Archive for category Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Abdullah should direct the 54 BN MPs to cut short their “blur blur” agriculture study tour of Taiwan
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Anwar Ibrahim, Foreign, Politics on Wednesday, 10 September 2008
Malaysia’s image and international standing are trampled upon and “rubbished” by the 54 Barisan Nasional MPs currently on a “blur blur” agriculture study tour of Taiwan as they are been tracked by the Taiwan print and electronic media as if they are bizarre or exotic creatures from a strange land if not from another planet.
Instead of conducting themselves as proud elected representatives of a nation held in high esteem in international circles, the 54 BN MPs are caught in a hide-and-seek with journalists as if they are fugitives from justice or agents of rogue nations as they are unable to give a honest and honourable explanation of the real purpose and reason for their sudden trip to Taiwan.
A Guang Ming Daily columnist has rightly coined the phrase “mong cha-cha” or “blur blur” tour to describe BN MPs junket to Taiwan, for the BN MPs were in a “blur” when summoned by SMS to submit their passports for the “trip to nowhere” as the country destination was not known and undecided, “blur” when they boarded the flight and continue to be “blur” when they landed in Taiwan.
The 54 BN MPs know that they have become a laughing stock in Taiwan and a standing joke wherever they go in the island republic. As a result, they cannot hold their heads high when appearing in public in Taiwan.
Racist Ahmad Ismail provocation – will 13 Penang Umno division leaders be disciplined too?
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, nation building, UMNO on Wednesday, 10 September 2008
What action will the Umno Supreme Council take at its emergency meeting today to end the15-day national furore over Ahmad Ismail’s provocative, inflammatory and acist “penumpang” reference to Malaysian Chinese – a simple and straightforward issue which should have been nipped in the bud when it surfaced publicly on August 26 instead of being allowed to snowball into a “no-holds-barred” political and nation-building crisis escalating into the Bukit Bendera Umno divison chairman:
• Warning the Chinese in Malaysia not to mimic American Jews in seeking to control the country’s economy but also its political power;
• Wanting Gerakan to leave the Barisan Nasional;
• Demanding that Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon should be stripped of his post as the state Barisan chairman and the post be given to the MCA; and
• Public tearing of a picture of Tsu Koon.
What would have ensued if there had been a public tearing of the picture of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi or the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuik Seri Najib Razak by a Gerakan division leader of Chinese or Indian descent? Read the rest of this entry »
Ahmad Ismail revolt – when will Abdullah stop his flip-flops and demonstrate that he is Prime Minister for all Malaysians
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, nation building, UMNO on Tuesday, 9 September 2008
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi suffered two mortal political blows within a short period of six months – the first “political tsunami” of March 8 general election which smashed UMNO’s political hegemony, ended Barisan Nasional (BN)’s unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority and drove BN into the Opposition in five states now run by Pakatan Rakyat governments and the second “political tsunami” in the August 26 Permatang Pauh by-election, where Anwar Ibrahim stormed back to Parliament with a thumping majority of 15,524 votes after an enforced absence for a decade.
Who would have thought that Abdullah’s third mortal political blow could have struck so fast and so devastatingly as to plunge his image, credibility, authority and legitimacy as Prime Minister to their lowest point since he took over from Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad as the fifth Prime Minister less than five years ago?
And this third mortal political blow to Abdullah was primarily self-inflicted, the direct result of his flip-flops over Bukit Bendera Umno division chief, Datuk Ahmad Ismail’s racist reference to Malaysian Chinese as “penumpang” in the country.
In this instance, Abdullah out-flip-flopped himself as he took at least five different positions in the past two weeks, viz: Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia in for troubled and very divisive times following the woeful lack of Prime Ministerial authority and leadership
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, nation building on Sunday, 7 September 2008
The nation-wide furore over the derogatory, insensitive, offensive and racist speech by the Bukit Bendera Umno division chief, Datuk Ahmad Ismail, has highlighted the waste of the RM100 million spent last year on the 50th Merdeka Anniversary celebrations and the abysmal failure of the Barisan Nasional’s nation-building policy and programme.
