 1 this year. Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has criticised the government's decision not to extend Tengku Maimun's tenure, saying it signals a lack of consideration for the future of the country's legal system. For weeks prior to the chief justice's retirement, questions had arisen among legal practitioners , politicians over the lack of an extension for her and an announcement of a successor. DAP came out late with a statement saying the judiciary is of paramount importance, and reiterated its position that the extension of the tenures 'would be consistent with the reformist agenda of the Madani government'. It is obvious from these statements that Tengku Maimun has shown integrity and defense of judicial independence. The question is does the Malaysian public's trust in the judiciary have to be confined to individuals, or would it be better that judges, whoever they are, are able to safeguard the independence and integrity of the judiciary? Is it not the judiciary a guiding light to the objectivity of constitutional principles? What the public aspires for is not only judges with integrity but also able to collectively safeguard constitutional principles that makes it truly independent. If this is the case Tengku Maimun's retirement is not the issue to the people since whoever comes after will carry on the torch of justice through balance and enlighten interpretation of the constitution that protects the life and liberty of all Malaysians. Therefore the Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue (ACID) believes that it would be wise that judicial appointments should be separated from the preferences of the prime minister or politicians who have their own agendas. Judiciary is the carrier of holistic constitutional principles, it cannot be a playground of partisan preferences or ideological battles. ‒ July 7, 2025 Ronald Benjamin is the Secretary for the Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: Bernama
Malaysiakini
4 days ago
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Judiciary not playground of partisan preferences
LETTER | Lately, there have been statements from various groups on the government's decision not to extend former chief justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat's tenure. She retired on July 1, 2025. Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin has criticised the government's decision not to extend Tengku Maimun's tenure, saying it signals a lack of consideration for the future of the country's legal system. For weeks, before her impending retirement, questions had arisen among legal practitioners and politicians over the lack of an extension for her and an announcement of a successor. The DAP came out late with a statement saying that the judiciary is of paramount importance, and reiterated its position that the extension' of the tenures 'would be consistent with the reformist agenda of the Madani government'. It is obvious from these statements that Tengku Maimun has shown integrity and defends judicial independence. The question is, does the Malaysian public's trust in the judiciary have to be confined to individuals, or would it be better if judges are able to safeguard the independence and integrity of the judiciary? Is the judiciary not a guiding light to the objectivity of constitutional principles? What the public aspires for is not only judges with integrity but also for them to collectively safeguard constitutional principles that make the judiciary truly independent. If this were the case, the retirement of the chief justice would not have been an issue to the people, since whoever comes after would carry on the torch of justice through a balanced and enlightened interpretation of the Constitution that protects the life and liberty of all Malaysians. Therefore, the Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue believes that it would be wise for judicial appointments to be separated from the preferences of the prime minister or politicians who have their own agendas. The judiciary is the carrier of holistic constitutional principles; it cannot be a playground of partisan preferences or ideological battles. The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
The Sun
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Prioritise people over militarisation
THE Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue (Acid) strongly denounces the recent warning by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who claimed that the threat from China is 'real and potentially imminent'. Hegseth also urged Indo-Pacific allies to increase defence spending, citing the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation commitment to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) as a benchmark. Hegseth made these remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier defence forum. He emphasised the Indo-Pacific as a top priority for the administration of US President Donald Trump, cautioning that any attempt by China to take control of Taiwan would have 'devastating consequences' for the region and the world. In response, Acid would like to highlight several reasons that challenge Hegseth's portrayal of China. China endeavour since 1978 Since opening its economy in 1978, China has largely focused on national economic development through partnerships and collaboration with other countries, rather than engaging in war-mongering. This approach has lifted millions of its citizens out of poverty. In 2013, it launched The Belt and Road Initiative – sometimes referred to as the New Silk Road – a global infrastructure development strategy aimed at investing in over 150 countries and international can a nation be regarded as an imminent military threat when its primary focus has been on economic development and shared prosperity? Unlike the US, which has repeatedly used military force to assert dominance in the Middle East and other regions, China has not relied on military aggression to compel submission. Portraying China as an imminent threat serves to justify and perpetuate US strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific. While it is true that there are legitimate concerns surrounding territorial claims in the South China Sea and sovereignty issues related to Taiwan, such disputes should be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy – not through rearmament or an escalating arms race. America's exceptionalism It is important to consider the ideological stance of the current Trump administration, which is heavily driven by the mantra of 'making America great again'. Within this paradigm, other nations are merely regarded as conduits or pawns to serve US interests, with the ultimate goal of maintaining American global dominance by curbing the rise of China, which is seen as a credible strategic rival. Encouraging Indo-Pacific nations to ramp up military spending supports this broader agenda, reinforcing a geopolitical strategy that prioritises US supremacy over regional cooperation. This binary, black-and-white ideological leaning is inimical to common and collective prosperity that is vital for lasting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Enriching the American arms industry It doesn't take a genius to see that increased military spending by Indo-Pacific nations – including those in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands – would primarily benefit the American arms industry. The ongoing genocide in Gaza and the persistent destabilisation of West Asia are stark consequences of the proliferation of US weapons in the region – facilitating the enforcement of American-Israeli hegemony and suppressing resistance. Indo-pacific nations should not place themselves in a situation where they are beholden to America for their protection. Instead, they should pursue independent, cooperative security arrangements rooted in mutual respect, dialogue and regional solidarity. Social justice for Indo-Pacific people It would be far wiser for Indo-Pacific nations to invest their resources in uplifting impoverished communities rather than diverting funds towards militarisation. According to a 2024 United Nations report, over 260 million people in the Asia-Pacific region could be pushed into poverty over the next decade unless governments implement robust social protection schemes. The report, Protecting Our Future Today: Social Protection in Asia and the Pacific, highlights a troubling rise in both monetary and non-monetary poverty, alongside growing income and wealth inequalities across the region. The number of people living in vulnerable conditions is expected to increase as the region continues to experience economic shocks amid prevailing inequalities. Access to essential services and basic opportunities remains out of reach for many. In light of this, Acid urges Indo-Pacific governments to prioritise social investment and poverty eradication, rather than aligning with a US-driven rearmament agenda that ultimately serves American strategic and economic interests. Ronald Benjamin is the secretary of Acid. Comments: letters@
Malaysiakini
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Individuals have unique form of religious expressions
LETTER | Lately, there has been a debate in regards to former Indonesian president Joko Widodo's recent gesture in raising his hands during the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican City, which has inadvertently ignited a debate in the Muslim world. While many agree he was being respectful of a world leader, just as many - including in Malaysia - wondered if he had done the right thing from a religious point of view. Religious prayers or expressions of any faith from the perspective of the diversity of humanity should focus on intentions and not merely on mechanical gestures. This in no way denies the fact that if one is involved in liturgical celebrations involving communities of the same religious beliefs, there is a unified form of expression. Words and gestures of prayer are ingrained in what goes on in the heart of a person, and the gesture related to one's intention would certainly not erase one's identity or religious beliefs. Respect diversity Respecting a person's intentions in expressing a gesture that is unique to the individual means one is freely expressing one's faith, and this should be respected. Freedom of religion today is not merely about the right of a person to choose their own religion. It is also about respecting a diversified way of expressing one's faith as long as one does not contradict the essence of faith. Religion today, in certain aspects, has been turned into an ideology and rigidity. This prevents religious people from looking at good intentions, and certainly, this contributes to and reinforces divisions in society. Let's respect religious expressions of good intentions that are unique to individuals and not limit them to rigidity. RONALD BENJAMIN is the secretary for Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue. The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
