Right from the very beginning of today’s parliamentary sitting, MPs were interested only in two questions — and answers to both are not to be found in Parliament, viz:
- The outcome of Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim’s application for six-month extension as Chief Justice, as he turned 66 yesterday — in view of unprecedentedly strong objections not only from the Opposition, the Bar Council, the civil society but also by Malay Rulers; and
- Whether Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Ramli Yusuff, the cop alleged to have RM27 million undeclared assets, will be charged for corruption.
News have finally come in that Ramli has been charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with three counts of failing to disclose his assets in his sworn statement under the Anti-Corruption Act 1997.
There are still no news however as to the outcome of Ahmad Fairuz’ application for extension as Chief Justice from the two-day Conference of Rulers, raising the question whether the nation is without a Chief Justice for today.
Many must be asking – Why the secrecy and mystery surrounding the appointment of Chief Justice, which is completely against the principles of accountability and transparency.
Whether CCID director Ramli is guilty of the three charges of corruption preferred against him will have to await the forthcoming trial. However, the spectacle of the police leadership “at war” with itself as evident in the past few months is not calculated to enhance public confidence in the capability of the police to discharge its mission to maintain law and order as well as to keep crime low, with crime becoming as endemic as corruption in the country.
#1 by grace on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 5:14 pm
Even appointment of CJ is so secretive. What type of government ?
It does not poise a national security threat la if we know. It is only when some hanky panky is going on that everything is so secretive!
I believe the majority of the people are very glad that Ahmad Fairuz term is not extended.
By the way, Mr. lim. Let us hope that Lingam tape episode does not come to pass without any serious investigation. There is something really happening.
I simply do not understand the mentality of the power that be. there are elected to look after the well fare of the rakyat. But they are more interested in the well fare of those crooks!!!
#2 by smeagroo on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 5:22 pm
On declaration of assets, have our MPs done so openly? All I can see is that most of them are living a luxurious lifestyle.
Hey look at Zakaria, not even an MP. Mansion bigger than Ramli’s bungalow but till today no one can touch him.
#3 by ADAM YONG IBNI ABDULLAH on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 5:49 pm
I dont feel lost that there is no ketua hakim negara for a day.
non at all. what is the point of putting someone up there when there is no credibility. better leave it vacant until we find a good candidate.
filling a post for the sake of filling is shere disaster.
on ramli being charged, gosh. i am hereby informing Malaysians that MALAYSIA IS A SECULAR STATE. because gambling, prostitutions and Alonging are protected industries for protected species. so please do not worry too much of what najib or some holier than thou ministers declared.
#4 by grace on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 6:03 pm
smeagroo,
you are very correct.
Just look at our ministers’ children, brothers, sisters, inlaws(son,daughter , mother or father) how ‘successful’ they are in business. Can you find any of these qualities in ministers of developed countries? Even CM and MBs are damn rich.
Yes, everyone claim to have claim that their riches are ‘halal’.
In fact our countries can export the ministers’ expertise in business to others.
Oh, yes! The other day as I was watching news on Argentina. It was mentioned that Argentina was one of the riches countries in the world with natural resources just as much as Australia.
But due to rampant corruption and plundering of the countries wealth, she is now reduced to a very poor nation now. The attributes for her collapse are frightening to hear. Malaysia has all of them. Now pray that God will help us before we go Argentina way!!!
#5 by Godfather on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 6:09 pm
The very institutions for the protection of personal liberty, rights and property are the ones that the den of thieves use to beat non-supporters into submission. Of course Close-one-eye Mat
Said is innocent, and so is the assemblyman from Klang.
What is so difficult about proving the conversation between two cell phones i.e. Lingam and Fairuz ? No, the tape can’t be authenticated, so it must be fake.
What is so difficult about proving the abuse of power, the neglect of duty of care, the theft of public funds in the Port Klang scandal ? No, there was no scandal.
What is so difficult about proving whether the AP kings pay income tax on their billions of ringgit of income ? No, there was no AP scandal.