The founding fathers of the nation would never have thought that after half-a-century of nationhood, there would still be leaders in the ruling coalition who continue to regard non-Malays as “penumpang” although their overwhelming majority are local born and even have families who have made this country their sole object of loyalty for many generations – making nonsense of the 1957 Merdeka social contract, Malaysia Agreement 1963, Rukunegara 1970 and Vision 2020 objective of Bangsa Malaysia.
Equally shocking is the woeful lack of Prime Ministerial authority and leadership in handling the Ahmad Ismail furore, illustrated by Abdullah adopting four different positions on the issue in a matter of eight days!
BN forced to seclude its MPs in 12-day “overseas retreat” as it is not sure of the allegiance of 30 to 40 per cent of its MPs come “916”
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Post-2008 general election on Saturday, 6 September 2008
The Barisan Nasional leadership has been forced to come out with the idea to corral and seclude its Members of Parliament in a mysterious “overseas retreat” for 12 days from Sept. 7 – 19 as it is not sure of the allegiance of 30 to 40 per cent of its MPs come ”916”.
Some BN leaders are getting “cold feet” and more than a touch of panic.
While the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, have been claiming that nothing would happen on September 16, with the former even invoking the name of the Yang di Pertuan Agong as if the King is taking political sides, there is undoubtedly growing nervousness and jitters among the various levels of Barisan Nasional leadership with every passing day.
Revolt by Ahmad Ismail and 13 Penang UMNO divisions latest and probably most critical challenge to Abdullah’s power-transition plan
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, nation building, UMNO on Saturday, 6 September 2008
The revolt by UMNO Bukit Bendera chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail and 13 Penang Umno divisions backing Ahmad’s stance of no apology for his offensive, insensitive and racist reference to the Chinese as “orang tumpang” is the latest and probably the most critical challenge to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s power transition plan.
It is even more serious than the defection of support of the former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and his quitting Umno as it is a direct challenge to the political and moral authority of Abdullah as UMNO President and Prime Minister shaking the very basis of his power base in Umno.
If the Penang Umno example is emulated by Umno divisions in other states, then Abdullah’s days as Prime Minister and Umno President are numbered, forcing him into an earlier departure than the June 2010 timetable he had set for himself under his power-transition plan to hand over power to his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Call on Abdullah to disband BTN – Trojan Horse to subvert Bangsa Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, nation building on Friday, 5 September 2008
The Biro Tatanegara (BTN) should be disbanded as it is a Trojan Horse in the Prime Minister’s Department which undermines and subverts the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s National Day message of national unity and solidarity and Vision 2020 objective of Bangsa Malaysia.
In his 51st National Day message last Saturday, Abdullah said united citizens were a bulwark against any threat, either from within or outside the country.
He said solidarity was the cornerstone of the country’s political stability, social harmony and economic competitiveness.
However, in the bosom of the Prime Minister’s Department, the BTN had been assaulting the national “bulwark” and chipping away the Malaysian “cornerstone” in the past quarter of a century, with its unrelenting and unashamed purveying of racist poison among government servants, JPA scholars, university students and youths – using public funds running into RM76.3 million last year and RM 72 million next year to destroy the public policy of creating a Bangsa Malaysia out of the diverse peoples of Malaysia.
All Cabinet Ministers, whether Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP and the Sabah and Sarawak component parties of Barisan Nasional who had served for the past quarter of a century should explain why they had closed their eyes and shut their ears to complaints that BTN had been conducting divisive and racist indoctrination courses for JPA scholars, government servants, university students and youths right under their noses?
