Latest news with #independence
Malay Mail
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Duty to uphold independence of judiciary — Hafiz Hassan
JUNE 28 — Make no mistake that Malaysia has a duty to uphold the independence of the judiciary. It is not just that—it must guarantee such independence as enshrined in its Constitution and/or the law of the country. It is the duty of the government and other institutions to respect and observe the independence of the judiciary. The above is the first principle of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary adopted by the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders held at Milan from August 26 to September 6, 1985 and endorsed by General Assembly resolutions 40/32 of November 29,1985 and 40/146 of December 13, 1985. This year is the 40th anniversary of the principles. The second principle is the judiciary must decide matters before them impartially, on the basis of facts and in accordance with the law, without any restrictions, improper influences, inducements, pressures, threats or interferences, direct or indirect, from any quarter or for any reason. The third is the judiciary must have jurisdiction over all issues of a judicial nature and must have exclusive authority to decide whether an issue submitted for its decision is within its competence as defined by law. Malaysia's duty to uphold the basic principles of independence of the judiciary does not impose on it the duty to extend the tenure of retiring judges notwithstanding their impeccable integrity. — Pexels pic The fourth is there must not be any inappropriate or unwarranted interference with the judicial process, nor must judicial decisions by the courts be subject to revision without prejudice to judicial review or to mitigation or commutation by competent authorities of sentences imposed by the judiciary, in accordance with the law. The fifth principle requires the judiciary to be entitled to ensure that judicial proceedings are conducted fairly and that the rights of the parties are respected. The sixth principle imposes a duty on each Member State to provide adequate resources to enable the judiciary to properly perform its functions. There are 20 principles in all. I do not wish to state all 20 principles, but allow me to add to the above, on qualifications and selection of judges. Persons selected for judicial office must be individuals of integrity and ability with appropriate training or qualifications in law. Any method of judicial selection must safeguard against judicial appointments for improper motives. In the selection of judges, there must be no discrimination against a person on the grounds of race, colour, sex, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or status, except that a requirement, that a candidate for judicial office must be a national of the country concerned, must not be considered discriminatory. Malaysia's duty to uphold the basic principles of independence of the judiciary does not impose on it the duty to extend the tenure of retiring judges notwithstanding their impeccable integrity. The duty is to select and appoint judges of integrity and ability with appropriate training or qualifications in law, without improper motives and discrimination. *This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- General
- Malay Mail
The nation's story, told in four galleries at Muzium Negara
KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — In one corner of Gallery D at Muzium Negara, visitors will find the original Bendera Persekutuan Tanah Melayu. The flag was raised at the Selangor Club Padang (now Dataran Merdeka) after the British Union Jack was lowered on August 31, 1957, at midnight. To Muzium Negara Deputy Director Nor Hanisah Ahmad, it is one of the most important artefacts in the museum's collection. 'That flag is authentic — it's not a reproduction. Some people might think it's a copy, but it's the real one,' she said. 'It's proof that when we gained independence, we started as a federation of 11 states. It marks the moment we took back our identity,' she added. Designed by Mohamed Hamzah, a 29-year-old Public Works Department architect, the flag was selected through a national design competition in 1949 and refined under the guidance of Datuk Onn Jaafar. To involve the public in the decision, The Malay Mail ran a national poll, with the results published on November 28, 1949. Mohamed Hamzah's entry emerged as the firm favourite. The final version — 11 alternating red and white stripes representing the original states, a blue canton symbolising unity, and a yellow crescent and star for Islam — received royal assent from King George VI in May 1950. Seven years later, it was hoisted in place of the Union Jack as Malaya declared independence. For Nor Hanisah, the flag is not just a symbol; it is a chapter in a much longer story. 