Charge Riduan, say syariah lawyers

The Star
(shared bylines)

PETALING JAYA: Syariah lawyers want the Islamic affairs authorities to act against the 40-year-old man who married a 13-year-old girl he had allegedly raped.

“We urge the syariah authorities to do the necessary to charge the wrongdoer as a lesson that marriage is not a way out for adultery or rape,” said Syariah Lawyers Association secretary-general Moeis Basri.

He said under syariah laws, sexual intercourse outside marriage is considered an act of adultery even if the girl consented to it.

Moeis said the man also needed to get the consent of the girl's legal guardian as well as permission from the Syariah Court before marrying the child as she is below 16 years old.

Moeis hoped the Attorney-General's Chambers would proceed with action against the man, adding that the civil court had better jurisdiction and severe punishment for rape cases.

Riduan Masmud, from Kota Kinabalu, is facing a charge of raping the teenager in a parked car in Inanam on Feb 18.

Sessions Court judge Ummu Khatom Abdul Samad had set July 1 to July 4 to hear the case.

Under the Sabah Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1995, a person convicted of committing forbidden sexual intercourse, could be fined a maximum of RM5,000, or jailed up to three years or caned a maximum of six strokes, or a combination thereof.

In Malaysia, the legal age for most people to marry is 18. But non-Muslims between 16 and 18 can marry with the consent of the chief minister or mentri besar of their state.

For Muslim boys under 18 and girls under 16, permission must be sought from the Syariah Court.

Meanwhile, Primary Care Doctors Organisation deputy president Dr M. Mahendran said children's reproductive organs were not mature enough and early coitus could damage the vagina or cause pelvic inflammatory diseases which could lead to infertility.

Lawyer Yasmeen Muhammad Shariff, who sits on the United Nations' Committee of the Rights of the Child, said the man should be charged for statutory rape regardless of whether he had married her.

“The law should be respected. It cannot be based on mutual liking as the girl is young and gullible,” she said.

Several women's groups in Sabah and across the nation had expressed outrage over the man, who already has four children, marrying the teenager purportedly to escape criminal prosecution for statutory rape.

Related Stories:
State minister wants teen's marriage to 40-year-old nullified

Group wants EC under Parliament purview By LOH FOON FONG

The Star
foonfong@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: A group of 40 intellectuals and non-governmental organisation representatives want the Election Commission (EC) to be placed under Parliament's jurisdiction.

Former Temerloh MP Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said it was important that the EC reported to Parliament.

“The commission could have an MP to speak on its behalf in Parliament,” said Saifuddin, who moderated a discussion yesterday on inclusiveness in the context of national reconciliation after GE13 organised by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Institute of Ethnic Studies.

Saifuddin also said this was possible because Parliament had its own administration, which would enable it to pay salaries of those in the EC.

The institute's research fellow, Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, said the EC and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission should function independently and not be put together with other government agencies in Putrajaya.

“They should be closer to Parliament instead of Putrajaya,” he said.

He also said Opposition leaders should be recognised as in Britain, where they are invited to most official functions.

“Every MP must be seen as elected by the people,” he said.

Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan said a shadow Cabinet should be formed and funded by the state as it was rightly the responsibility of the Government.

“Otherwise, it is difficult for the shadow Cabinet to function well,” he said.

The discussion group also said more select committees should be set up in Parliament for more check and balance.

There was also a call for the Government to ensure independence of government agencies in providing basic infrastructure to everyone regardless of political allegiance, religion and race.

Community service consultant Jasmine Adaickalam said this was important for inclusive social development.

The group also called for independence of the media.

Meanwhile, Universiti Malaya political economist Prof Dr Terrence Gomezsaid it was unlikely for political parties to make many changes.

“There is a need for a third force institutionalised civil society to put pressure on the political system,” he said.

The proposals would be further discussed with the National Unity and Integration Department on May 28.

GE13: Pakatan Rakyat has run Selangor capably, says Khalid in campaign speech

The Star

Published: Saturday May 4, 2013 MYT 1:20:00 PM
Updated: Saturday May 4, 2013 MYT 1:48:19 PM

By LOH FOON FONG

Caretaker Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

SABAK BERNAM: Caretaker Mentri BesarTan Sri Khalid Ibrahim made a surprise visit to the furthest end of Selangor on the last leg of campaigning.

He told village folks that the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat-led state government has done well instead of gone bankrupt.

He said that since Pakatan Rakyat took over the state government in Selangor in 2008, it had invested well and Selangor was rated first among other states in having the most investments.

"We have generated more than RM50bil in investments and we have not gone bankrupt," he said on Friday late night in Bagan Terap.

Khalid said he needed to tell the people that the Opposition did not go bankrupt when they were given the chance to run the state for five years and would not go bankrupt if they take over the Putrajaya federal administration as claimed by the Barisan Nasional.

He also said that the Selangor state government had spent RM700mil on the people on the water given to those living in the state.

Khalid said on top of that, the state government also made savings of RM260mil.

At a ceramah earlier, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Muhammad Taibdeclared to the people that he had actually joined PAS since some were still not sure whether he actually did.

At the ceramah attended by between 1,500 to 1,800 people, Pakatan members were seen approaching Muhammad Taib with their party flags for his autograph or take his picture.

GE13: MCA to help Loong Aik cooperative get back land from firm, says Dr Chua

The Star

Published: Thursday May 2, 2013 MYT 8:34:00 PM

By LOH FOON FONG

SEKINCHAN: MCA will try to get back a 0.4ha piece of land which was occupied by the Loong Aik Bhd cooperative for 60 years and now leased to a private company, said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Dr Chua said Loong Aik chairman Lee Aik had approached the party for help now that the land was given to the company for temporary occupation by the Selangor state government.

"We will assist in getting the land back for the cooperatives if Barisan Nasional wins Selangor," he said during a visit here to lend support to MCA's state candidate Kek Seng Hooi.

Loong Aik treasurer Ng Ah Tee said the land had been occupied by the grandparents of the members when they set up the cooperatives in 1949.

"At that time the land did not belong to anyone. Since we and our grandparents have used the land for more than 60 years, we should be given priority (to use the land)," Ng said.

He said they had applied to the state government for a land grant since 1991. The then Barisan government did not approve the grant but did not stop them from using the land.

Ng said when Pakatan Rakyat took over the state, they applied for a grant but was refused and the land was leased out to a private company.

For more election stories, please visit The Star's GE13 site