IPOH: The government does not see the need for a Constitutional Court as constitutional issues are within the purview of the Federal Court.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong said: “There is a proposal for the setting up of a Constitutional Court to handle constitutional issues.
“But, in reality, the existing court (Federal Court) is already sufficient, with judges who are able to preside over constitutional issues.
“For me, if there is a need (to set up a Constitutional Court), the court (those who manage the existing courts in Malaysia) can forward the proposal to us (government).
“However, at present, I do not see a need to set it up.
“Constitutional issues can be handled by the Federal Court, which is the highest (court in Malaysia) because this court is presided over by seven judges should there be (court cases involving) important constitutional issues in our country.”
Liew said this after paying an official visit to the state branch of the Legal Aid Department of Malaysia, here, today.
Yesterday, Gua Musang member of parliament Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah had proposed that a Constitutional Court be established to hear rights and legislative issues related to the Federal Constitution.
The chairman of the Umno Council of Advisers also urged the government to amend the Federal Constitution to pave the way for such a court to resolve issues such as who were immigrants and who were not.
Meanwhile in regards to an online news portal report that said former kindergarten teacher M. Indira Gandhi had yet to be reunited with her youngest daughter despite winning her case at the Federal Court, Liew said the matter had been resolved at the judicial level.
The minister, whose portfolio is law, said the matter was in the hands of the police and expressed the hope that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun would continue with efforts to locate her ex-husband, Muhammad Riduan Abdullah.
Indira and Riduan were involved in a bitter and protracted interfaith custody battle involving their three children.
On Jan 29 last year, the Federal Court set aside the unilateral conversion of the three children to Islam on the grounds that it required the consent of both parents.
The children, two girls and a boy, were converted to Islam by Riduan (formerly known as K. Pathmanathan), 48, in April 2009 without Indira’s consent, following his conversion to Islam.
The two older children, Tevi Darsiny, 21, and Karan Dinish, 20, are with Indira, while Prasana Diksa, 10, is with Riduan.