FREEDOM OF SPEECH / FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION


FREEDOM OF SPEECH / FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak without censorship and/or limitation. The synonymous term freedom of expression is sometimes used to indicate not only freedom of verbal speech but any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used [United Nations, 1966, 1976]. The right to freedom of speech is recognized as a human right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognized in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The ICCPR recognizes the right to freedom of speech as "the right to hold opinions without interference. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression". Furthermore freedom of speech is recognized in European, inter-American and African regional human rights law [United Nations, 1966, 1967]. Freedom of speech, or the freedom of expression, is recognized in international and regional human rights law. The right is enshrined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights [Andrew Puddephatt & Hodder Arnold, 2005; Kumar, Ambika, 2006].

In Islamic ethics freedom of speech was first declared in the Rashidun period by the caliph Umar in the 7th century. In the Abbasid Caliphate period, freedom of speech was also declared by al-Hashimi (a cousin of Caliph al-Ma'mun) in a letter to one of the religious opponents he was attempting to convert through reason.

According to George Makdisi and Hugh Goddard, "the idea of academic freedom" in universities was "modelled on Islamic custom" as practiced in the medieval Madrasah system from the 9th century. Islamic influence was "certainly discernible in the foundation of the first deliberately-planned university" in Europe [Boisard, Marcel A., 1980].

* Selected REFERENCES / Sources:

Amnesty International: Annual Reports: URLhttp://www.amnesty.org/ailib/aireport/index.html Andrew Puddephatt & Hodder Arnold. (2005). Freedom of Expression: The Essentials of Human Rights. United Publishers. Boisard, Marcel A. (July 1980), "On the Probable Influence of Islam on Western Public and International Law", International Journal of Middle East Studies 11 (4): 429–50. Goddard, Hugh. (2000). A History of Christian-Muslim Relations. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Kumar, Ambika. (2006). ‘Using Courts to Enforce the Free Speech Provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.’ Published by Chicago Journal of International Law. Summer 2006. URLhttp://www.allbusiness.com/corporate-governance/4082846-1.html United Nations: ‘International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.’ Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16th December 1966: Entry into force 23 March 1976, in accordance with Article 49. URLhttp://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm (United Nations) Wikipedia. (2010). ‘Freedom of Speech.’ Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. URLhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_expression

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15 February 2011

Bekas Penolong Pegawai Daerah Sabit Rasuah


Comment:

It reminds me of my neighbour (neighbouring areas), there is this guy, who only has a diploma and possibly also a Bachelor, who starts from a small position in the government. He told me he wants to build a big house, and own a few luxury cars (not just one car), but the thing is, his salary is only meagre as a government servant. So he starts to indulge in corruption (abuse of power, position and taking bribes).

Once the bribes taking starts, it cannot stop, its like a cancer cell, it starts to roll and roll, its also like an addiction, once you get the 'joy'.. it would be difficult to stop. There is no issue of feeling sorry for anyone, just to satisfy one's greed. Sometimes, even asking for a ridiculously large sum of money from unknown strangers, thats where the hole (danger) gets bigger... then oneday he fell into it (get caught by the authority)... and he spent the rest of his life wandering IF only he could SAVE his meagre salary and avoid corruption.

I believe that the guy should get caught earlier, rather then when he is older (in his 50s or 60s)... to STOP him from victimizing others... It also means that the authority overlook the case earlier.


Bekas penolong pegawai daerah sabit rasuah

BUTTERWORTH 14 Feb. - Bekas Penolong Pegawai Daerah Seberang Perai Utara, Mohd. Jamil Mohd. Noor dihukum penjara enam tahun dan denda RM300,000 oleh Mahkamah Sesyen di sini hari ini setelah didapati bersalah meminta suapan RM60,000 daripada seorang peguam, lima tahun lalu.

Hakim Ikmal Hishan Mohd. Tajuddin turut memerintahkan Mohd. Jamil, 58, dipenjara empat bulan lagi sekiranya gagal membayar denda tersebut. Mengikut pertuduhan, Mohd. Jamil didakwa meminta wang suapan RM60,000 daripada Arizal Mohd. Arshad untuk menaikkan nilai pampasan pengambilan balik sebahagian tanah Lot. 3482 GM2058, Mukim 5, SPU bagi meluaskan kawasan meletak kenderaan di Pasar Awam, Kepala Batas.

Dia didakwa melakukan kesalahan itu pada pukul 11 malam, 27 Januari 2006 di Restoran Nasi Kandar An Nur, Kepala Batas. Mohd. Jamil didakwa mengikut Seksyen 11 (a) Akta Pencegahan Rasuah 1997 (Akta 575) yang boleh dihukum di bawah Seksyen 16 yang memperuntukkan hukuman penjara minimum 14 hari dan maksimum 20 tahun atau denda RM300,000 atau lima kali nilai suapan.

Pendakwaan dilakukan oleh Timbalan Pendakwa Raya dari Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia , Janariah Abdul Mutalib manakala tertuduh diwakili peguam, Rosli Ismail. Terdahulu, Rosli memohon mahkamah menimbangkan faktor kepentingan peribadi Mohd. Jamil yang berkhidmat sebagai pegawai kerajaan selain kehilangan manfaat termasuk pencen ekoran sabitan ke atasnya.

"Mahkamah juga perlu mengambil kira fakta bahawa anak guam saya tidak menerima sebarang manfaat walaupun sesen dalam kes tersebut," katanya. Janariah bagaimanapun berkata, mahkamah perlu menjatuhkan hukuman setimpal kerana rasuah merupakan jenayah serius dan perbuatan tertuduh menjejaskan imej jabatan kerajaan.

Mahkamah juga katanya, perlu memberi mesej yang jelas melalui hukuman setimpal sebagai pengajaran kepada masyarakat selain usaha menyokong agenda kerajaan memerangi kegiatan rasuah. "Walaupun tertuduh tidak menerima sebarang manfaat, tetapi meminta suapan adalah sebahagian daripada kesalahan rasuah. "Malah, tertuduh meminta suapan daripada seorang peguam yang membuktikan tahap profesionalisme yang tinggi dengan menolak untuk bersubahat," jelasnya.



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