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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14 November 2011

Drugs Worth RM20 Million in Transit via Malaysia




Comment:

1- The laws on drugs in Malaysia are among the toughest in Asia and the world, yet drug traffickers seems to defy the odd, and continue using Malaysia as the gateway to Asia and the world.

2- Maybe its time the authority put in place better scanning machine and D-9 unit, to overcome the problem. [See D-9 Unit, Malaysia at:

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http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=1114&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Muka_Hadapan&pg=mh_01.htm
(14 Nov 2011)

Sindiket tumpas, dadah RM20j dirampas

Oleh SAFINA RAMLI
pengarang@utusan.com.my


Noor Rashid Ibrahim menunjukkan cecair ekstasi yang dirampas daripada sindiket dadah antarabangsa yang didalangi warga Belanda di Alor Setar, semalam. - UTUSAN/AHMAD SYAHIR KASSIM.

ALOR SETAR 13 Nov. - Hampir setiap hari ada sahaja rampasan dan tangkapan dadah dibuat pihak berkuasa. Malah, Malaysia kini boleh diumpamakan sebagai hab pengedaran dadah kerana sebahagian besar sindiket yang ditumpaskan itu banyak melibatkan warga asing.

Persoalannya, bagaimana dadah itu begitu mudah diseludup masuk ke Malaysia sedangkan kawalan ketat sudah dilakukan pihak berkuasa. Kenapa semakin ramai rakyat asing memilih negara ini untuk dijadikan pusat pengedaran dan makmal memproses dadah, khususnya jenis sintetik.

Terbaru, Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) berjaya menumpaskan satu sindiket dadah antarabangsa dan merampas sejumlah syabu dan ekstasi bernilai lebih RM20 juta dipercayai didalangi warga Belanda, kelmarin.

Pengarah Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Narkotik (JSJN), Ibu Pejabat Polis Bukit Aman, Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim berkata, kejayaan itu dilakarkan hasil dua serbuan pihaknya dengan kerjasama anggota Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen (IPK) Kedah menyerbu sebuah kilang di Kawasan Perindustrian Mergong di sini dan sebuah rumah di Georgetown, Pulau Pinang kira-kira pukul 5 pagi.

"Dalam serbuan itu, polis menahan 11 orang termasuk enam warga asing manakala selebihnya rakyat tempatan yang berusia antara 24 hingga 60 tahun.

"Lima warga asing termasuk rakyat Belanda itu ditahan di sebuah kilang di Mergong yang dijadikan makmal memproses ekstasi," katanya pada sidang akhbar di IPK Kedah di sini, hari ini.

Menurutnya, empat lagi yang ditahan di makmal itu ialah dua warga Singapura manakala masing-masing seorang warga Perancis dan Britain.

"Seorang lagi warga Britain serta empat rakyat tempatan diberkas di sekitar Alor Setar manakala seorang lagi rakyat tempatan ditangkap di Pulau Pinang.

"Sindiket itu dipercayai beroperasi sejak beberapa bulan lalu dengan menghasilkan dadah jenis ekstasi untuk pasaran tempatan dan antarabangsa," ujarnya.

Noor Rashid memberitahu, kejayaan ini adalah yang terbesar daripada segi nilai dan penglibatan individu selain dapat mengagalkan usaha sindiket tersebut mendirikan makmal ekstasi yang kedua di negara ini selepas yang pertama di Pulau Pinang pada 2009.

Mereka yang ditahan tidak memiliki rekod jenayah, namun siasatan lanjut masih dijalankan mengikut Seksyen 39(B) Akta Dadah Berbahaya 1952 yang memperuntukan hukuman mati mandatori, katanya.

Tambah beliau lagi, dalam serbuan di Mergong, pihaknya merampas 240 liter cecair ekstasi, bahan 'precursor safrole', 'acetone' dan pelbagai cecair kimia serta peralatan memproses dadah.

"Dalam serbuan di sebuah rumah yang dijadikan mini makmal di Pulau Pinang, polis merampas 34 kilogram syabu serta menahan seorang lelaki.

"Empat buah kereta turut disita iaitu dua buah Mercedes-Benz dan sebuah Toyota Vios serta pikap Tata selain pelbagai mata wang asing termasuk Euro, Yuan, Baht, Dollar Amerika Syarikat dan Singapura serta mata wang tempatan bernilai lebih RM39,000," katanya.