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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01 February 2016

Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah - Hardship in Life


Source:
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/hardship-young-helps-cope-now-030115685.html?nhp=1



'Hardship when young helps me cope now'

New Straits Times
January 31, 2016

THE hardship he experienced during his growing-up years has given him the inner strength as the Treasury secretary-general to cope with the economic trials now. 
Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah said without these experiences, he could suffer heart attacks by just looking at the onslaught Malaysia’s economy had to endure following the crash of oil prices and the uncertainties of the global economy.
“My life was terrible (back then). My hardships have toughened me up for my challenges in the Treasury. If not, (I would have suffered) heart attacks,” he told the New Sunday Times in a special interview yesterday.
He said he came from a poor family and had to work after Form Five to provide for the family.
“I worked in Mydin after Form Five, earning RM150 per month in 1974. I did (back-breaking) labour works (at that time). It was tough.
“I didn’t have money to pay for my university registration fee and my friends had to assist me.
“I had to stay at my friends’ homes and take showers at the university,” he said.
Irwan, who is from Kelantan, said although things were tough, he survived and did not complain. Instead, he chose to push through with tenacity.
“There were times that I did not (have enough money) to buy food.
“After going through these (hardships), the problems we are facing now, like the crash of oil prices and (uncertain) global economy, are issues that I can manage.
“When you lose RM7 billion or RM8 billion (in revenue), it is not easy to recover it back.
“It is hard for us to make the call to reduce (things here and there) because everything is important.”
Irwan said if he could turn back time, he would want to see the transformation programmes being carried out much earlier so that Malaysia would not have to play the catch-up game too much now with other countries.
“What we need are policies that can quantum leap us ahead.
“We have been complacent and have not driven (things) all the way through.
“We did not make the changes fast enough,” he said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd








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