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![PPPP vv TTeennggkkuu MMaahhmmoooodd IIsskkaannddaarr
[[11997711]] MMLLJJ 112288
The High Court, having regard to the
gravity of the offence, substituted a
more severe sentence for a lesser
one imposed by a lower court, which
had taken into account the status of
the accused as a Prince of the ruling
house of the state of Johore.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/article8-righttoequalityanditsexceptions-141002182404-phpapp01/85/Article-8-right-to-equality-and-its-exceptions-3-320.jpg)
![Datuk Haji Harun bin Haji Idris v. Public
Prosecutor [1977] 2 MLJ 155
The prohibition of unequal treatment applies
not only to the legislature but also to the
executive.
This is seen from the use of the words
“public authority” in clause (4) and
“practice” in clause (5)(b) of Article 8.
The prohibition applies to both substantive and
procedural laws.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/article8-righttoequalityanditsexceptions-141002182404-phpapp01/85/Article-8-right-to-equality-and-its-exceptions-9-320.jpg)
![PP v Su Liang Yu [1976] MLJ 2 128
The dominant idea in both expressions
“equal before the law”
and
“equal protection of the law”
is that of
equal justice.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/article8-righttoequalityanditsexceptions-141002182404-phpapp01/85/Article-8-right-to-equality-and-its-exceptions-11-320.jpg)
![Limitation by Judicial Interpretation on Right to
Equality: Doctrine of Reasonable Classification
PP v Khong Teng Khen [1976] 2 MLJ 166
The principle underlying Article 8 is that
a law must operate alike on all
persons under like circumstance.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/article8-righttoequalityanditsexceptions-141002182404-phpapp01/85/Article-8-right-to-equality-and-its-exceptions-19-320.jpg)
![Doctrine of Reasonable Classification
Su Liang Yu [1976] 2 MLJ 128
No person shall be denied equality before the law
or equal protection of the law
but
Article 8 does not prevent Parliament from making
a law based on or involving some classifications.
Discriminatory law is good law if it is based on
“reasonable” or “permissible” classification.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/article8-righttoequalityanditsexceptions-141002182404-phpapp01/85/Article-8-right-to-equality-and-its-exceptions-22-320.jpg)
![B Malaysian Baarr && AAnnoorr.. vv GGoovvtt ooff MMaallaayyssiiaa
[[11998877]] 22 MMLLJJ 116655..
AAmmeennddmmeenntt ttoo tthhee LLeeggaall PPrrooffeessssiioonn AAcctt 11997766
mmaakkeess iitt uunnllaawwffuull ffoorr aann aaddvvooccaattee aanndd ssoolliicciittoorr
-- lleessss tthhaann sseevveenn yyeeaarrss ssttaannddiinngg
-- aa mmeemmbbeerr ooff aannyy ppoolliittiiccaall oorrggaanniissaattiioonn oorr ttrraaddee
uunniioonn
ttoo bbee aa mmeemmbbeerr ooff tthhee BBaarr CCoouunncciill oorr aannyy
ccoommmmiitttteeee tthheerreeooff..](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/article8-righttoequalityanditsexceptions-141002182404-phpapp01/85/Article-8-right-to-equality-and-its-exceptions-24-320.jpg)
Uploaded byHafizul Mukhlis
Article 8 right to equality and its exceptions
This document discusses the right to equality under Article 8 of the Malaysian constitution. It provides examples of how the courts have interpreted and applied Article 8 over time. The key points are: - Article 8 guarantees equality before the law and equal protection under the law for all persons. The courts have stated this means one uniform law applies equally to all citizens regardless of status. - There are express exceptions allowed under Article 8(5) for personal and religious laws as well as affirmative action. - Even if a law discriminates, it may still comply with Article 8 if the discrimination is based on a reasonable and just classification as determined by the courts. Such classifications must have a rational connection to the objective of the law
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Article 8 right to equality and its exceptions
- 1. Article 8 TheRight to Equality
- 2. Article 8 (1) All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law.