'You can't just look at one piece. You need to see the whole journey, how we went from prehistoric times all the way to becoming a modern nation,' she said. Muzium Negara Deputy Director Nor Hanisah Ahmad posing in front of Gallery B of the museum. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa. That journey begins in Gallery A, where the museum's narrative starts with prehistoric Malaya. Here, visitors will see tools used by early humans, such as stone axes for hunting and food preparation. 'We need to understand how our ancestors lived before technology, before modern systems,' Nor Hanisah explained. 'There were no knives, no kitchens. They used stone tools to survive, to hunt, to skin meat. It shows how humans adapted with what they had.' The museum then takes visitors through the transition into the Metal Age, when early humans began using underground metal ores to forge stronger tools — a leap forward that laid the foundation for organised communities. 'At first, they just used what was on the surface — rocks, stones. But then they discovered metal in the earth, and that changed everything. Suddenly, they could create better tools than before. That's where civilisation really starts,' she said. In Gallery B, the narrative shifts to early Malay kingdoms and regional power structures. But Gallery C, Nor Hanisah said, holds one of the most crucial artefacts for understanding Malaya's colonial past: the Pangkor Treaty table. 'I really think people should stop and look at the Pangkor table. That's where it all began — the British started interfering in the internal affairs of the Malay states,' she said. Diorama of the Pangkor Treaty signing table, marking the start of British intervention in the Malay states, displayed at Muzium Negara. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa Signed in 1874 between Raja Abdullah of Perak and Sir Andrew Clarke, the Pangkor Treaty marked the start of formal British intervention in Malaya. It recognised Raja Abdullah as the legitimate Sultan of Perak in exchange for him accepting a British Resident, who would advise on all matters except Islam and Malay customs. That Resident was J.W.W. Birch, the first in a long line of colonial administrators who would influence state affairs. The model was soon replicated in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, and Pahang, leading to the formation of the Federated Malay States in 1896 — a structure designed primarily to secure British economic interests, especially in tin and rubber. 'It's a turning point we must remember,' Nor Hanisah said. A visitor observing ancient artefacts in Gallery A of Muzium Negara, which showcases Malaya's early history. – Picture by Yusof Mat Isa She emphasised that the museum's four galleries, arranged chronologically, are designed to help Malaysians make sense of their national story. 'Each gallery has its own strength. We want people to walk through and understand how everything connects — from stone tools to the flag, from ancient survival to national independence,' she said. For Nor Hanisah, every artefact matters, not because of its rarity or visual appeal, but because of what it reveals. 'Every single collection here carries meaning. Every one of them tells a story — sometimes, a thousand and one stories behind a single object,' she said. In a time when historical literacy is often taken for granted, Nor Hanisah hopes the museum's artefacts will continue to speak, quietly but powerfully, to every Malaysian who walks through its doors.
GSM Arena
15 hours ago
- General
- GSM Arena
PSA: If you have been having issues on GSMArena.com lately, check your ad blocker
TL;DR: If something on our site looks broken, try disabling your ad blocker and refresh the page. We've recently become aware that some ad blockers are interfering with some of the visualizations and widgets on our site. We tracked the root of the issue to a recent change in one of the most popular ad block lists – we contacted the list maintainer and the problem was quickly resolved. But the fix takes a bit to reach everyone, which is why the issue persisted as long as it did. Anyway, everything should work fine now. Lastly, if you'd like to support us, consider whitelisting our site in your ad blocker altogether. Ads help us stay independent - none of our reviews are sponsored - and they fund all the content you enjoy here. Thanks for being part of our community!
