GEORGE TOWN (Jan 14, 2009) : The Penang government has appointed 10 lawyers, headed by Karpal Singh, to defend it against a legal attempt by a Pahang-based accountant to stop it from placing road signs in various languages besides Malay.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state had obtained the attorney-general’s approval to enlist its own lawyers, all of whom will be serving pro bono, for the case.
The other lawyers are Yeo Yang Poh, Azahar Harun, Malek Imtiaz, Harris Ibrahim, Jagdeep Singh Deo, Gobind Singh Deo, Mureli Navaratnam, Cecil Rajendra and Bernard Kok Yin Fook.
All the lawyers will volunteer their services to the state, Lim said today. Incidentally, the state’s lead counsel, Karpal, is also Bukit Gelugor MP and DAP national chairman.
The first mention of the injunction application, which seeks to prevent state authorities from installing road signs in various languages in George Town, is scheduled to be heard at the Penang High Court tomorrow.
Nik Rizman Sapian, 33, from Kuala Lipis, had filed for the injunction at the Penang High Court on Nov 4, naming the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) and the Penang government as first and second defendants respectively.
In his writ of summons, Rizwan also sought a declaration that the state government’s move to approve the MPPP’s application to install the road signs was at odds with article 152 of the Federal Constitution which states that the country‘s national language is Malay.
Rizwan had identified himself to the press as pro-tem committee member of the Confederation of Young Malay Graduates (Gabungan Graduan Melayu Muda).
He said in his writ, filed through Muar-based lawyer Sahrihan Jani, that the Penang government had, at its state executive council meeting on Oct 24, approved the MPPP’s application to install the road signs within the George Town heritage site.
He said he felt “highly disturbed and insulted” at the state’s move, adding that his right as a citizen to accept Malay as the official language had been violated.
On another matter, Lim said several controversial decisions made by the Kedah government, headed by Mentri Besar and Kedah PAS commissioner Azizan Abdul Razak, were done without discussions with the DAP.
The decisions were therefore not the policies of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR), as the DAP had not been informed.
In recent months the Kedah government has imposed high quotas for bumiputra buyers on new housing projects and approved controversial logging activities in water catchment areas.
SOURCE: THE SUN, 14 JANUARY 2009
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