HEADLINES The Shah Alam High Court yesterday ruled that the Selangor assembly’s rights and privileges committee was wrong in compelling lawyer Hafarizam Harun to answer charges of contempt.

The New Straits Times reported on page 11 that the court declared the move unconstitutional as the law only empowers the state assembly to order a person to attend or give evidence, and not to answer to a charge.

Hafarizam had in April filed a summons to declare the order for him to appear before the committee as null and void as it violates the federal constitution and Selangor government by-laws.

He was called by the committee for allegedly insulting the assembly by writing an “obscene, rude and threatening” letter to speaker Teng Chang Khim, on behalf of his client Port Klang assemblyperson Badrul Hisham Abdullah.

This followed the ongoing legal battle between Badrul Hisham and Teng, who declared the Port Klang seat vacant after the former’s absence without leave for six consecutive months.

On Feb 18, the Shah Alam High Court allowed an application to declare that the seat is not vacant.  

The following are the headlines for the day.

English newspapers

New Straits Times

headlined that the cabinet will today decide if 86 extra Public Services Department scholarships will be given to the students who scored 9A+ in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).

Star focused on news that five lawyers were disbarred, 20 fined and 500 faced disciplinary action for breaching the Legal Profession Act from January to May this year.  

Malay newspapers

Berita Harian

shone its spotlight on news that Malaysian kidnap victim Mohd Nazarudin Saidin is still being held captive by his Filipino captors around the Jolo islands in Zamboanga.

Also on its front page is news that Maybank and CIMB are competing to merge with RHB Capital after being given the go-ahead by Bank Negara yesterday.

Utusan Malaysia led with news that the government is taking steps to control inflation following the recent subsidy cuts and electricity tariff hikes to ensure that the rakyat are not burdened.

Sinar Harian front-paged that all three panelists at its forum, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, PAS Youth chief Nasruddin Hassan and former Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin agree that the culture of slander can destroy the country.

Chinese newspapers

Both Sin Chew Daily and China Press highlighted the announcement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz that all SPM scorers with 9A+ will be given Public Services Department (PSD) overseas scholarships. PSD will give out another extra 86 oversea scholarships to meet the need.

Nanyang Siang Pau

and Oriental Daily News led with the nationwide increase of transport fees by 10 to 30 percent beginning June 1.

Editorial

New Straits Times said that animal owners must be held responsible for their pets, which include making sure that the animals do not cause harm.  

Berita Harian said the government must explain the rationale behind the electricity tariff hike so that the opposition cannot bank on public panic.  

Utusan said that demands for domestic maids to be given off days and the right to hold their own passports are too much, and place too big a risk of maids fleeing from their employers.

Sin Chew Daily urged the government to address the problem of increasing imports of agricultural products, which has jeopardised the livelihood of local farmers.

Nanyang Siang Pau

commented on the electricity tariff hike, calling on the government to eliminate negative factors and provide better infrastructure as well as a conducive investment environment to attract more foreign investment.