What is so difficult about proving the amount of actual work done to date on the crooked bridge fiasco ? No, the amount of compensation has been decided by the cabinet.
Wait for the increased costs for the Second Penang Bridge, the new LCCT terminal, the new Palace, the new KTM double-tracking contract, etc etc. These thieves are stealing the country blind, and the rakyat is helpless to prevent it.
#6 by Tulip Crescent on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 7:02 pm
“In graphic terms, what the famous American patriot was in effect saying is that the law is what political scientists call the cage that prevents the lion of power from mauling the innocent lambs, the black sheep, the hard-working ox and the cunning foxes that are found among the people,” so wrote lawyer Stephen Tan Ban Cheng in one of his reports of the Malaysian Law Conference.
The law is the cage where government, or the powerful lion, is put in so that the people cannot be mauled.
And here we have the Judiciary who is headless. Why?
Where is the vision of a democratic Malaysia founded on liberty and justice that our Founding Father Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra talked about?
#7 by Libra2 on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 7:16 pm
If Ramli can be charged then every single Minister and police officer should be charged too.
Right or wrong depends on which camp one is in.
#8 by boh-liao on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 7:44 pm
Kangaroo courts are everywhere in Malaysia. Justice is not transparent in Malaysia. Events in courts are jokes. So, what kind of CJ do we need? A blind joker monkey that kow tows to Nazri, the supremo or CJ mentor!
#9 by malaysia born on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 8:25 pm
This is UMNO way of saying that we have NO qualified judges in the whole country to be the Head. If this is not an insult to the present group of judges that we have, then i don’t know what you call this.
But we DO have a space tourist though.
#10 by Low on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 10:15 pm
i tried convincing everyone that i know to attend the coming rally.
but guess what? people just gave me similar answers like ‘there’s no point’ and ‘i dont want to end up in jail’
its sad isnt it? even my lecturer gave me the same answer.
what can i or we possibly do to turn their heads around? people seem to either give up or are too afraid to turn up
#11 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 10:21 pm
DO we know whether the entire judiciary is affected by the scandal or even tainted? And to what degreee?
The choice of the next CJ is so crucial. Better take a month or two to sort things out and weed off those parasites (rather than paragons) of justice, those who bleed the system for their own personal benefit.
We don’t know who in the judiciary to trust anymore. After all, this tainted CJ had a hand in promoting his cronies based on how well they ‘kow-tow’ rather than how well they know the law and can dispense justice fairly.
#12 by sheriff singh on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 10:28 pm
Why it is so difficult is that there are just too many godfathers around.
#13 by LittleBird on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 11:05 pm
Well after Salleh Abbas, I wonder if it is not already full of compliant certified people.
#14 by yellowkingdom on Thursday, 1 November 2007 - 11:16 pm
I am very dismayed, disappointed and down-right disgusted at the recent development be it political, economical, social and governmental. There is so much deleterious stirred up and clouding every part of the government leading us down a very slippery slope.
I can’t wait any longer for the GE to tell the govt. how I feel !!!
#15 by ablastine on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 12:34 am
A very corrupted government cannot have a judiciary that is not compliant to the executive for fear of having its dirty linen washed in public. It also cannot afford to have an active ACA unleashed. Can you imagine having half the cabinet hauled up and convicted for their ill gotten gains. This is the only reason I can think of as to why Abdullah has to insist that a character as doubtful and distasteful as that Fairuz guy remaining as CJ even for 6 more dreadful months. He simply cannot find another as compliant as him…yet.
#16 by k1980 on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 12:37 am
Where the hell is the “national awakening committee” for Malaysia’s Sleeping Buddha?
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22686717-2703,00.html
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been presented with his stiffest political challenge yet, in the form of a “national awakening committee” made up of many of his most powerful opponents.
#17 by anak_malaysia on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 3:02 am
Don’t worry. Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim was confirmed retired (with no choice) by Abdullah Badawi (2 down to Badawi, 2 Up for the Agong).
