By Jeff Ooi,
This is a sentence from a press statement from Karpal Singh.“Although the orders have been confirmed by the Sultan... If the decision is ultra vires then the decision can be adjudicated by the court.”
At the Kuala Lumpur High Court today, Utusan Malaysia reporter Mohd Nizam Mohd Yatim was asked by defence counsel, Jagdeep Singh Deo, to explain to the court what he thought the phrase “ultra vires” actually meant.
Looking confused, Nizam replied: “To insult.”
In context, by the phrase ultra vires, the Utusan reporter actually meant Karpal Singh was insulting the Perak Sultan.
However, Mohd Nizam argued that it was not his story, but Bernama's, that had a retorted understanding of the phrase ultra vires.
Notably, having been a reporter for 8 years for Bernama, and another 8 years in Utusan, Mohd Nizam obviously didn't get a good upbringing to practise good English in journalism.
But aren't the Utusan editors' command of English just as bad?
No comments:
Post a Comment