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Focus Malaysia
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
PAS rallies against Anwar amid reform stalemate
POLITICAL analyst Roslan Shahir criticised calls for Malaysians to help Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, describing it as a desperate move showing growing public rejection of his leadership. Roslan referred to Prof Wong Chin Huat's article in Sinar Harian in which he urges support for Anwar. PAS is seizing on the judicial crisis fiasco to rally its supporters and the wider public ahead of the planned mass protest on July 26 at Dataran Merdeka. The party hopes that a large turnout will drive home their message: that Anwar's leadership is losing public support. On the other hand, backing the PAS move, Roslan said Anwar has failed to fulfil election promises and his reform agenda was merely to gain power, as issues like corruption, cronyism, and rising living costs remain unresolved. Roslan stated that people have lost faith in Anwar and pledged support for the upcoming protest, declaring it the true voice of the people demanding leadership change. He made these remarks in response to Prof Wong Chin Huat's warning that if Anwar fails to implement governance reforms, such as ensuring judicial independence, he risks losing public support to Perikatan Nasional, which is portraying itself as a cleaner and more credible alternative. In this article, Prof Wong Chin Huat uses an old Cold War joke to illustrate that truths are often hidden as state secrets. He discusses the recent controversy over leaked minutes from the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting, which allegedly showed a judge with misconduct issues still being proposed as Chief Judge of Malaya. Prof Wong argued that if investigations are for spreading false information, it would prove the judiciary is clean. But if they focus on leaking state secrets, it implies the allegation is true. He stressed that Anwar and his government should use this crisis to strengthen judicial independence rather than punish whistleblowers. Wong suggested tightening the JAC Act so judge appointments are truly determined by the JAC, not by the PM. He frames the PM's role as similar to a 'postman' conveying recommendations to the King, which would not diminish his dignity but instead uphold judicial freedom under Anwar's Madani government. He further highlighted that Anwar's daughter, Nurul Izzah's presence at the Bar Council's 'March for Justice' signals that Anwar might be ready to reinforce judicial integrity. Prof Wong ends by urging Anwar's loyalists to listen to reform voices within his coalition, like Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, instead of attacking them, concluding: 'If you love Anwar, then help him raise the flag of reform high and proud. Reform does not necessarily need Anwar, but Anwar certainly needs reform.' — July 19, 2025
Hindustan Times
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
AUD Students' Council demands to revoke suspensions of 5 students
New Delhi, The Ambedkar University Delhi Students' Council on Tuesday voiced sharp concerns over varsity adminstration and demanded the immediate revocation of suspensions imposed on five students who were protesting an earlier disciplinary action related to a ragging complaint. Tensions escalated in the university following the April 12 suspension of five students including elected union members for allegedly attempting to meet Vice Chancellor Anu Singh Lather. However, the administration accused them of obstructing official duties and attempting assault, allegations that have been firmly denied by the students as well as the Students' Federation of India , which has extended support to the protest. The suspended students were part of a demonstration against the administration's handling of a ragging case in the Karampura campus. Videos and photos circulating online reportedly show the students being beaten with sticks and physically assaulted by police and private security personnel. Over the last 11 days, the student movement has seen a surge in participation and activity and April 15, more than 200 students participated in a 'March for Justice' on the Karampura campus, an official statement of AUDSC said. Between April 16 and 20, General Body Meetings were held across undergraduate and postgraduate programs, all of which condemned the suspensions and called for the restoration of normalcy. Research scholars from other AUD campuses have passed solidarity resolutions backing the demands of the Karampura students. A campus-wide class boycott was held on April 21, which the students' council claimed was successful in 20 out of 27 programs — amounting to roughly 75 per cent of lectures being boycotted. The council said this was not the first time students had resorted to such measures, recalling earlier boycotts in solidarity with the victims of the 2020 Delhi riots and to demand digital infrastructure during the COVID-19 lockdown. Students have also launched a hunger strike, which has now entered into its second week, with many reportedly falling ill due to heat and starvation. The students claim they have made repeated efforts to meet the university administration, but no meeting has materialised despite verbal assurances. 'This raises serious questions over whether AUD's management is wishing to fight a war of attrition against its main stakeholders — the students,' the council said in its statement. Their demands include the immediate revocation of suspensions, reopening of the main gate and removal of barricades inside the campus, withdrawal of a notice banning protests in administrative areas, cancellation of a show-cause notice issued to faculty member Dr Kaustav Banerjee for expressing solidarity with students, and restoration of the university's common mailing list, which has been disabled since March 6.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A big appetite for Breakthrough Project's Chavez Scholarship Dinner
Mar. 13—A local nonprofit's annual dinner has grown so popular over the years that it is moving to a new venue and awarding more scholarships to students. The Breakthrough Project of Lodi is hosting its third Cesar Chavez Scholarship Dinner on Saturday, March 22 at 5:30 p.m at the Japanese Community Hall, 210 E. Elm St. Event organizer Maria Elena Serna said the dinner was moved from its previous location — St. Paul's Lutheran Church — because there was not enough space in its dining hall. "It started to get extremely crowded," she said. "The hall was great, it just wasn't accommodating. People were coming in at the last minute, even when no tickets were being sold, and they would have to stand. We decided we had to have a larger place." Selecting the Japanese Community Hall for this year's dinner was symbolic in a way, she said, as it is in close proximity to Hale Park, which Cesar Chavez had visited in 1971. This year's keynote speaker will be United Farm Workers President Teresa Romero, who Serna has known for about 20 years. Romero is only the union's third president in its nearly six decades of history. She's also the first woman to lead the organization. "We're thrilled to have her," Serna said. "She's the right person to be president because she's calm and a good listener. Teresa has really been at the forefront of so many things that the farm workers have been able to achieve. Her leadership has been really appreciated by the younger farmers." Romero received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden last year. Her honor follows in the footsteps of Chavez, who was awarded the medal posthumously in 1994. This will not be her first visit to Lodi, as she and hundreds of UFW members stopped at Hale Park in 2022 during the annual March for Justice from Delano to Sacramento, Serna said. In addition, to having the UFW president speak, the Breakthrough Project will also be awarding five scholarships to local high school students. Three of the scholarships will be for $1,000 and the other two will be worth $500. "It was really hard to decide (who to award)," Serna said. "They all had high GPAs. Cesar was a strong proponent of education. He didn't have a formal education, because he didn't have that opportunity. But he was a big proponent of it." The evening will also include presentations from Joe Serna Charter School students, as well as Folklorico dancers and Mariachi performances. Tickets are $40 for general admission, and sponsorships are available for $100 for one ticket or $500 for five tickets. You can also purchase a $1,000 sponsorship for 10 tickets and a table. For tickets or more information, call 209-329-8123 or email breakthroughprojectlodi@
