Today, the NST reported that the high court in Singapore ordered the opposition party to pay S$610,000 in defamation damages to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his father Lee Kuan Yew. The charges are expected to bankrupt the opposition party according to its leader Chee Soon Juan. Soon Juan said that it is unlikely the payment would be made since they are still catching up on payments from previous suits and legal costs. Critics suggest that the suits are intended to deter the opposition from doing what it does; oppose. The ruling party suggests that the suits are needed to protect their image against damaging remarks.
Teresa Kok, a Member of Parliament from the Democractic Action Party; a splinter cell from the PAP of Singapore, is suing Utusan Malaysia for RM30M over the publication of an article about her request to lower the Azan volume in her constituency. She claimed that the article labeled her as 'a bad politician, racist and anti-Islam' while not opposing or denying what was done. This move clearly negates Pakatan's ideals of freedom of speech. Concurrently, she is not denying the alleged demand to lower the volume of the Azan.
What's more interesting is the silence by PAS. After getting lambasted for their idea to install an Islamic state model in Kedah by DAP, PAS is clearly not defending their coalition partner on the azan issue. PAS was also furious about the BAR council's forum on Islam. YB Zulkifli Noordin (PKR-Kulim) was involved in the demonstration and he said that religion comes above party. Is the coalition breaking up sooner than expected?
Oh, perhaps not, since Anwar is getting MPs to hop later this year.
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2 comments:
a case of the inmates running the asylum? from dodgy text messages, to 30 million ringgit lawsuits. we have em all.
whether or not religion comes over party is something to be seen. whether religion, faith and god takes precedence over tons of riches, is also to be seen.
reading all this brings an oft used phrase to mind.. "crop dusting". we all know what the common meaning is to that phrase. then there's the one where a fart is released along the corridor and the perpetrator briskly leaves the scene leaving nothing but a lingering odour. i love that definition.
long live freedom of the press.
freedom comes with a price = responsibility. you reap what you sow.
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