Federal Court judge heads committee to review outdated laws

Free Malaysia Today | Amer Hamzah Arshad has been appointed to serve as a member of a committee that will identify provisions in the Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, and Evidence Act that are outdated or no longer suitable. Federal Court judge Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal will head the 25-member committee, which will also propose reforms to these laws.

Cops breached statutory duty in banning Bar’s 2022 judiciary walk, rules court

Free Malaysia Today | The High Court held that the Peaceful Assembly Act did not allow the police to stop an assembly — the Malaysian Bar’s “walk for judicial independence” — from being held. New Sin Yew, the Bar’s lawyer, informed the court that the Bar was only demanding RM1 as nominal damages since the suit was being brought as a matter of principle.

Police acted beyond powers in assembly ban, ordered to pay RM1

New Straits Times | Malaysian Bar President Mohamed Ezri Abdul Wahab said that the High Court decision regarding the Bar Council’s march for judicial independence in 2022 reaffirmed the fundamental right to peaceful assembly and served as an important precedent in upholding constitutional freedoms. Lawyer New Sin Yew acted for the plaintiffs.

Indigenous peoples’ rights: The ASEAN paradox

The Jakarta Post | There are high expectations that the rights of indigenous peoples in ASEAN will be strengthened in the ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Rights, currently being discussed by AICHR under Malaysia’s chairmanship. Advocacy groups are looking to AICHR Chair Edmund Bon to ensure that the new declaration will be fully centred on these rights and on environmental protection.

Former Aker Engineering manager given DNAA by court, as MACC vouches no further action

The Edge Malaysia | The Court of Appeal substituted the High Court decision that acquitted former Aker Engineering Malaysia manager Ahmad Hatta Kamaruzzaman over a charge of giving false material information to SSM, with a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA). Amer Hamzah Arshad, Joshua Tay, and Michael Cheah acted for Ahmad Hatta.

Empowering women migrants in ASEAN

Monash University | Edmund Bon, Chair of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and Representative of Malaysia to AICHR, encouraged the research team to make a formal submission of the research findings to AICHR and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC).

No winners in Zulfarhan case, says defence lawyers

New Straits Times | Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad said no one emerged victorious in the case of six former UPNM students convicted for the death of a navy cadet officer. The six avoided the death penalty when the Federal Court upheld the High Court’s 18-year jail term for causing Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain’s death.

Zulfarhan’s death: Six UPNM students escape gallows

Malaysiakini | Six former UPNM students dodged the hangman’s noose over the 2017 death of a navy cadet officer. The Federal Court unanimously allowed the death sentence for murder to be set aside and substituted with 18 years’ imprisonment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Lawyers Amer Hamzah Arshad, Joshua Tay and Lee Yee Woei represented two of the six appellants.

6 escape death sentence, jailed 18 years over navy cadet’s death

Free Malaysia Today | The Federal Court said the prosecution failed to prove the elements for murder beyond reasonable doubt against six former UPNM students for the death of Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, and restored the 18-year jail term imposed by the High Court. Two of the six appellants were represented by lawyers Amer Hamzah Arshad, Joshua Tay and Lee Yee Woei.

Chair of ASEAN rights body shows support for Myanmar’s “diaspora resistance”

The Irrawaddy | AICHR Chair Edmund Bon expressed support and empathy for Myanmar people in Malaysia, and urged them to make contact with relevant organisations during Malaysia’s tenure this year as Chair of ASEAN. He said that AICHR is looking at different platforms, workshops and initiatives to do what it can within the power and influence it has.

Cambodia joins AICHR 40th meeting in Malaysia

Khmer Times | Cambodia participated in the 40th AICHR meeting from 11 to 14 February 2025, represented by Pa Ponnarada from the Cambodian Human Rights Committee. The meeting was chaired by Edmund Bon Tai Soon, AICHR Chair for 2025.

Trial for murder of navy cadet “tainted”, says ex-UPNM students’ lawyer

Free Malaysia Today | Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad told the Federal Court bench that the benefit of the doubt should be given to the accused, as there was conflicting evidence before the court in the trial of six ex-UPNM students convicted of murder. The court also heard that the trial was “tainted” as prosecution witnesses were coached into giving testimony against the accused.