- 3. PPPP vv TTeennggkkuuMMaahhmmoooodd IIsskkaannddaarr [[11997711]] MMLLJJ 112288 The High Court, having regard to the gravity of the offence, substituted a more severe sentence for a lesser one imposed by a lower court, which had taken into account the status of the accused as a Prince of the ruling house of the state of Johore.
- 4. The High Courtis stated that the decision of the lower court "had ... conflicted with the provisions of Article 8 of our Constitution which says that all persons are equal before the law. That implies that there is only one kind of law in the country to which all citizens are amenable. Every citizen, irrespective of his official or social status, is under the same responsibility for every act done without legal justification. This equality of all in the eyes of the law minimises tyranny".
- 5. RRuullee ooff LLaaww Equality before the law. It excludes the idea of any exception of government officials or other people from the duty of obedience to the law or from the jurisdiction of the court. The rule of law implies that every person is equally subject to the law. The social or political or economical status of an individual is by itself no answer to legal proceedings, civil or criminal. Everyone, whatever his position must be ready to justify his actions by reference to some specific legal rule and be ready to justify them in the ordinary courts.
- 6. Article 8(2) Thereshall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of Religion, Race, Descent, Place of birth or Gender
- 7. Article 8(2) inany law or in the appointment to any office or employment under a public authority or in the administration of any law relating to The acquisition, holding or disposition of property or The establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment. Except as expressly authorised by this Constitution. (i.e. (5) of this article)
- 8. Article 8 (3)There shall be no discrimination in favour of any person on the ground that he is a subject of the Ruler of any State. (4) No public authority shall discriminate against any person on the ground that he is resident or carrying on business in any part of the Federation outside the jurisdiction of the authority.
- 9. Datuk Haji Harunbin Haji Idris v. Public Prosecutor [1977] 2 MLJ 155 The prohibition of unequal treatment applies not only to the legislature but also to the executive. This is seen from the use of the words “public authority” in clause (4) and “practice” in clause (5)(b) of Article 8. The prohibition applies to both substantive and procedural laws.
- 10.
- 11. PP v SuLiang Yu [1976] MLJ 2 128 The dominant idea in both expressions “equal before the law” and “equal protection of the law” is that of equal justice.
- 12. Does not guaranteeequality that is not just. Allow difference of treatment that attains justice. • Express Exceptions • Implied Exception (Judicial Exception)
- 13. ? Law CompliesWith Art 8 ? The first question should be asked is ‘ Is the law discriminatory?’ Not discriminatory - It is a good law. Discriminatory - We have to ask another question ‘Is the discrimination in the law allowed?’ - If it is allowed (either expressly allowed by the constitution or is allowed by judicial interpretation) the law is good. - If it is not allowed, the law is void.
- 14. EExxcceeppttiioonnss ttoo GGeenneerraallRRuullee • EExxpprreessss EExxcceeppttiioonnss • IImmpplliieedd EExxcceeppttiioonn SSiittuuaattiioonnss wwhheerree eeqquuaalliittyy ddooeess nnoott pprroommoottee jjuussttiiccee
- 15. TThhee EExxpprreessss EExxcceeppttiioonnss AArrttiiccllee 88 ((55)).. ‘‘TThhiiss AArrttiiccllee ddooeess nnoott iinnvvaalliiddaattee oorr pprroohhiibbiitt……’’ TThhee ffoolllloowwiinnggss aarree aalllloowweedd ((bbeeccaauussee tthheeyy aarree eexxpprreessssllyy eexxcceepptteedd bbyy tthhee CCoonnssttiittuuttiioonn)):: ‘‘((aa)) aannyy pprroovviissiioonn rreegguullaattiinngg ppeerrssoonnaall llaaww;;’’ • ii..ee.. IIssllaammiicc LLaawwss ’’((bb)) aannyy pprroovviissiioonn oorr pprraaccttiiccee rreessttrriiccttiinngg ooffffiiccee oorr eemmppllooyymmeenntt ccoonnnneecctteedd wwiitthh tthhee aaffffaaiirrss ooff aannyy rreelliiggiioonn,, oorr ooff aann iinnssttiittuuttiioonn mmaannaaggeedd bbyy aa ggrroouupp pprrooffeessssiinngg aannyy rreelliiggiioonn,, ttoo ppeerrssoonnss pprrooffeessssiinngg tthhaatt rreelliiggiioonn;;’’ • ii..ee.. AAddmmiinniissttrraattiioonn ooff rreelliiggiioouuss iinnssttiittuuttiioonnss ssuucchh aass mmoossqquuee..
