Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has declared that he is prepared to be investigated over allegations he had interfered with the judiciary when he was prime minister.
He said he was not afraid of being investigated and would give his full assistance to the police.
Malaysians hope that Mahathir is sincere and truthful in pledging full co-operation in any such investigation and that he would not do another repeat of the Lingam Videotape Royal Commission of Inquiry where he pleaded a massive attack of loss of his famous elephant memory!
Mahathir should demonstrate his bona fide in wanting the truth about the two decades of judicial darkness to be told and that he has fully recovered his elephant memory by giving details about the “boot camp for judges” which were held during his premiership to indoctrinate judges to be servile and subservient to the government-of-the-day.
The “boot camp for judges” were first revealed by High Court judge Justice Datuk Ian Chin when he revealed that a month after the April 1997 judges’ conference where Mahathir expressed unhappiness over Chin’s decision on a libel suit and an election petition and issued “a thinly veiled threat to remove judges by referring to the tribunal that was set up before”, he was “packed off to boot camp with selected judges and judicial officers to be indoctrinated to hold the view that the government’s interest was more important than all else when considering our judgements”.
How many such “boot camps” to indoctrinate judges to be servile and subservient to the government were held during the last decade of Mahathir’s 22-year premiership and who were the judges who aided and abetted in organising such “boot camps”?
The Truth Nothing But The Truth
The truth is that we are all human being, being so, we can’t really tell the truth and the best way is to tell the untruth.
Malaysia has this creature that is so untamed that he would go for the kill rather than being killed.
Blood Suckers
GE 13 – No matter what, we must ensure that racist umno bn do not regain the power like they had for the past fifty years.
Unless there is a change of Gov, otherwise nobody can touch him. The AG and IGP are both in his pocket. What RCI also can’t touch him.
Just pray to GOD to punish him for his sins to Msians. Badawi is too afraid of him. If not, he could have used ISA on TDM for threatening the security of the country when he called for Badawi to step down.
His crimes against us are just too many. Yet you see so many ppl around him wherever he goes. Most of them exUMNO or UMNO.
I’m sure there would be more revelations in the days to come.
Many reports have been made against him and no action has been taken.
The whole world knew what happened to our judiciary. Only two people do not know – mahathir and matthias.
mahathir says he will reply in due time. His memory is now on leave, when it returns from leave he would then reply.
More likely situation is he is taking the time to think up excuses and defences to exonerate himself.
He can take all the time he wants for the rakyat is no longer interested in hearing twisted facts, half-truths, and lame excuses.
Once again, everything will be nothing but a farce.
MM will continue to bark as loud as he wishes.
Every once in a while, he’ll send out his Lieutenant Mathias to do the barking and shouting from another end.
And again, despite being in bodowiland, bodowi himself will not dare to do anything or bring MM to court as MM has much dirty linen to reveals. To bodowi, the lesser people know, the better it will be. You know lah, how bodoh people works – as long as they gain, to stay as far away as possible from the truth.
And once again, MM gets away scott free.
Anwar has said that he has no recollection of the boot camp. Lamin Yunus, then President of the court of Appeal, also could not remember. Mamakthir is also going to plead memory loss.
Add to this the fact that the AG is beholden to Mamakthir and two-thirds of the current cabinet were members of Mahathir’s cabinet (including Sleepy Head), how can we expect to accomplish anything ?
Mr Smith,
His selective amnesia is his no. 1 weapon. You can’t prosecute a man who is “nyanyok.” (Is that the correct Malay word?). My suggestion, let him sit under the rambutan tree until his maker call him – ie ignore him.
Better let him sit under the durian tree until his maker call him, while praying hard for a durian to fall onto his head so that he can call his maker instead
Whats the point in bringing this Doctor amnesia to book.He is a craftyy old fox and a slippery eel who knows how to wriggle out when put in a corner.He should have been detained long ago under ISA for all the racial tensions he has caused. Lets forget him and move on
Mr Lim,
This is the second time that Mahathir is implicated in interference ,and is the government going to kep quiet?
What has happened to Lingam and all the infamous ‘heroes’ ? I believe they would be let off just like that!!!
Anyway if that really happens, it works in PR’s favour. In the next GE, BN would definitely be gone.
