THE Federal Constitution combines the great offices of the Attorney General (AG) and Public Prosecutor (PP). This was a serious misjudgment by the Reid Commission that drafted our Constitution in 1957, and its inimical effect on the rule of law has elicited learned proposals for reform from the Bar Council, Transparency International, Insti­tute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), and the Institutional Reform Committee.

One can only speculate about the political implications of the reforms, which would greatly enlarge the electorate for the next general election.

An anti-defection law by itself cannot clean up our politics. Nevertheless, the experiment is worth a try.

We need to put our heads and hearts together to see how our patriarchal past can accommodate the contemporary demand for equality and dignity.

A MIASMA of sadness and tragedy has enveloped the nation due to the devastating floods and the never-ending Covid-19 pandemic. What is heartening, however, is that in the aftermath of the destructive floods, so many Malaysians reached out to each other with compassion, love and generosity that transcended race and religion.

What is required next is proper hearing on long-standing issues that could hopefully transition into new national policies on sustainable development, education and elimination of poverty in Sabah and Sarawak.

The legal community and the entire State of Sabah are rejoicing at the conferment of the title ‘Tun’ on retired Chief Justice Richard Malanjum.

THE process of redemption to restore the rights of Sabah and Sarawak under the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 must be viewed as urgent.

Public servants can avoid Covid-19 vaccination but may not be able to save their jobs.

AS a student and teacher of constitutional law, what are my hopes and dreams for National Day on Aug 31 and Malaysia Day on Sept 16?My fervent hope is that in the years ahead, the curriculum of our institutions of learning, from secondary to tertiary, and the training modules at institutes like Intan (National Institute of Public Adminis­tration) and Ilkap (Judicial and Legal Training Institute) could incorporate a compulsory course on constitutional law to disseminate knowledge of the foundational principles of our document of destiny.

​​​​​​​TOWARDS the end of July, a constitutional debate was raging about whether the Cabinet can revoke Emergency Ordinances promulgated by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong under Article 150(2B). The debate was triggered by some political events whose effect will reverberate in constitutional annals for a long time.

THE much-awaited reconvening of the Dewan Rakyat materialised on Monday after a seven-month break since its last meeting on Dec 17, 2020. However, not much should be expected from this session as it is a special meeting under Standing Order 11(3) of the Dewan Rakyat, which permits the Prime Minister to choose the business to be transacted.