Even more more important, what is the stand of the present batch of Barisan Nasional Ministers and leaders from Umno, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP and the BN component parties from Sarawak and Sabah? Read the rest of this entry »
5 reasons why Najib’s apology on behalf of Ahmad inappropriate, inadequate and unacceptable
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, nation building, UMNO on Wednesday, 3 September 2008
There are at least five reasons why Umno Deputy President Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s apology on behalf of Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail for the latter’s derogatory, offensive, insensitive and racist reference of the Chinese as “squatters” and untrustworthy Malaysians is inappropriate, inadequate and unacceptable.
Firstly, why is there no public response from Ahmad Ismail himself, who have shown no sense of contrition or remorse whatsoever in the past nine days for his racist slurs of the Malaysian Chinese? Is Ahmad Ismail fully confident that he has the mainstream support of Umno leaders and members, encouraging him to show contempt for the nation-wide furore?
Secondly, how can Najib’s second-hand apology on behalf of Ahmad Ismail be acceptable when Ahmad continues to be defiant and unrepentant? Even if Ahmad Ismail tenders an apology, the question of its adequacy will arise, following the precedent set by the Cabinet in the Wee Meng Chee case over his “Negaraku” rap video-clip last year, when the Cabinet rejected Wee’s apology as inadequate.
Many police reports have been lodged against Ahmad for violating the Sedition Act. Is Najib’s apology meant to be a message to the Police and the Attorney-General that Ahmad should get off scot-free instead of having to face the full weight of the law?
Thirdly, Najib should apologise on behalf of himself and not on behalf of Ahmad as Najib had failed to take immediate or prompt action to reprimand Ahmad for the latter’s racist and seditious speech at a Permatang Pauh by-election ceramah on August 24 which was attended by Najib. Read the rest of this entry »
Open Letter (Part 2) to PM & Ministers – Lessons of two “political tsunamis” in six months
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, nation building on Tuesday, 2 September 2008
An Open Letter (Part 2) to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang on Tuesday, 2nd September 2008:
5. Zero tolerance for corruption
Let the Cabinet declare a new National Integrity Plan objective of zero tolerance for corruption – with Malaysia ranked among the top 10 countries which are least corrupt in the world.
Although there is a flurry of arrests by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), Malaysians are reminded of the earlier flurry of ACA activities in the first few months of the new Abdullah premiership which finally fizzled out into nothing – with Malaysia’s ranking in the annual Transparency International Corruption Perception Index plunging from No. 37 in 2003 to No. 43 in 2007.
Are the Prime Minister and Cabinet prepared to give full liberty and authority to the ACA to fight corruption even against Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers, Mentri-Menteri Besar and top Barisan Nasional leaders without getting any greenlight from the Prime Minister?
6. End the brain drain
Is the Cabinet prepared to admit that one fatal mistake of our nation-building policy which has led to our diminishing international competitiveness and why Malaysia has lost out to South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore in the past half-a-century and continuing to trail behind more and more countries is injustice and discrimination meted out to the best and brightest talents driving them overseas.
Is the Cabinet prepared to end this crippling denial syndrome to end the brain drain of the best and brightest talents overseas – in particular stemming the brain-drain to Singapore by reinstating the principle of meritocracy and ensuring that Malaysia’s best and brightest, regardless of race, can get the best educational and employment opportunities in their own country?
Read the rest of this entry »
Open Letter to PM & Ministers – Lessons of two “political tsunamis” in six months
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, nation building on Tuesday, 2 September 2008
An Open Letter to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang on Tuesday, 2nd September 2008:
YAB Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister,
YB-YB Cabinet Ministers,
Ten challenges which the Cabinet must address tomorrow to demonstrate that it has learnt the lessons of the two political tsunamis in six months
I believe the overwhelming majority of Malaysians have one common reaction when they read or learnt of the news of the announcement by Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukudu of his sudden resignation yesterday – when Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is going to resign as Malaysian Prime Minister despite his earlier announcement of the power-transition schedule in June 2010.
