Former Malaysian Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan has been awarded the World Jurist Association’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg Medals of Honour 2023 for her unwavering advocacy in free elections, women’s rights, and human rights. She received the prestigious award from Spanish King, Felipe VI at a ceremony in Madrid.
Ambiga, often regarded as Malaysia’s “Iron Lady”, has been actively involved in legal and human rights issues, including serving on the Women’s Aid Organisation and the Bar Council Special Committee on Indigenous Rights.
However, controversy is brewing as she is now set to engage in a high-profile dispute over a Pre-Merdeka Hindu temple in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, which is reportedly set to be demolished to make way for ‘Masjid Madani’.
The Madani government and Anwar Ibrahim are facing mounting pressure over the issue, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is expected to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the mosque. Reports indicate that the government previously sold the temple land to a private company that owns a major shopping mall nearby.
Temple committee members have requested an alternative site for Hindu worshippers, but their plea was rejected. The matter has sparked outrage among religious and civil rights groups, with a press conference scheduled at 11 AM today at the Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) office in Petaling Jaya.
This unfolding issue is expected to escalate, with Ambiga and other prominent lawyers and activists demanding answers from the government.
Stay tuned for updates.