Latest news with #Najib
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Shafee gets show-cause notice from AGC over 'Nazi Germany hearing' jibe
KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney-General's Chambers has given lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah seven days to explain remarks he made likening a court proceeding to "a Nazi-Germany kind of hearing", which it claims amounts to contempt of court. In a show-cause notice sighted by the New Straits Times, the AGC stated that the comments, made during a press conference on May 29, risked undermining public confidence in the judiciary and scandalising the judiciary. Shafee made the remarks while commenting on a judicial review application by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak against the attorney-general, during a press conference that was streamed live on Najib's official Facebook page. According to the notice, Shafee had criticised a stay order issued by the Kuala Lumpur High Court, claiming it was made administratively without hearing both parties. He was quoted as saying, "A judicial decision means you hear both parties. Since when do we do a Nazi-Germany kind of hearing?" The AGC said the statement suggested that the court had acted unfairly, unilaterally, and in breach of legal principles. It added that Shafee's remarks were not only disrespectful but also amounted to a serious interference with the administration of justice. "The statements made by you clearly suggest that the Kuala Lumpur High Court acted unjustly and posed a real risk of undermining public confidence in the administration of justice," the notice read. The AGC also accused Shafee of scandalising the judiciary by questioning the court's handling of Najib's case and casting aspersions on the impartiality of the judge involved. It was reported that Shafee's criticism of a court order to temporarily stop all proceedings linked to Najib's royal addendum, during which the lawyer allegedly compared the decision with "a Nazi-Germany kind of hearing". Shafee clarified to the media that the remark was made during an exchange with a reporter and was intended to educate the public, not undermine the judiciary. He also said the remark was made solely in the context of explaining the meaning and essence of a "judicial decision". Najib has obtained leave from the Court of Appeal to begin judicial review proceedings to enforce a royal decree which allows him to serve the remainder of his jail sentence under house arrest. However, proceedings have been suspended pending the disposal of the A-G's appeal to the Federal Court, which will be heard next week.
Daily Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Express
Shafee asked by AG to show cause over ‘Nazi hearing' claim
Published on: Friday, June 27, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 27, 2025 By: V Anbalagan, FMT Text Size: Lawyer Shafee Abdullah is alleged to have made the remark during a press conference on May 29, which was live-streamed via ex-prime minister Najib Razak's Facebook page. PETALING JAYA: The attorney-general (AG) has asked lawyer Shafee Abdullah to show cause why committal proceedings should not be brought against him over his description of a court proceeding as 'a Nazi-Germany kind of hearing'. In a letter dated June 23 and handed personally to Shafee, the AG sought a reply from him within seven days. 'If you do not provide a satisfactory explanation within seven days from the date of this notice, criminal prosecution will be initiated against you,' the letter, sighted by FMT, read. The letter was signed by deputy public prosecutor Saiful Edris Zainuddin on behalf of AG Dusuki Mokhtar and sent pursuant to Order 52, Rule 2B of the Rules of Court 2012. The provision states that any formal notice to show cause why a person should not be committed to prison or fined must be served personally. The letter claimed that Shafee, who acts for ex-prime minister Najib Razak in his ongoing criminal charges and civil suits, made the remark during a press conference on May 29, which was live-streamed via Najib's Facebook page. The letter alleged that the words spoken as a whole could undermine public confidence and interfere in the administration of justice. Malaysiakini last month reported Shafee's criticism of a court order to temporarily stop all proceedings linked to Najib's royal addendum, during which the lawyer allegedly compared the decision to 'a Nazi-Germany kind of hearing'. Shafee clarified to the media that the remark was made during an exchange with a reporter and was intended to educate the public, not undermine the judiciary. He also said the remark was made solely in the context of explaining the meaning and essence of a 'judicial decision'. Najib has obtained leave from the Court of Appeal to begin judicial review proceedings to enforce a royal decree which allows him to serve the remainder of his jail sentence under house arrest. However, proceedings have been suspended pending the disposal of the AG's appeal to the Federal Court, which will be heard next week. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Search for the protest gene, love the protest gene