This may be unfair but this is a fact. Why is this so when four short years ago, the Prime Minister had won the country’s biggest mandate in the 2004 general election winning an unprecedented 91 per cent parliamentary majority?
This was one of my thoughts when I hiked up Penang Hill “48” this morning, which I had not done for a very very long time. The hour hike up and down Penang Hill “48” provided me with a very conducive atmosphere to think about the multiple crisis of confidence afflicting Malaysia – political, economic, educational, judicial, institutional and nation-building.
The idea to pen this Open Letter also came from this hike as the Cabinet meeting tomorrow is the first one after the Permatang Pauh by-election, presenting an acid test whether Barisan Nasional government has learnt the lessons of the two “political tsunamis” in six months to save the country from the multiple crisis of confidence confronting the nation.
There are at least ten challenges which the Cabinet must address tomorrow: Read the rest of this entry »
Ahmad Ismail’s racist remarks – test case for all BN Ministers/leaders whether they are Bangsa Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, nation building on Monday, 1 September 2008
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his 51st National Day Message called on every Malaysian to give importance to solidarity, as “it is the cornerstone of the country’s political stability, social harmony and economic competitiveness”.
However, the Prime Minister has caused great dismay and distress among right-thinking Malaysians as he has chosen to demonstrate his “solidarity” with the Bukit Bendera Umno chief, Datuk Ahmad Ismail who had made offensive, insensitive, derogatory and racist remarks about the Malaysian Chinese during the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign –referring to the Chinese as pendatang, orang tumpang and totally untrustworthy Malaysians.
Why is the Prime Minister not prepared to show “solidarity” with right-thinking Malaysians who deplore Ahmad Ismail’s insensitive, offensive, derogatory and racist remarks about the Malaysian Chinese.
I will declare my solidarity with what is right, just and true – including deploring insensitive, offensive, derogatory and racist remarks whether referring to the Malays, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans, whether it is made by a Chinese or non-Chinese leader.
Why is Abdullah not prepared to take a similar stand? Read the rest of this entry »
UMNO/BN – political dinosaurs irrelevant to Merdeka II aspirations of new generation of Bangsa Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Corruption, nation building on Sunday, 31 August 2008
In his 51st National Day message last night, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he hoped that every Malaysian could give importance to solidarity.
However, Abdullah had himself set the bad example of failing to give top priority to national unity and solidarity in plural Malaysia, or he would not have adopted a lackadaisical and irresponsible stance on the legitimate protests over the highly racist, divisive and provocative remarks by the Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail during the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign belittling the Chinese community in Malaysia as “orang tumpangan” who could not be trusted as Malaysians.
In defending Ahmad Ismail by claiming that the Penang Umno leader had not meant what he said, Abdullah was condoning Ahmad Ismail’s insensitive, offensive and racist remarks when he should have lived up to his pledge repeated many times before that he would be Prime Minister for all Malaysians and not of any one race.
The Prime Minister has again disappointed Malaysians with another breach of his many sweet-sounding pledges when he became Prime Minister five years ago.
In the past few days, various levels of the MCA and Gerakan (and even SUPP), and their youth and women wings, reaching as high as MCA Minister, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, MCA Deputy Minister Dr. Wee Ka Siong and Acting Gerakan President, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon had been making public noises demanding disciplinary action against Ahmad Ismail.
With the Prime Minister coming out with such a weak, ineffective and useless response in virtually protecting Ahmad Ismail from having to face any disciplinary action, are the MCA, Gerakan and SUPP leaders again going to capitulate or will they pursue the matter in Cabinet next week as well as demand an emergency meeting of the Barisan Nasional supreme council for stern disciplinary action to be taken against Ahmad Ismail so as not to make a mockery of the 51st Merdeka celebrations?