- 16. TThhee EExxpprreessss EExxcceeppttiioonnss ‘‘((cc)) aannyy pprroovviissiioonn ffoorr tthhee pprrootteeccttiioonn,, wweellll--bbeeiinngg oorr aaddvvaanncceemmeenntt ooff tthhee aabboorriiggiinnaall ppeeoopplleess ooff tthhee MMaallaayy PPeenniinnssuullaa ((iinncclluuddiinngg tthhee rreesseerrvvaattiioonn ooff llaanndd)) oorr tthhee rreesseerrvvaattiioonn ttoo aabboorriiggiinneess ooff aa rreeaassoonnaabbllee pprrooppoorrttiioonn ooff ssuuiittaabbllee ppoossiittiioonnss iinn tthhee ppuubblliicc sseerrvviiccee;;’’ • ii..ee.. MMaallaayy pprriivviilleeggeess.. AArrtt.. 115522 aanndd 115533,, aanndd rreellaatteedd llaawwss ’’((dd)) aannyy pprroovviissiioonn pprreessccrriibbiinngg rreessiiddeennccee iinn aa SSttaattee oorr ppaarrtt ooff aa SSttaattee aass aa qquuaalliiffiiccaattiioonn ffoorr eelleeccttiioonn oorr aappppooiinnttmmeenntt ttoo aannyy aauutthhoorriittyy hhaavviinngg jjuurriissddiiccttiioonn oonnllyy iinn tthhaatt SSttaattee oorr ppaarrtt,, oorr ffoorr vvoottiinngg iinn ssuucchh aann eelleeccttiioonn;;’’ • ii..ee.. LLooccaall aauutthhoorriittyy ssuucchh aass MMaajjlliiss PPeerrbbaannddaarraann,, JJKKKKKK eettcc..
- 17. TThhee EExxpprreessss EExxcceeppttiioonnss ’’((ee)) aannyy pprroovviissiioonn ooff aa CCoonnssttiittuuttiioonn ooff aa SSttaattee,, bbeeiinngg oorr ccoorrrreessppoonnddiinngg ttoo aa pprroovviissiioonn iinn ffoorrccee iimmmmeeddiiaatteellyy bbeeffoorree MMeerrddeekkaa DDaayy;;’’ ’’((ff)) aannyy pprroovviissiioonn rreessttrriiccttiinngg eennlliissttmmeenntt iinn tthhee MMaallaayy RReeggiimmeenntt ttoo MMaallaayyss..’’
- 18. Affirmative Action (PreferentialTTrreeaattmmeenntt)):: AA TTooooll ffoorr JJuussttiiccee AAffffiirrmmaattiivvee aaccttiioonn iiss aa ppoolliiccyy tthhaatt ddiirreeccttllyy oorr iinnddiirreeccttllyy aawwaarrddss jjoobbss,, pprroommoottiioonnss,, aanndd ootthheerr rreessoouurrcceess ttoo iinnddiivviidduuaallss oonn tthhee bbaassiiss ooff mmeemmbbeerrsshhiipp iinn aa pprrootteecctteedd ggrroouupp iinn oorrddeerr ttoo ccoommppeennssaattee tthhoossee ggrroouuppss ffoorr ppaasstt ddiissccrriimmiinnaattiioonn.. • TThhrroouugghh aaffffiirrmmaattiivvee aaccttiioonn,, tthhee aauutthhoorriittyy mmaayy ttaakkee ppoossiittiivvee sstteeppss ttoo ccoorrrreecctt ppaasstt rraacciiaall ddiissccrriimmiinnaattiioonn.. • AAffffiirrmmaattiivvee aaccttiioonn iiss nnootthhiinngg mmoorree tthhaann rreevveerrssee ddiissccrriimmiinnaattiioonn..