Federal Court judge heads committee to review outdated laws

Free Malaysia Today | Amer Hamzah Arshad has been appointed to serve as a member of a committee that will identify provisions in the Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, and Evidence Act that are outdated or no longer suitable. Federal Court judge Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal will head the 25-member committee, which will also propose reforms to these laws.

Cops breached statutory duty in banning Bar’s 2022 judiciary walk, rules court

Free Malaysia Today | The High Court held that the Peaceful Assembly Act did not allow the police to stop an assembly — the Malaysian Bar’s “walk for judicial independence” — from being held. New Sin Yew, the Bar’s lawyer, informed the court that the Bar was only demanding RM1 as nominal damages since the suit was being brought as a matter of principle.

Police acted beyond powers in assembly ban, ordered to pay RM1

New Straits Times | Malaysian Bar President Mohamed Ezri Abdul Wahab said that the High Court decision regarding the Bar Council’s march for judicial independence in 2022 reaffirmed the fundamental right to peaceful assembly and served as an important precedent in upholding constitutional freedoms. Lawyer New Sin Yew acted for the plaintiffs.

Indigenous peoples’ rights: The ASEAN paradox

The Jakarta Post | There are high expectations that the rights of indigenous peoples in ASEAN will be strengthened in the ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Rights, currently being discussed by AICHR under Malaysia’s chairmanship. Advocacy groups are looking to AICHR Chair Edmund Bon to ensure that the new declaration will be fully centred on these rights and on environmental protection.

Former Aker Engineering manager given DNAA by court, as MACC vouches no further action

The Edge Malaysia | The Court of Appeal substituted the High Court decision that acquitted former Aker Engineering Malaysia manager Ahmad Hatta Kamaruzzaman over a charge of giving false material information to SSM, with a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA). Amer Hamzah Arshad, Joshua Tay, and Michael Cheah acted for Ahmad Hatta.

Empowering women migrants in ASEAN

Monash University | Edmund Bon, Chair of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and Representative of Malaysia to AICHR, encouraged the research team to make a formal submission of the research findings to AICHR and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC).

No winners in Zulfarhan case, says defence lawyers

New Straits Times | Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad said no one emerged victorious in the case of six former UPNM students convicted for the death of a navy cadet officer. The six avoided the death penalty when the Federal Court upheld the High Court’s 18-year jail term for causing Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain’s death.

Zulfarhan’s death: Six UPNM students escape gallows

Malaysiakini | Six former UPNM students dodged the hangman’s noose over the 2017 death of a navy cadet officer. The Federal Court unanimously allowed the death sentence for murder to be set aside and substituted with 18 years’ imprisonment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Lawyers Amer Hamzah Arshad, Joshua Tay and Lee Yee Woei represented two of the six appellants.

6 escape death sentence, jailed 18 years over navy cadet’s death

Free Malaysia Today | The Federal Court said the prosecution failed to prove the elements for murder beyond reasonable doubt against six former UPNM students for the death of Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, and restored the 18-year jail term imposed by the High Court. Two of the six appellants were represented by lawyers Amer Hamzah Arshad, Joshua Tay and Lee Yee Woei.

Chair of ASEAN rights body shows support for Myanmar’s “diaspora resistance”

The Irrawaddy | AICHR Chair Edmund Bon expressed support and empathy for Myanmar people in Malaysia, and urged them to make contact with relevant organisations during Malaysia’s tenure this year as Chair of ASEAN. He said that AICHR is looking at different platforms, workshops and initiatives to do what it can within the power and influence it has.

Cambodia joins AICHR 40th meeting in Malaysia

Khmer Times | Cambodia participated in the 40th AICHR meeting from 11 to 14 February 2025, represented by Pa Ponnarada from the Cambodian Human Rights Committee. The meeting was chaired by Edmund Bon Tai Soon, AICHR Chair for 2025.

Trial for murder of navy cadet “tainted”, says ex-UPNM students’ lawyer

Free Malaysia Today | Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad told the Federal Court bench that the benefit of the doubt should be given to the accused, as there was conflicting evidence before the court in the trial of six ex-UPNM students convicted of murder. The court also heard that the trial was “tainted” as prosecution witnesses were coached into giving testimony against the accused.