2 theSun | THURSDAY NOVEMBER 27 2008

news without borders

Govt to improve MyKad security features

KUALA LUMPUR: Due to the snowball-
ing number of complaints of damaged
and faulty MyKads, the government is
looking at upgrading the chip-based
identity card to include better safety
and security features, and use of
durable materials.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Ha-
mid Albar yesterday told reporters that
up to October this year, the ministry
had received 888,495 complaints on
the MyKad, mainly on the faulty chip.
He described it as a “worrying trend”.
He said in 2002, when MyKad was
introduced, there were only 24,131
complaints nationwide but the number
rose drastically to 769,674 in 2007. In
2003, there were 16,678 complaints
followed by 22,484 in 2004, 45,487 in
2005 and 240,572 in 2006.
Syed Hamid said this at the launch
of MyDaftar, an online registration fa-
cility at the International Youth Centre
in Cheras yesterday.
He said since the government
issued MyKads in 2002, there have
been a total of 2.4 million complaints
on faulty cards, representing 10% of
the total of 24 million MyKads issued
by the Registration Department.
He, however, said this problem
of faulty identity cards is not unique
to Malaysia, as many countries are
constantly upgrading their cards with
enhanced safety features.
“We want to improve because we
want to have minimal problems with
MyKads … better still if there are zero
problems,” he added.
Syed Hamid said the government
intends to make it easier for those
who had not registered for MyKads
by deploying a mobile task force to
visit rural areas.
He said the intention to help was
among the reason why the govern-
ment started re-issuing Green Cards
as of Nov 15 for “stateless” citizens.
» I MyKad, therefore I am – Pg 18

MAS, AirAsia will be disgruntled and take him

cancel flights
to Bangkok Call to restore to court.”
Article 40 (2)(a) in the Federal
Constitution provides for the
procedures and appointment of
PM by the Agong using his own
discretion.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Airlines
(MAS) and AirAsia yesterday cancelled
their flights to and from Suvarnabhumi
International Airport in Bangkok which
was under siege by People’s Alliance for
Democracy (PAD) protesters for the second
day.
MAS’s director of operations Datuk
Tajuden Abu Bakar said the cancellation of
the flights is indefinite.
“We had four flights scheduled between
KL International Airport and Bangkok
and have cancelled them as the Bangkok
airport has been closed by the Thai
authorities. As this closure is indefinite,
we are unable to advise when our flight
operations will resume,” he said in a
statement.
Tajuden encouraged customers in
Malaysia to call its 24-hour toll-free centre
at 1 300 88 3000 for updates. Passengers
in Bangkok can contact their reservation
office there at +662-2630572 or +662-
1343184 between 0830 hours and 2100
hours.
MAS’s twice daily flights between KLIA
and Phuket are, however, operating on
schedule.
Budget carrier AirAsia said all its flights
to and from Bangkok yesterday were
cancelled and guests were automatically
given a refund via direct credit into their
accounts.
Passengers should go to the AirAsia
sales counter at their respective airport of
departure after the Suvarnabhumi Airport
has reopened.
“You may use your credit shell to
redeem a seat on the next available flight
to/from Bangkok within three days from
your original date of travel (subject to
the reopening of Bangkok airport and
availability of seats),” the statement said,
adding that these arrangements do not
require a contact with the AirAsia call
centre.
The hotline for Suvarnabhumi airport
enquiries is +662-1321882 and +662-
1321888.
royal immunity
No need by Karen Arukesamy monarchy’s independence so Asian Strategy and Leadership
newsdesk@thesundaily.com that it can play a more effective Institute (Asli) at a hotel here,
for role as guardian of the Federal Tunku Naquiyuddin argued that
mediator, KUALA LUMPUR: Negri Sembi- Constitution. immunity is essential, and is
says Chua lan Regent Tunku Naquiyuddin In his luncheon address on symbiotic with sovereignty.
Tuanku Jaafar yesterday called ‘The Role of the Constitutional “It really becomes nonsensi-
pg 6 on the government to restore Monarchy in 21st Century Ma- cal that a sovereign ruler can
the royal immunity that had laysia’ at a roundtable on be taken to court for trying
been “lost” for 15 years and re- strategic issues organised by to protect the best interest of
turn the the nation. He must also be
protected at all costs from pe-
cuniary embarrassment so that
his sovereignty is not tarnished
or undermined.
“To put it another way,
can we afford to have a ruler
incarcerated or even made a
bankrupt?”
He said that ironically, “we
now have a situation where
judges are immune in the exer-
cise of their judicial functions,
but rulers are not.
“Take the situation where
we have a ‘hung’ Parliament
and the ruler decides on a prime
minister from one side. Can you
imagine a situation where the
other side is very unhappy and
decides to take the ruler to
court,” he said.
“The ruler is only doing his
Lat stamps his mark ... duty under the constitution that
Lat’s cartoons will be featured on a set of stamps and first-day cover in he be given the right to appoint
Pos Malaysia’s annual Stamp Week 2008 which starts on Dec 1. Lat (real the PM. But without the immu-
name Datuk Mohamed Nor Khalid), who is famous for the cartoon book nity, he (ruler) can be taken to
Kampung Boy, hopes the stamps will represent the Malaysian identity court by whoever the opposi-
through its recognisable and familiar characters. There will be four designs tion member is. Or vice-versa
for the stamps in two different sizes (in strips of four) and are in 50-sen if the ruler appoints a member
denominations. Stamp Week will be held at Berjaya Times Square of the current opposition to be
from Dec 1-7 from 10am to 10pm. PM, then the Umno members
However, he said, this “im-
munity” can be debated, modi-
fied and can, for instance, not
apply to instances where a ruler
“harms” a person.
He said the immunity given
should be on par with other
constitutional monarchies.
Tunku Naquiyuddin referred
to the situations in 1983 and
1993 when Barisan Nasional
was strong and the rulers’
voices were “in the minority”.
He said there was a con-
frontation with the rulers in
respect of former premier Tun
Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s pro-
posal to curb the royal assent
on legislation in Parliament in
1983 and the Indemnity of Rul-
ers in 1993. In both instances,
Mahathir’s will prevailed.
Tunku Naquiyuddin said: “As
we proceed towards a more
contentious and polemical
political world, there will have
to be increasingly more royal
interferences,”
He said the rulers are like
referees or arbitrators who
issue appropriate judicious
statements at crucial times.
“If political parties see
themselves as representatives
of the people, the rulers see
themselves as guardians of the
Constitution.”
He said today people are
thankful that the royal institu-
tion can intervene when politi-
cians are throwing chairs at
each other, so that the country
does not get messed up.
“Politics are politics. Politi-
cians supposedly work for their
party but there is also a lot of
self-interest, self-motivation,
greed and corruption,” Tunku
Naquiyuddin said.