- 19. Limitation by JudicialInterpretation on Right to Equality: Doctrine of Reasonable Classification PP v Khong Teng Khen [1976] 2 MLJ 166 The principle underlying Article 8 is that a law must operate alike on all persons under like circumstance.
- 20. Limitation by JudicialInterpretation on Right to Equality: Doctrine of Reasonable Classification A law is not required to operate on all persons in any circumstances. A law is also not required to be general in character and universal in application The article does not prohibit the legislature and executive bodies to distinguish and classify persons.
- 21. Doctrine of ReasonableClassification Thus The law may classify persons. The law may classify offences into different categories. All that Article 8 guarantees is that a person in one class should be treated the same as another person in the same class.
- 22. Doctrine of ReasonableClassification Su Liang Yu [1976] 2 MLJ 128 No person shall be denied equality before the law or equal protection of the law but Article 8 does not prevent Parliament from making a law based on or involving some classifications. Discriminatory law is good law if it is based on “reasonable” or “permissible” classification.
- 23. Requirements that mustbe fulfilled by laws that involve classification The classification is founded on an intelligible differentia which distinguishes persons that are grouped together from others left out of the group. And The differentia has a rational relation to the object sought to be achieved by the law in question. The classification may be founded on different bases such as geographical, or according to objects or occupations and the like. There must be a nexus between the basis of classification and the object of the law in question.
- 24. B Malaysian Baarr&& AAnnoorr.. vv GGoovvtt ooff MMaallaayyssiiaa [[11998877]] 22 MMLLJJ 116655.. AAmmeennddmmeenntt ttoo tthhee LLeeggaall PPrrooffeessssiioonn AAcctt 11997766 mmaakkeess iitt uunnllaawwffuull ffoorr aann aaddvvooccaattee aanndd ssoolliicciittoorr -- lleessss tthhaann sseevveenn yyeeaarrss ssttaannddiinngg -- aa mmeemmbbeerr ooff aannyy ppoolliittiiccaall oorrggaanniissaattiioonn oorr ttrraaddee uunniioonn ttoo bbee aa mmeemmbbeerr ooff tthhee BBaarr CCoouunncciill oorr aannyy ccoommmmiitttteeee tthheerreeooff..
- 25. TThhee SSuupprreemmee CCoouurrtthheelldd tthhaatt tthheerree wwaass aa rraattiioonnaall nneexxuuss bbeettwweeeenn tthhee ppuurrppoossee ooff tthhee llaaww ((ttoo eennssuurree tthhaatt tthhee BBaarr wwaass rruunn bbyy eexxppeerriieenncceedd,, ccoommppeetteenntt aanndd iinnddeeppeennddeenntt pprraaccttiittiioonneerrss)) aanndd tthhee ccllaassssiiffiiccaattiioonn aaddoopptteedd ((lleessss tthhaann sseevveenn yyeeaarrss ssttaannddiinngg aanndd mmeemmbbeerr ooff aannyy ppoolliittiiccaall oorrggaanniissaattiioonn oorr ttrraaddee uunniioonn))..
Editor's Notes
- #18 It relates to special position of the Malays.
- #23 On the same note Hashim Yeop Sani stated in Su Liang Yu [1976] 2 MLJ 128 “..the true meaning of equality provision under our constitution is simply that no person shall be denied equality before the law or equal protection of the law but that clause shall not be construed so as to prevent Parliament from making a law based on or involving some classification provided that no real or actual discrimination occurs.’ ‘Clause (1) of our article 8 does not proclaim that all persons must be treated alike but only that persons in like circumstances must be treated alike. What constitute a circumstance entitling the legislature to discriminate and what constitutes discrimination are questions of values to be decided by the court;... these values may change from time to time..’.