GEORGE TOWN: Persatuan Melayu Pulau Pinang (Pemenang) has proposed to the government to establish the 'Constitutional Court' (mahkamah perlembagaan) to promptly handle cases which undermine the country's constitution.
The proposal, according to Pemenang president Tan Sri Yussof Latiff, arises from current issues which are being played up by irresponsible quarters, with subversive elements, with the aim of creating disharmony in the country.
He said one of the latest issues was that involving the death of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, who was reported to have been assaulted by a group of men when he and his colleagues responded to reports of burning vehicles outside the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ 25, Subang Jaya, on Nov 27 last year.
He said four suspects were arrested and released on bail when Muhammad Adib was hospitalised but no one has been charged with the fireman's death.
He added that another case was the insult against Sultan Muhammad V by Netizens following his resignation as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong recently.
"In Adib's case, the people are questioning what is going to happen now. There are also fears that some may also take the law into their own hands.
"All these are serious and sensitive issues which are like ticking time bombs awaiting to explode if not handled promptly. After 60 years of Independence, there should be respect and tolerance for one another.
"The government must act fast to handle these issues to ensure there will not be feeling of uneasiness and the people can continue to live in peace and harmony.
"As such, we are proposing that the government must act to establish the Constitutional Court, solely to handle such cases, just like how we have the Special Elections Court and even the Labour Court," he told the New Straits Times in an interview today.
Yussof said among the cases to be heard by the Constitutional Court included that on the royal institution, Islam, the special rights of the Malays as well as the rights of the other citizens in Malaysia.
He added that he would personally write to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Judicial Affairs) Datuk Liew Vui Keong to relay Pemenang's proposal.
Elaborating, Yussof said the existing civil courts are bogged down with too many cases to hear constitutional cases in a fast manner.
"That is why we need a special court for that. If possible, the cases, if brought to court, should be settled within a week and not left hanging for a long time. Only then we can minimise friction and the people can be harmonious.
"They (the people) are getting impatient, especially when it involves sensitive issues," he added.
Yussof said Pemenang also proposed that those found guilty for such constitutional cases should have their citizenship immediately suspended and be banished to another district, state or even country.
"During the suspension, they will be issued with temporary identification documents.
"They should not be sent to prisons or even detention centres. If they don't respect the constitution, we don't see why the government should waste resources and spend the people's money to feed them," he added.
Meanwhile, Yussof said the government must re-introduce the 'social contract' syllabus in schools so that people can fully understand the very fabric this nation is built upon.
"I had written to the Education and Higher Education Ministries under the previous administration. The current administration should consider this seriously," he added.
KW: Pemenang, Yussof Latiff, Penang, Constitutional Court, Mahkamah Perlembagaan, social contract