In our cover story, P Ramakrishnan says the BN government appears to be preparing the ground for GE14 by introducing repressive new laws to tighten the screws on any potential challenge to its rule.
The controversial amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act and to the Penal Code should be seen in this light.
Meanwhile Kasthuri Patto decries the introduction of these repressive laws, which for many appear to be a reincarnation of the repealed ISA – an ISA version 2.0, if you like – as she recalls the suffering of the ISA detainees during Operation Lalang in 1987.
Charles Santiago follows with a stirring defence of the universally recognised right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in an independent court of law.
In our back cover story, Tommy Thomas argues that the Allah decision is wrong in constitutional law, as he says the decisions were poorly reasoned, the law misread and the conclusions baffling.
Greg Lopez wonders if Malaysia is moving away from the conscociational model, where elites of the various communties make decision behind closed doors. Malaysians, he writes, should realise that this model has broken down and all future challenges and solutions should come from the people working with one another.
Finally, Rakyat Jelata looks back at the “comedy of errors” during the recent Chogm summit in Sri Lanka.
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