Constitution of Malaysia – the _

Dear Sir,

I am a resident in the area of Titiwangsa and I would like to thank you for the work you have done for the area so far. I have written to you before and I would greatly appreciate it if you could invest in some time to read this email.

I write to you to express my concern regarding a proposed amendment to Article 114 of the Constitution of Malaysia to extend the retirement age of EC members from 65 to 66 that is currently being discussed in the Parliament. I would like to kindly encourage you to vote no to the amendment.

The amendment is being proposed to accommodate one person at a particular point in time and nothing else. It is no accident that the current EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman is nearing his mandatory retirement age.

Amendments of this nature is very damaging to our country’s institutional structure. It gives the impression that our institution and our Constitution are easily made undone at a moment’s whim. I strongly feel that for any law to be respected, it shouldn’t be easily amended to suit a very short-term goal. It is hard to have respect for the law when the law is being formed, modified and unformed in a very discretionary manner. The Constitution is the document that governs us and it worries me that the Constitution is being considered for an amendment with clear disregard for the future in favor of instant gratification.

Greater consideration that firmly keeps a long term view on the integrity of our institution must prevail over any short-term amendment such as that in question.

I kindly hope you are able to agree with me and vote no to the amendment.

Thank you.

Kind regards,
Hafiz Noor Shams

[1252] Of Article 152 of the Malaysian Constitution

The Malaysian Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin declares that the new (or old; flip-flopping that is common under the Badawi regime makes the old-new dichotomy useless) Malaysian national language is the Malaysian language.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bahasa Malaysia will again be the official term to be used to refer to the national language.

In a unanimous decision last April, the Cabinet felt that reverting to the term Bahasa Malaysia would help inculcate a sense of belonging for all citizens irrespective of race, said Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin. [Back to Bahasa Malaysia. The Star. June 4 2007]

But Article 152 of the Malaysia Constitution says the national language is the Malay language.

Do tell me if there is a translation error. Or, do tell me if the Constitution is a worthless piece of paper. If the Constitution is worthless, then the time is ripe for a spring revolution!