JUNE 26 — Your protests, better than mine? The students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah, maligned for their pyrotechnic antics in Kota Kinabalu over the weekend, tossed back the question to national leaders. Those who characterise the Kota Kinabalu protest as foreign to local customs and rife with offensive behaviour, therefore wholly unacceptable, might want to remember — not too long ago they too were accused of the same sins. Back then, not ancient history, Pakatan Harapan leaders lined up with civil society leaders to protest. The Badawi and Najib administrations labelled them then as dangerous and a threat to the Malaysian way of life. And just to add the cherry to the cake, the students unfurled a picture of the prime minister as a student leader joining others to light up their own protest in the early 70s, the Razak administration. To the prime minister's credit, he asked the government to stand down. Protests here, protests there Twenty-one years ago, in the Badawi era where few had the appetite for protest, my letter to the editor read this, 'The change we seek, may only be found in the marches we make for freedom.' The subject recurs, protest. In view of the SST, subsidy rationalisations and strings of court cases pending, the people's voice is firmly on the agenda. The thing is, and often it's a misconceived notion, the assumption is the people's voice is singular. It's not. A bunch over there want to say this, and the bunch at the other end say the complete opposite, and both welded to their thinking. And a slew of people in the cusp, overlaps and partial support to views and stands. A democracy is a marketplace of ideas equally respected, by the law. A classic display was shortly after the first change of government in 2018. Those aligned to deposed prime minister Najib Razak were loud. And so were those in vociferous anti-Najib groups still celebrating his demise. Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam and friends charged at those protesting Najib speaking at Universiti Malaya on March 22, 2019. They were later charged in court. Protest and violence, they are neighbours, let's not kid ourselves. When emotions are physically gathered, there is every chance of trouble. That is just human nature. There is the other side of the coin. This column stated 'the right to protest is sacred. It has its downsides but without it democracies suffer.' That was eight years ago. Which is why Article 10 of our Constitution spells out our right to associate, to speak out. Which is why our civil servants, law enforcement especially together with local councils, must assist with protests, not impede them. The government's new challenge is to facilitate the people's voices, not adjudicate them. It is for the rakyat to view these protests, these exclamations of objections or support. There is no right or wrong reasons for protests, just whether there are those who are willing to join it and accept to operate with civility. Rules are drawn, and referees have to be firm but fair. They must restrain from striking at the weakest chains of gatherings. For it is too easy to do. If 10,000 assemble to say they do not like Najib, today, to remain in prison and want him in house arrest conditions, there will be 10 who will seriously misbehave. That's not poor discipline, that's just expected. Idiots are everywhere. To judge the many on the very few is to act in bad faith. This is the same for any protesters, that they exhibit weaknesses. They who choose to stand out But they will protest every week! No, they won't. In any country, to get action out of the people who spend 70 per cent of their non-working/family time looking down at a smartphone sits squarely in the improbable zone. It's a bummer to spend a day out to support an idea, a position. There's the iconic picture of Anwar Ibrahim standing outside in the city in the days after his sacking from government in 1998. The masses standing there in and around Dataran Merdeka. Anwar is prime minister, and that long road to the office was not by accident nor without the people. The people in the background, the unnamed faces were the wind for his sail. It is easier to convince the ambitious to fight for power. It is tricky to invite the indifferent to show up for the eventual benefits of others. They say no. They ask, what will happen to me if the protest goes south? They might ask, as in the case of the students with Suara Mahasiswa UMS, are we risking 17 years of education, from primary to a bachelor's degree, just to say NO to the prime minister. The student leaders may end up as MPs or even ministers when co-opted by the very people objecting to the demonstration. But for the regular dudes and dudettes making the numbers, standing up to show conviction? In any country, to get action out of the people who spend 70 per cent of their non-working/family time looking down at a smartphone sits squarely in the improbable zone. — Unsplash pic Not everyone ends up as Anwar, Adam Adli or the just freed from criminal charges, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. To risk expulsion from university and social condemnation from friends and family just to attend a protest. To have a PTPTN loan and only a cashier job to pay for it because the engineering degree has gone bye-bye. The jeopardy is grief-stricken just thinking about it. There were no national protests in my undergraduate days in Bangi. I attended them in Manila when I lived there later. But would I have if Bangi roared back then against Mahathir Mohamad? The working-class kid from Cheras choosing to gamble his degree, his future? I cannot answer for sure. There were union and socialist protests, squatter evictions, small screams of injustice and I did not show up there in the early 90s. There are those who did then, and still do today. Circumstances are different today, but the risks are always the same. So, for those young people to stand up regardless if most Malaysians agree with their opinions, full props to them. It takes a lot to believe. It takes even more to stand for what you believe. At a time, this country is confronted by so many uncertainties, letting young people with courage and character carry on with their journeys with our explicit or implicit permission is not the worst outcome. They are the ones we might turn to in the future. Because they have experience, to stand up, not cower in the corners, even in the face of danger.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Stocks extend gains over improved investor confidence