The Ahmad Ismail episode is the latest example that Umno and the Barisan Nasional have become political dinosaurs irrelevant to and incapable of adapting to the Merdeka II aspirations of the new generation of Bangsa Malaysia who want to see justice, fair play, moderation and good governance. Read the rest of this entry »
2009 Budget – Abdullah fighting for his political life
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Friday, 29 August 2008
“Abdullah attacks ‘populist’ claims while presenting populist budget”
This thought occurred to me when the Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced a string of goodies in his 2009 Budget in Parliament today, including the following:
“Those who use less than RM20 of electricity per month will not be charged.”
One would have thought that Abdullah is preparing to fight an early general election if one had not been held just less than six months ago from which Abdullah and the Barisan Nasional emerged badly mauled – followed by another blow to the solar plexus in the Permatang Pauh by-election only three days ago.
But Abdullah was fighting for his political life when he presented the 2009 Budget. Read the rest of this entry »
Permatang Pauh by-election – who is the silliest of them all?
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Pakatan Rakyat, UMNO on Friday, 29 August 2008
1. The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi?
The loss suffered by the Barisan Nasional in the Permatang Pauh by-election should not be read as an emerging trend for other constituencies.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stressed that while the loss was something to be concerned about, the situation had not reached a “worrying level” as Barisan Nasional still controlled 140 seats after the March 8 general election.
“We can still continue with the government. We are aware of the mandate given to us and we will work hard to deliver,” he said. (The Star 28.8.08)
“After all, the last general election gave us a strong victory. We are only eight seats short of a two-thirds majority, it is not that we lost by 20 or 30 seats, only eight seats. We have a very strong government.” (New Straits Times 28.8.08)
Comment: Barisan Nasional achieved “a strong victory” in the March 8, 2008 general election? Abdullah must be living in a completely different world, when he could console himself as having achieved “a strong victory” what had been described as a “political tsunami” with BN candidates falling like nine-pins, sending the BN into the Opposition in five states and ending the hitherto unbroken BN two-thirds parliamentary majority?
Abdullah is in double trouble – he has not woken up from his slumber and he is suffering from terminal denial syndrome. Read the rest of this entry »
Will the Sodomy II charge against Anwar be withdrawn if he swears on the Quran?
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Anwar Ibrahim, ASEAN on Monday, 18 August 2008
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday that it was up to Anwar Ibrahm to swear on the Quran and clear his name.
Will the criminal charge of Sodomy II against Anwar under Section 377B under the Penal Code for consensual sodomy be withdrawn if Anwar swears on the Quran?
If not, what is the point or purpose of Abdullah making such a statement, except to underline his bias and prejudice against Anwar?
Abdullah reiterated that “Saiful was a victim in the issue”.
In one fell swoop, he Prime Minister has again become judge, prosecutor and accuser all in one. If Abdullah is convinced that Saiful is the “victim” in the sodomy charge against Anwar, even before the date for hearing has been fixed, who can expect a fair trial for Anwar? Read the rest of this entry »
Last Chance To Save Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Anwar Ibrahim, Bakri Musa on Monday, 18 August 2008
by M. Bakri Musa
Before last March 2008 elections, I urged Kepala Batas voters to perform a great national service by booting out Prime Minister Abdullah. That would have triggered a seismic shift in UMNO’s leadership. With its ban on contesting top posts effectively circumvented, the party would get to preview other potential candidates.
If Kepala Batas voters were to shy away from exercising that historic opportunity, I suggested that Malaysians could still teach Abdullah a lesson by substantially reducing his coalition’s victory. That would also trigger a challenge to his leadership, and we would have the same effect as with the first scenario.
Alas, Malaysians did teach Abdullah a hard lesson, but not hard enough. Besides, being a slow learner, Abdullah did not get the message. Now voters in Permatang Pauh, practically next door, will get a chance to deal Abdullah a third and final knock-out blow, one he would surely get.
