Sri Ram: Harapan can axe 'toxic' laws in one fell swoop

Senior lawyer Gopal Sri Ram says Pakatan Harapan can speed up its promise to repeal or amend undemocratic laws with just one single law reform Act.

Responding to Lawyers for Liberty adviser N Surendran's call today for attorney-general (AG) Tommy Thomas to jump-start Harapan's legal reforms agenda, Sri Ram said all that was needed was a catch-all Law Reform Repeal and Amending Act 2018.

“That Act need only contain two substantive sections and two schedules.

“In this way, Parliament will be spared from considering each offending law,” Sri Ram said in a statement.

The former Federal Court judge said the Act would have a section that reads: “The Acts set out in the first schedule are hereby repealed.”

“The First Schedule will contain all those toxic laws such as the Sedition Act, the Anti-Fake News Act and so on.

“The Second Schedule can contain sections of those laws that require amendment, such as the section in the Civil Law Act that prevents an award of exemplary damages,” he said.

Of the latter, he said the previous BN government had used it to deny families of custodial death victims from getting exemplary damages.

Other laws that need amending, Sri Ram said, include sections in the Government Proceedings Act and the Specific Relief Act that are “plainly unconstitutional”.

“In this way, Parliament will be spared from considering each offending law,” he said of the reform Act.

Sri Ram's idea echoes Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang, who made a similar suggestion in the run-up to the 14th general election, calling for Harapan to craft a single 'Great Repeal Act' that would repeal various laws in a single document by listing these laws, such as the Anti-Fake News Act and the Sedition Act, that need to be repealed, should Harapan win the election.

Surendran in a statement today urged Thomas to make law reforms his priority.

“The AG plays a key role in advising, drafting and initiating proposals and legislation required to carry out the above reforms.

“As the government’s chief legal adviser, it is the task of the new AG to move forward the reform agenda, which was endorsed overwhelmingly by the people in the recent general election,” said the human rights lawyer and former Padang Serai MP for PKR.

According to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Harapan's first parliamentary sitting, post GE-14, will begin on July 16th and last 20 days. - Mkini

✍ Sumber Pautan : ☕ Malaysians Must Know the TRUTH

Kredit kepada pemilik laman asal dan sekira berminat untuk meneruskan bacaan sila klik link atau copy paste ke web server : https://ift.tt/2LGnmH4

(✿◠‿◠)✌ Mukah Pages : Pautan Viral Media Sensasi Tanpa Henti. Memuat-naik beraneka jenis artikel menarik setiap detik tanpa henti dari pelbagai sumber. Selamat membaca dan jangan lupa untuk 👍 Like & 💕 Share di media sosial anda!