Listen to article Pakistan Stock Exchange, after registering the second-highest gain a day ago, extended its positive momentum on Wednesday as investors remained upbeat. The excitement from Tuesday's historic surge, when the KSE-100 index jumped over 6,000 points, was carried forward into the new session over investor confidence, fuelled by easing of geopolitical tensions and supportive economic signals. In the opening hours, the index rose 900 points before entering into a range-bound session as traders locked in profits and reassessed market direction. A ceasefire between Israel and Iran helped soothe regional risk concerns, giving investors room to refocus on fundamentals. Market Snapshot – June 25, 2025 Unlock today's market moves and stay one step ahead! Here's what's making waves: - ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds): Most Active of Today's Market - REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts): Best — PSX (@pakstockexgltd) June 25, 2025 On the economic front, the approval of $194 million in financing from the World Bank and $350 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) propped up Pakistan's external position and the broader economic outlook. Key sectors including commercial banks, automobile, fertiliser, and oil and gas exploration, marketing, and refining were active contributors to the KSE-100 index. The index touched the intra-day high of 123,257 points and low of 122,169 points, before settling at 122,762, up 515 points, or 0.42%. Arif Habib Limited Deputy Head of Trading Ali Najib observed that stocks witnessed a range-bound day post Tuesday's historic second-highest day-on-day gains. Read More: PSX soars as Middle East tensions ease The KSE-100 index mostly remained positive and extended its bullish drive, fuelled by improving investor confidence amid easing geopolitical tensions and strengthening domestic indicators. According to Najib, investor sentiment was further boosted by a sharp recovery in consumer confidence. The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI), jointly compiled by Dun & Bradstreet and Gallup Pakistan, recorded a 9.2% quarter-on-quarter and 24.6% year-on-year rise, reaching 96.2 points, reflecting improved household outlook and optimism over economic recovery. In addition, he said, the Middle East ceasefire led to a significant drop in oil prices, easing inflationary pressure. Brent crude declined 5.2% to $67.75 per barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate fell 5.4% to $65.01 per barrel, which provided relief to oil-importing economies like Pakistan. Also Read: Consumer confidence at highest since 2022 Overall trading volumes decreased to 749.8 million shares compared with Tuesday's tally of 804.8 million. The value of shares traded was Rs28 billion. Shares of 472 companies were traded. Of these, 274 stocks closed higher, 161 fell, and 37 remained unchanged. WorldCall Telecom was the volume leader with trading in 102.4 million shares, gaining Rs0.03 to close at Rs1.49. It was followed by Pakistan Refinery with 47.1 million shares, rising Rs2.39 to close at Rs35.27, and Cnergyico PK with 39.6 million shares, gaining Rs0.09 to close at Rs7.25.
Focus Malaysia
4 days ago
- Business
- Focus Malaysia
'Syiok sendiri' doubt cast on Madani gov't after Merdeka Centre's 55% approval rating for PMX
A GOOD governance advocate has queried pollster Merdeka Centre's latest survey which claimed that Malaysian voters gave Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim a positive approval rating of 55% in May this year compared with 43% in June 2024. 'All you have to know is Merdeka Centre is no longer independent,' reacted Perisai Waja (@PerisaiPejuang) on an X post. 'No right-thinking citizen in the midst of new taxes, subsidy removals, higher electricity tariffs – entering into an environment of high prices – would give this government high approval especially after promising the reverse.' All you have to know is Merdeka Centre is no longer independent. No right thinking citizen in the midst of nex taxes, subsidy removals, higher electricity tariffs – entering into an environment of high prices – would give this gov high approval esp after promising the reverse. — Perisai Waja (@PerisaiPejuang) June 24, 2025 According to Merdeka Centre, the survey on 1,208 registered voters showed that Malaysians are beginning to feel that the country is finally on steadier ground with political turbulence easing and PMX now leading a government with a two-thirds parliamentary majority. 'Institutional reforms like the revived Parliamentary Services Act 2025 also signal a return to principled governance,' the independent pollster focused on public opinion research and socio-economic analysis claimed in a statement on Monday (June 23) Even on the PKR site on X, except for a handful of Madani government backers, many non-believers teased the latest Merdeka Centre findings as 'over-relying on a small sample size' hence the outcome is nothing more than 'syiok sendiri' (self-conceited/delusional)'. Stating that the survey is 'hard to believe' or possibly 'a joke', some sceptics suggested that a follow-up survey is imminent given PMX's own party page has become a 'laughing stock'. On a serious noter, a few commenters wondered where the 55% figure was derived from 'when the reality is that more and more people are losing faith in PMX leadership and unfulfilled promises'. Even a Madani keyboard warrior who wanted to counter the 'syiok semdiri' accusation levelled at the Merdeka Centre survey as the job of opposition cybertroopers was schooled by those who have lost faith in the Madani government. 'Adam, Najib (disgraced former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak) used to be like this before he lost; everyone said Najib's popularity was increasing,' recounted one commenter. 'There was only one who said Najib would lose which was Invoke (research outfit founded by former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli). But at that time, you believed Invoke, not Merdeka Centre. But are you now listening to Merdeka Centre?' – June 25, 2025 'Syok Sendiri' Ini sahaja yang mampu diungkapkan oleh Cytro pembangkang untuk menafikan pencapaian PMX @anwaribrahim dan kerajaan perpaduan. Sebab itu mereka gigih anjur pelbagai demo untuk bina naratif kononnya rakyat benci PMX dan kerajaan MADANI. Ini baru separuh penggal 👍 — Adam Yusuf (@adamyusuf88) June 24, 2025