The emptied position of CJ is temporary taken over by Court of Appeal president Datuk Abdul Hamid Mohamad which has been made the acting Chief Justice.
#18 by k1980 on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 8:13 am
It’s Zaki after all?
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=848&Itemid=31
it appears that Zaki Azmi, until recently the United Malays National Organisation’s chief legal advisor, may be appointed Chief Justice of Malaysia’s Supreme Court. Malaysia’s Conference of Rulers, made up of the sultans, was meeting Thursday afternoon on the appointment, which they would have to approve. In the absence of their decision, Abdullah Badawi announced that Court of Appeal President Abdul Hamid Mohamad had been appointed acting chief justice in the interim.
#19 by Toyol on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 9:32 am
The judicial crisis we find ourselves in now clearly shows that the BN and in particular the PM is no longer in control and is ill equip to lead us economically. All the promises made by BN was a lie so that they can enjoy the fruits of our mistake. If we continue to be foolishly led and be taken in by these confidence tricksters, we only have ourselves to blame and one day our children will also blame us when there are no longer opportunities for them.
#20 by raven77 on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 9:37 am
Apa ni…..police chief ACA boleh lanyak, heret ke mahkahmah\ for corruption…..Pak Cik Zak….boleh carry on…..jawapan….Police chief political nobody……Mr Zak and Zaki Azmi is an UMNO politician…also known here in Malaysia as scums of the earth
#21 by rokian on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 10:12 am
Sorry YB LKS, just tumpang-tumpang, but wondering what happening to MT, unaccessible?
#22 by Samuel Goh Kim Eng on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 10:16 am
In the children’s game of ‘Hide and Seek’
You do your best to hide and I try my best to seek
Hider will try to bully any seeker who’s mild and meek
Yet seeker sometimes still win hands down with merely a peek
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng
http:// MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
#23 by ADAM YONG IBNI ABDULLAH on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 10:36 am
sorry too YB LIM, i too cannot access to MT. call to raja petra mobile unanswered. anyone out there know something. ?
#24 by k1980 on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 10:39 am
Colour-blind got hacked! Posted by Ronnie Liu November 2, 2007
Shit! Someone has hacked my site and all my datas from 29 Oct to 1 Nov were wiped out completely!
Malaysia-Today was also hacked and it’s facing a much bigger problem then colour-blind. It ’s completely down from 10 pm last night until now.
Looks like the cybertroopers have got some powerful tools that we do not know.
Pls help us if you have some powerful tools or knowhow. Call me at 012 2013656 or [email protected]. I will buy you tea in appreciation of your help:-).
http://colour-blind.org/
#25 by Godfather on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 10:51 am
Probably another DOS attack. These UMNO cybertroopers keep thinking of ways to disrupt and destroy – so that the real information on scandals is not available to the public.
#26 by oknyua on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 11:12 am
Yes, that’s the reason i turn to this blog. It seems right from 9.50 am, the Apache came in into MT- some IT people explain pls. Then it’s a forbidden website now!? It’s not a DOS attack. Someone is not happy with RPK and MT and the 10 Nov rally.
If that is the case, bloggers, including YB Lim KS, Mr Jeff Oooi, please tighten the screws further. Reveal more info. on the nonsense with this government. At time like this we need to spread out and reach more people.
YB Lim KS, i am sorry to waste so much space here.
#27 by peng on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 12:07 pm
Low, I agree with you. Most people are apathetic or ‘scared of trouble’. My friends and I are planning join the Nov 10 rally, but are stopped by our spouses. They said ‘don’t waste your time’. Seems like we got to do this ‘underground’, pretend to go shopping in yellow t-shirts! Sigh! If only each of us are not so engrossed in our own world and look at the bigger picture; that tiny drops of water will make an entire ocean. That it is important not to allow our apathy to ruin our government and country. We are the ones responsible for putting the monkeys up there and giving them the power for mass destruction. The monkeys are just making the best out of this ‘good fortune’ bestowed upon them. People, vote with your ears and eyes open.
