WHAT are fundamental liberties?

Fundamental liberties are rights and freedoms that we have as human beings. Some fundamental liberties are set out in the Constitution. Because these rights and freedoms are set out in the Constitution, they are said to be guaranteed and cannot be taken away from us unless the Constitution itself allows it.

The Fundamental Liberties guaranteed under the Constitution: Article 5 Right to life and personal liberty Every person has a right to life and liberty. A persons life or personal liberty cannot be taken away unless it is in accordance with law. The courts have said that the right to life includes a right to livelihood and quality of life, while the right to liberty includes the right to privacy.

A person who is arrested or detained: must be informed as soon as possible of the grounds of the arrest; has the right to consult and be defended by a lawyer of his/her choice (this is known as access to legal representation); and must be brought before a magistrate within 24 hours and cannot be detained further unless it is with the authority of the magistrate, known as a remand order.

If a person has not been detained according to law, the courts will order that the person is brought before the court to be released. This is known as habeas corpus. You will find information on your rights when you are arrested by the police in the Police and Your Basic Rights leaflet published by the Bar Council

Article 6 No slavery or forced labour

No one can be made a slave or forced to work. However, Parliament may make laws to require Malaysians to provide compulsory national service. Work or service required from a person who is convicted of a crime is not considered forced labour. Article 7 Protection against retrospective criminal laws and repeated trials

A person cannot be punished for something which at the time when it was done was not an offence. For example, if a law is passed to make it illegal to drive past a speed limit of 80km/h, a person driving past that speed limit before the law is passed cannot be punished. This is known as the prohibition against retrospective criminal laws.

If the punishment for a crime is increased, a person who committed the crime before the punishment was increased cannot be given that increased punishment. For example, if the law is amended to change the punishment for breaking a speed limit from a fine to a prison sentence, a person breaking the speed limit before the law is amended cannot be punished with a prison sentence.

A person who has been acquitted or convicted of an offence shall not be tried again for the same offence, unless the conviction or acquittal is quashed (set aside) and a retrial is ordered. Article 8 Equality

All persons are equal before the law and entitled to equal protection of the law.

Unless the Constitution says so, citizens cannot be discriminated only because of their religion, race, descent, place of birth or gender: under any law; in the employment by a public authority; or

 how any law is applied relating to property or any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment.

However, Article 8 does not apply to: laws regulating personal law; laws relating to office or any employment connected to any religion or religious institutions; laws for the protection, well-being or advancement or the reservation of a quota of employment in the public service for the Orang Asli of Peninsula Malaysia; laws that say that a person to be elected or appointed into a State authority, and any person who can vote in such elections, must reside in that State; laws in the Constitution of a State that were made before Merdeka Day (31 August 1957); and laws restricting enlistment in the Malay Regiment to Malays. Article 9 Freedom of movement

A Malaysian citizen cannot be banished or excluded from the country. In general, every citizen has the right to move freely and stay in any part of the country except where any law is passed relating to the security of the country, public order, public health or the punishment of offenders.

The special position of Sabah and Sarawak compared to other States also allows for laws to be made to control who can enter and stay in Sabah and Sarawak. Article 10 Freedom of speech, assembly and association Citizens have freedom of speech, assembly and association but these freedoms may be restricted by Parliament for reasons permitted by the Constitution. The Courts have said Parliament may only impose restrictions where they are reasonably necessary.

Freedom of speech and expression Every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression. However, Parliament may make laws to restrict this right if they are necessary or expedient in the interest of: the security of Malaysia; friendly relations with other countries; public order or morality; or the protection of the privileges of Parliament or any State legislative assembly or to provide against contempt of court, defamation or incitement to any offence. In imposing restrictions on the freedom of speech and expression in the interest of the security of the country or public order, Parliament may pass laws prohibiting the questioning of matters relating to citizenship, the national language, the special position of Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak and sovereignty of the Rulers. However, it is not illegal to comment on the implementation of these matters. Right to assemble peaceably and to form associations All citizens have the right to assemble peaceably and without arms, and to form associations. However, Parliament may make laws to restrict these rights if they are necessary or expedient in the interest of: the security of the country; or public order. morality (only for the right to form association). Parliament can also make laws to restrict the right to form associations in relation to labour and education.

Article 11 Freedom of religion Every person has the right to profess or practise his/her religion and to propagate it. However, laws may be passed to control or restrict the propagation of any religion, doctrine or belief among those professing the religion of Islam. A person cannot be forced to pay any tax where the money will be used for purposes of a religion which is not his / hers. Every religious group has the rightto manage its own religious affairs, establish and maintain institutions for religious/charitable purposes and acquire and manage property.

Article 12 Rights in respect of education

In relation to the following matters, no citizen can be discriminated only because of religion, race, descent or place of birth: in how any educational institution run by a public authority is administered, including in the admission of pupils / students or the payment of fees; or in how any public authoritys money is used for the maintenance or education of pupils or students in any educational institution. A person is not required to learn or take part in any ceremony or act of worship of a religion other than his / her own. For this purpose, the religion of a person under the age of 18 shall be decided by his / her parent or guardian. Every religious group can establish and maintain institutions for the education of children in its own religion. There shall be no discrimination on the ground only of religion in any law relating to such institutions. However, the Federal or any State Government can set up or help set up Islamic institutions, provide or assist in providing instruction in the religion of Islam and incur expenditure for this purpose.

Article 13 Rights to property A persons property cannot be taken away unless the law allows it. However, if a law allows for a persons property to be taken away, that law must provide that the person is paid adequate compensation for the property