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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13 February 2012

Mahkamah tolak permohonan PTPTN untuk batalkan saman



(13 FEB 2012)

Mahkamah tolak permohonan PTPTN untuk batalkan saman
KUALA LUMPUR: Mahkamah Sesyen hari ini menolak permohonan Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Negara (PTPTN) untuk membatalkan saman yang dikemukakan oleh seorang peminjam PTPTN.

Hakim Unaizah Mohd memutuskan plaintif mempunyai sebab untuk mengambil tindakan terhadap defendan (PTPTN) untuk saman itu dibicarakan. Hakim menetapkan empat hari dari 9 April untuk mendengar kes itu. Beliau juga menetapkan 5 Mac bagi pengurusan kes untuk kedua-dua pihak memperincikan dokumen mereka sebelum perbicaraan.

Plaintif dijadual memanggil dua saksi manakala defendan akan memanggil tiga saksi.

Pada 20 September tahun lalu, pegawai bank Mandeep Singh memfailkan saman itu di Pejabat Pendaftar Mahkamah Sesyen Sivil terhadap PTPTN bagi memfitnah dan ditahan secara salah selepas beliau disenarai hitam atas dakwaan gagal melunaskan pinjaman pelajarannya.

Mandeep, 27, menuntut RM19,000 sebagai ganti rugi khas bagi tiket penerbangan dan tempahan hotel, faedah, kos dan relif lain yang difikirkan sesuai oleh mahkamah.

Mandeep berkata di bawah perjanjian pinjaman pelajaran bertarikh 9 November 2006,PTPTN bersetuju meminjamkan RM48,000 kepadanya.

Beliau mendakwa beliau telah ditahan pegawai Imigresen di Terminal
Penerbangan Tambang Murah di Sepang pada 6 Julai tahun lepas semasa beliau mahu
berlepas untuk bercuti di Guangzhao, China.

Katanya beliau dimaklumkan oleh pegawai imigresen berkenaan yang namanya telah disenarai hitam dalam pangkalan data imigresen.

Bagaimanapun, beliau berkata PTPTN gagal memadamkan namanya daripada pangkalan data itu walaupun beliau telah memaklumkan kepada PTPTN untuk berbuat demikian.

Susulan kejadian itu, beliau mendakwa dirinya telah diaibkan di depan orang ramai dan mencemarkan imejnya.

Peguam Abdul Malik Hakim mewakili Mandeep manakala peguam Farhan Abdullah mewakili PTPTN. - Bernama



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