This upcoming by-election will be more than just electing the area’s representative to Parliament. Permatang Pauh voters will get the unique opportunity to decide on behalf of entire Malaysia on who will lead our nation. It is as much an opportunity to vote for Anwar Ibrahim as it is against Abdullah Badawi, and to vote for Malaysia’s future – on whether she would progress to join the developed world or continue its present path to join the likes of Zimbabwe. Read the rest of this entry »
Abdullah proven ACA not an independent creature and why top UMNO leaders need not fear
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Corruption on Wednesday, 13 August 2008
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has proven that he and top UMNO leaders have nothing to fear from the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) as it is not an independent creature but totally beholden to the wishes of the Prime Minister’s Department.
This is the conclusion to be drawn from the summary manner Abdullah dismissed the accusation that he and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Razak had abused their power to hold onto the top two posts in the coming Umno polls.
He claimed that the Umno power-transition plan was decided by the party’s supreme council and announced to members.
Abdullah has missed the point altogether. Read the rest of this entry »
2nd Abdullah premiership – is it to be even worse than 22-year Mahathir administraiton?
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Good Governance, Human Rights, MCA, Religion on Tuesday, 12 August 2008
To many concerned Malaysians, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, has shown his true colours yesterday – he is not that open, liberal and tolerant after all.
He laid down two edicts for his second administration:
• No open forums or dialogues on religious or racial issues as they can undermine peace and stability – no more discussion on matters of religion or race that had already been enshrined in the Federal Constitution; and
• No objection to the use of Internal Security Act and Sedition Act against those who organize such forums like the Bar Council – up to the Home Ministry to act against the Bar Council.
Is it any wonder that Malaysians react to such edicts with the premonition that the second Abdullah premiership could be even worse than the previous 22-year Mahathir administration? Read the rest of this entry »
Rais should lead the charge in Cabinet to demand dropping of Anwar’s Sodomy II charge
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Anwar Ibrahim, Judiciary, Law & Order on Friday, 8 August 2008
The 2008 Olympics opens in Beijing today but for Malaysia, we are obsessed with scaling a new Olympian height of national trauma and international infamy – the strangulation of what is left of the rule of law in Malaysia after two decades of judicial darkness in the continued political persecution of Anwar Ibrahim in the Sodomy II prosecution.
Thanks to this special Malaysian official obsession with sodomy, Malaysia was big news in seven continents when Anwar Ibrahim was charged under Section 377B of the Penal Code for sodomising his 23-year-old male aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
Furthermore, Anwar’s Sodomy II trial and tribulation will be kept alive in the international stage because of the disgraceful, dishonourable and ignoble circumstances and motivation of the prosecution to the extent that the Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim has made a most unusual and extraordinary decision to organize a series of information sessions by the Foreign Ministry overseas on Anwar’s Sodomy II “to give a true picture so there will be no misconceptions that can hurt Malaysia’s image”.
What is this “true picture” that Rais is going to tell the world in a series of information sessions overseas? Read the rest of this entry »
Anwar’s Sodomy II – let professionals in AG’s chambers rethink and drop the medieval prosecution
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Anwar Ibrahim, Law & Order on Thursday, 7 August 2008
There was not only relief but a sense of vindication all round that Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was released on RM20,000 personal bond without surety after he pleaded not guilty in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court this morning to the Sodomy II charge under Section 377 B of the Penal Code.
The decision of the Sessions Court judge, S.M. Komathy and the stand of the Solicitor General Datuk Idrus Harun in not opposing bail gives hope that the system of justice is not totally condemned and irredeemable if the professionals in the legal and judicial services are fully freed of political pressures and interferences to discharge their duties to uphold the rule of law and dispense justice.
The person who had come out worst from this morning’s proceedings was not in court at all – the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Only yesterday, Abdullah was again justifying the Sodomy II prosecution of Anwar on the ground of according “justice” to the accuser, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, making many Malaysians ask why the Prime Minister has suddenly become the leading spokesman for Anwar’s Sodomy II charge when under the Constitution, the sole prosecution discretionary power is vested in the Attorney-General and not with the Prime Minister or in the Cabinet! Read the rest of this entry »
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