#28 by greenacre on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 1:36 pm
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The present government has the ‘absolute power’. This had been achieved by having electoral seat weightage, electoral boundary dealienation.Finally the straw that breaks the camel’s back, comes from the voting public.
#29 by k1980 on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 2:09 pm
Why did fools pay USD 30 million to go to space when others can do it for USD 200K
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/IK02Df03.html
#30 by Jimm on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 2:16 pm
We all have been living our daily lives without much of any laws eversince. The Done Master have completely wiped out our country footings for the benefits of his children and clonies.
Whatever left now are those ‘die hard’ issue that rakyat can spend time talking over and over again.
#31 by helpless on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 3:18 pm
YB, consider to trace back the situation prior to economic crisis in 1997 where the ” rich & famous” big fish made their ” corrupted fortune” through the advantages of NEP.
” RM 2 co. was listed at KLSE ….after being awarded a project…”
” 30% special quota for new listed company where the rich-b can subscribe without limit control under NEP ”
” Where minister will quote….That is a fair business trade…”
” Son of someone became Billionaires at 30+…”
#32 by undergrad2 on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 10:42 pm
“Many must be asking – Why the secrecy and mystery surrounding the appointment of Chief Justice, which is completely against the principles of accountability and transparency. ” KIT
In a system that adheres strictly to the doctrine of separation of powers like the U.S., the appointment of a Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court is done in a 2-stage process. First the President makes known the name of his nominee. The person nominated is then called to appear before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to answer questions about his life – both public and private. The latter is the transparent process – not the former.
In our case following the Westminster model of democracy, the process and appointment of the top judge is made away from public view and is spared the kind of public scrutiny Kit is referring to. This lends itself easily to abuse especially in a country with a ‘weak’ judiciary and a recent history, without the benefit and wisdom that tradition and convention offers.
The argument here is really one of argument between a Presidential system like the one we see in the U.S., and the Westminster Model – the latter has roots which go a thousand years. Aren’t we expecting a little too much for a little too early?
#33 by undergrad2 on Friday, 2 November 2007 - 11:10 pm
“The choice of the next CJ is so crucial.” ENDANGERED HORNBILL
The top judge does not make the law – nor do federal court judges. Corruption and criminal breach of trust are what the law says they are, and not what our judges say they are. It is not like the nomination of a judge for the top post is crucial to issues of law and order. So let’s not lose our focus. Our focus is the abuse of power and corruption within the judicial arm of the government.
If Mr. Clean whoever he may be, is nominated top judge, will that change anything? It doesn’t and it is really sad because it has taken many years to arrive at where it is. Let’s not underestimate the ‘rot’ that has set in. It is going to take years before public confidence in the judiciary is restored. Should we expect the third arm of the government to undergo a ‘purge’ and rid itself of judges aligned with the recently retired CJ?
#34 by alphoti on Saturday, 3 November 2007 - 8:17 pm
“Why do fools pay USD30M to go to space when others can do it with RM200K” K1980.
Answer:
1. USD30M is paid by Malaysian public (mostly non-bumi) when others paid from their own pockets.
2. The larger the amount, the decision maker pocket more. For eg, what is 30% of USD30M compared to 30% of USD200K.
Note: I say mostly non-bumi because bumi, unless fixed income earner, do not need to pay tax. When they pay, its because they need loan from banks. I once asked a bumi businessman how much tax he pay. He answered, ‘Why should I pay, when I don’t ask for grant (kalau saya tak minta tolong), government should be thankful already. So many others need government help & government need to give them money’
I thought for quite long & conclude that what he said is correct too. If bumi just do need help (self sufficiency), we also do not mind they don’t pay tax!
#35 by ktteokt on Friday, 16 November 2007 - 9:15 am
What is this compared to the day when FIVE High Court judges were simultaneously removed by the Cabinet