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
Dutch watchdog clears DPG's acquisition of RTL Nederland
AMSTERDAM, June 27 (Reuters) - Dutch competition watchdog ACM said on Friday it had cleared RTL Group's ( opens new tab sale of its Dutch subsidiary RTL Nederland to Belgium-based DPG Media, under conditions meant to protect the independence of involved news media. RTL announced the 1.1 billion euro ($1.29 billion) deal in December 2023, nearly a year after its plan to acquire rival Talpa was blocked, over competition concerns. ACM said it had attached structural conditions to the DPG deal to protect the Dutch news market, where DPG and RTL are major competitors. DPG publishes four major Dutch newspapers and owns one of the country's main free news websites, RTL Nederland is a major news broadcaster through its television channels, website and app. As part of the conditions, RTL Nieuws and will be partly owned by an independent foundation that can decide over the hiring and firing of the editor-in-chief, the media's identity and mission and will have a veto over any possible future sale. Both media organisations will continue as separate brands with freely accessible websites, created by separate, independent newsrooms that will not exchange any content, ACM said. These conditions will remain in place also in the case of a future sale of DPG or parts of it. "News consumers must continue to be able to choose from different, independent news sources," ACM director Martijn Snoep said. "With these conditions, we have safeguarded that." RTL Nederland and DPG were not immediately available for comment. ($1 = 0.8546 euros)
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Giving Japanese-style health MOTs to all 65-year-olds could help transform social care in England
Giving Japanese-style health MOTs to all 65-year-olds could help transform social care in England, a report suggests. The proactive reviews assess what help an individual needs to cook, wash, dress and maintain their health in order to prolong their independence. Such a preventative approach would likely lead to a better quality of life for older adults and potentially fewer care home admissions, the Institute For Public Policy Research (IPPR) said. The think tank has set out a plan to stop the 'spiralling costs' of adult social care, referring to a £23.3 billion bill for local authorities in 2023/24. Its findings are supported by Sir Andrew Dilnot, the architect of reform recommendations more than a decade ago, who said the 'yawning and indefensible gap in our collective welfare provision' must be addressed urgently. The state of adult social care in England is under review by the Casey Commission, which aims to set out a plan for how to implement a national care service, as promised by Labour in its election manifesto. The first phase of the review is expected to report next year, although recommendations from the initial probe will be implemented in phases over the course of 10 years. Social care leaders have raised concerns over the potential timeline of 2036 for some reforms to be introduced. The second phase of the commission, setting out longer-term reforms, is due to report by 2028. The IPPR has set out its own recommendations, insisting that there should be a 'right to live and age well' as part of any reforms. Among the measures suggested in its latest report is automatic assessment of the care needs of all adults turning 65 as well as those receiving other disability-related benefits. The report stated Government 'should look to the Japanese model of proactive assessments' and while funding will be needed for such a move, 'a more effective state social care system would invest in, not drain, the economy'. The report said Japanese people are automatically assessed for a range of support including home-based help with cooking and dressing to residential respite and some nursing or medical care for long-term conditions when they turn 65 years old. It stated: 'Care is managed by community comprehensive support centres, which employ long-term care specialists, care managers, and social workers. 'This model emphasises preventative care and home-based services, reducing both cost and reliance on institutional care while supporting family caregivers. 'Japan has half the number of people in care homes as the UK, despite a much older population.' The report's other recommendations include investment in exercise groups and community centres to support older people and those with disabilities to stay healthy and active, as well as further training and development for carers, enabling them to give more personalised care. The IPPR also argued there must be a care costs cap, based on Dilnot Commission recommendations, but with additional central Government funding. Proposals for an £86,000 cap on the amount an older or disabled person would have to pay towards their social care support at home or in care homes were scrapped by Labour last year. Sir Andrew, who chaired the 2010 commission into adult social care, said the IPPR paper 'argues powerfully and persuasively that good social care provision can be a wonderful way of enhancing human flourishing'. He added: 'For far, far too long we have had a social care system that fails us all.' Sir Andrew previously deemed it 'completely unnecessary' to wait three years for the commission's longer-term recommendations and argued it is 'perfectly feasible' for the Government to set out by the end of this year what it is going to do. IPPR research fellow Dr Annie Williamson said: 'A proactive approach to adult social care, including universal MOT-style assessments at 65 and early support, could help people maintain independence for longer while reducing long-term costs. 'A shift to prevention will mean fewer care home admissions, better quality of life for older adults, and more sustainable funding. 'As the UK grapples with rising demand and strained budgets, this kind of forward-thinking reform offers a way out.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Through our 10-Year Health Plan, we will shift healthcare from treatment to prevention to help people live longer, healthier lives.'
