Chapter 3 - Report of the Research and Policy Development Group
On 25 November, M Navin succeeded in obtaining the declaration that he was a Malaysian
citizen according to Article 15A of the Federal Constitution. According to the High Court, there
was no requirement for a person seeking registration as a citizen to prove that his or her parents
were married at the time of his or her birth. The High Court also ordered the NRD to issue a
MyKad to M Navin.
The Commission also held watching briefs in the cases of Azmi Sharom and Abdullah Zaik. Both
were charged under Section 4(1)(b) and Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948. However, on 17
September, Azmi Sharom filed an application for a declaration that Section 4 of the Sedition Act
is unconstitutional and violated Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, which guarantees freedom
of speech. The matter is now before the Federal Court and the Commission will continue to hold
a watching brief in this case.
8. ANTI-DEATH PENALTY
On 8 October, the Commission, together with the Delegation of the EU, the Bar Council, the
Embassy of Switzerland, the British High Commission, the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly
Hall and Amnesty International Malaysia, organised a public exhibition on the abolishment of
the death penalty entitled ‘Give Life a Second Chance Exhibition’ at 1Utama Shopping Centre,
Petaling Jaya. The exhibition was held in conjunction with the World Day against the Death
Penalty with the objective of increasing the awareness of the public of the need to abolish the
mandatory death penalty in Malaysia. At the exhibition, a special presentation was made by
Mr Toshi Kazama, a Japanese photographer, who had taken photographs of young death row
prisoners in several countries. The exhibition was held from 8-12 October.
Apart from the exhibition, Mr Toshi Kazama also gave talks on the abolishment of the death
penalty to students at the University of Malaya and Nottingham College, gave a radio interview,
and attended meetings with politicians YB Hannah Yeoh and YB Elizabeth Wong.
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