Sunday, August 17, 2008

New DNA Bill

The parliament is reconvening for the 3rd session this year tomorrow. I was just going through the Order Paper yesterday and I found a little surprise packaged in there.

For start of the session, the first item on the agenda after question time, the Government is presenting a new bill for the first reading. Guess what bill is so important that it has to be rushed into Parliament at this time?

"Rang Undang-undang Indentifikasi Asid Deoksiribonukleik (DNA) 2008"

Yes, that's the new DNA Bill 2008 put forward by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Are laws being changed just to ensure that a successful upcoming prosecution of some prominent personality? Are goalposts being shifted against the natural course of justice?

30 comments:

NEO said...

Next is UMNO Bill = "U MUST NOT OBJECT"

Anonymous said...

They want Anwar's ass real bad huh...

Anonymous said...

The Govt's motive is pretty obvious, myopic and idiotic.

Aren't they afraid that the same new laws can be used against one of their own sometime in the future?

What is unfair the others is also unfair to onself. UMNO doesn't even understand this basic principle.

Anonymous said...

i) delay the discussion of the bill.
ii) get international attention to this bill. hurt them (bn govt) where it hurts most! who are our biggest trade partners?
iii) c/f with dates of dsai's hearing in the courts.
iv) get PIs to investigate saifool's involvement.
vi) protect dsai at all costs!!
protect dsai at all costs!!
protect dsai at all costs!!
protect dsai at all costs!!
protect dsai at all costs!!
protect dsai at all costs!!
protect dsai at all costs!!

daniel.

Anonymous said...

ohh well...this is soooo beyond desperate....dont they have any serious raykat-related issues that could be discussed??!!!

bexe said...

I say it is the duty of the more intelligent MP's to fight this and fight it to the very end. We cannot allow such manipulation of our rights. This is fundamental

Anonymous said...

'scuse me, but isn't just a piece of your skin or nails or you hair or a micro mg of your saliva be sufficient DNA sample?
Why has it got to be bodily fluids?
Sheesh!

Anonymous said...

I would be shocked if they can pass and gazette a bill so quickly to apply to a case that is already ongoing! Can someone clarify when this new legislation will come into effect if it is passed?

Anonymous said...

so, RPK was right about the gov wanting to pass the DNA bill, that guy amaze me with his ability in getting the right source all the time.

yes, a hair sample or dead skin cells is good enough, the gov is taking the public for fool. DNA never expires, all opposition should reject the bill. Glad that they lost 2/3 of the parliament. can they still pass the bill?

Anonymous said...

YB,

What is your opinion on the DNA Bill?

As far as I am concern, the Government was sitting on it. It should have the DNA Bill pass yesterday.

Anonymous said...

RPK was right, wasn't he?

Why is the bn gov so stupid? Just go for the bill to abolish the court system lah. korek korek korek all the way. yeah!

Anonymous said...

Dear YB,

If I am not mistaken, the govt actually wanted to approve this DNA Bill very fast since last year because of serious crimes like the Nurin case. In the Nurin case, police have DNA, but cannot find the DNA owner because no DNA bank to match against.


NURIN ALERT

Anonymous said...

As UNMO puts it..." The show must go on!!" The only difference now is that there is no mattress to be brought to court
Mind you, at last the report on the scientific experiments going on the Malaysian in space is going to be presented to the cabinet. Wonder if the cabinet ministers understand the values of the "mickey mouse" projects?
Why not publish it in SCI journals?
50 years of merdeka! 50 years of garbage!

Anonymous said...

for those campaigning for Anwar in the coming by election, do tell the rakyat about this, let them know the government is willing to go to such extent just to nail Anwar

Anonymous said...

Here is a message to take to them for me.

If they think they can take my DNA without my consent, I will deem it that theft is legal and my right to walk into any minister or BN member home and take whatever I wish from them...

Bentoh said...

I'm not interested in protecting DSAI or whatsover...

but it is very important that the members of parliament reject the bill...

There are no law in Malaysia to protect one's privacy, especially DNA privacy... What if the PDRM or whoever obtained our DNA, and then sell them to say Insurance company such that the insurance company could use our DNA information to analyze the risk of us getting a certain disease?

There was and still is an endless and huge debate about the use of DNA out there, how can Malaysia come out with such a bill for its parliament to rubberstamp... without even looking through what's people have to say about the whole background issues?

Will the Abdullah government abolish the soon-to-be-rubberstamped-as-act after pinning down DSAI? How many people are going to suffer due to the loss of DNA privacy?

Anonymous said...

I agree

Anonymous said...

This is gay! TO get DSAI... they are willing to sell their mothers as well.

Is not about DSAI anyway... Is about the people. Poeple want change.

If there is a 3rd choice we might have go for that!

Anonymous said...

duh, what a desperate government!

zackdanial said...

Dear Tony and friends ,
Can this bill be passed without 2/3 majority ?

If i'm not mistaken BN has no 2/3 majority .

Please reply Tony

Thanks

Zakir

Anonymous said...

Dear YB Tony

Pardon me, is the DNA Bill the same as the "Desperate to Nail Anwar" Bill ??

Phua Kai Lit

Anonymous said...

AFAIK, only amendments to the Federal Constition needs 2/3 majority.

For passing new laws, a simple majority would suffice.


Note: This post is in answer to Zakir above.

Anonymous said...

2/3 majority prevents the changing of the constitution (you need 2/3 of votes to change constitution - which is what BN has been doing all these years).

it does not stop the passing of laws / bills (only majority vote required).

Anonymous said...

yes, the bill can pass, but when can it be gazetted, or when can it come into affect? Can the new law apply retroactively? To put it plainly, can this new law actually affect Anwar's case at all?

Anonymous said...

I Want My DNA !

YA, WHY DONT THEY CHECK THE MONGOLIANS BABY DNA AGAINST ALL THOSE WITH THE NAME RAZAK!!!

amoker said...

Fastest bill ever to be written and speeded up.

Anonymous said...

AAB government will do anything now just to stop Anwar from becoming the PM.

Their objective is to put Anwar in jail even after he win in Permatang Pauh.

They know it very well by failing to do so, their position is in jeopardy.

AAB and Syed Hamid sound so donkey by denying "It is not politically motivated".

Anonymous said...

amoker
i think it should be:

the mother of all desperate bills & the speediest ever to be written in the whole world.

Anonymous said...

Be Afraid - Be Very, Very, Very Afraid!

Yes, the Bill is specifically directed solely at Anwar - for a start!

Want to know how???....Simple, just arrest him again on whatever charges...and....bingo! - DNA required.

Please read the Bill carefully, any person arrested ARE REQUIRED to provided DNA when requested - no ifs, no buts!!!

A dangerous precedent as it is directed at ANY PERSON and not to a class of dangerous criminals.

So, however small an offence is, as long as you are arrested (doesn't matter if the arrest was subsequently found to be warranted or not), you are required to provide DNA.

Anonymous said...

Food for thought.

All Acts, Bills and Laws can work both ways. How about using it to "request" the DPM to prove that he does not know Altantuya? or, Saiful to prove that he was really sodomised? or .... (I can think of so many unsolved high profile crimes crying for closure).

Hey, all it takes is to file a case and invoke this Act/Bill/Law.