Yes, remember to ask the givernment to freeze all accounts and files safely locked before the next GE. Otherwise PR would inherit an empty office and void of fund as happened in the four states that BN lost!!!
All this while, this chap had been playing poker with a 2 bottom, and nobody dares to up him and he has been winning so far.
Sometimes I really wonder why that in spite of such revelations yet no action seems to follow. Is it that there are too many bones in the cupboard that the present government is still suffering from or he is just too smart for the present crop of UMNO ministers under a not so intelligent leader???
/// novice101 Says:
Today at 16: 02.32 (45 minutes ago)
mahathir says he will reply in due time. ///
Translated: “Yo, Matthias, quick, come up with your conspiracy cum snake-oil salesman spin…”
TDM ,not only should speak up, he should sue the judge for libel, defamation etc…
Mr Lim
Can you ask in Parliment or the police what happened to letter wrote by the late Tan Sri Abdulcooler, former judge before he commited suicide. To the family of the late Tan Sri, I am sorry to brought this sad event again.
Both Mahathir and Bodohwi are hypocrites of the highest order. PERIOD.
Had Tun Dr Mahathir (“TDM”) kept silent when Justice Ian Chin made the “boot camp” revelations, TDM would be in untenable position – especially when government ostensibly though Datuk Zaid said that there was no need for another enquiry, as it “will not reveal anything more than what we already know”!
But TDM has just spoken through his former political secretary Matthias Chang who made following points: –
· No veiled threat was delivered by TDM; this is corroborated by former Court of Appeal judge Shaik Daud Mohad Ismail who could not remember TDM issuing any threat;
· Another anonymous serving judge quoted by NST said that Chin may have “took the opportunity to speak from the Bench because he thought Mahathir was responsible for blocking his promotion”.
· “He cannot understand why Richard Malanjun was promoted to Chief Judge of Sarawak and Sabah” instead of him.
Here there is a counter allegation by TDM & his former political secretary against a sitting judge. From NST report at least two judges have contradicted the veracity of (Justice Chin’s) statement.
TDM himself has declared that he is prepared to be investigated over allegations.
Instead of TDM, it is the present administration that is now in an untenable position if it still maintains its stand that there is no need for a Royal Commission on grounds that it “will not reveal anything more than what we already know”!
For this would mean that the government assumes a priori the truth of Justice Chin’s allegations in spite of its veracity being challenged by TDM and two other judges – and that former TDM is being vilified without being accorded the right to be heard his side of the story and to defend his integrity and propriety of behaviour as the then Prime Minister, tarnished as they were, by the allegations.
Aside from the questions of (a) whether there was a thinly veiled threat or (b) Justice Chin’s motives, it is also a matter of public interest the other aspect whether there were held such sessions as might legitimately be described by Justice Ian Chin as “boot camps” with an agenda to indoctrinate judges to support the then government’s position.
On these grounds there is no way the Government can hold on to the original stand of refusing to establish a Royal Commission of Enquiry without appearing lackadaisical on major issues affecting the Judiciary Institution that have come to light by trhese allegations and counter allegations.
One more point : It is not only the government that will be questioned .
So far only YB Kit & Malaysian bar President S Ambiga have called for Royal commission to Justice Chin’s allegations.
In the light of TDM’s counter allegations, it will be asked why other parties within Pakatan Rakyat – PAS & Party KeAdilan Rakyat – or Pakatan Rakyat as a whole does not feel the urgency to issue a statement calling for such an enquiry by Royal commission, an omission that will surely be construed against the Opposition that it has a reason in not wanting to hear the Truth emanating from Justice Chin’s revelations.
I really want to know who were in the boot camp. They must be the courageous ones for the whole idea of the boot camp was to make them servile and compliant to the executive. Certainly our new CJ in October must come from this group who went to the “National Service” boot camp.
A message for you, from bro Haris Ibrahim, in his blog:
…which brings me to that little bit of gumption in action that we’ve seen just this week.
I refer to Justice Ian HC Chin’s revelation a few days ago about Dr M’s unholy attempts to interfere with the judiciary about 10 years ago.
To this, Rocky asked and remarked :
“What took the Judge so long?…A really long time to live in fear, Yang Arif.”
Bro Rocky, no fair! As we ask ‘why so long?’, bear in mind that the same question might be asked of you, I and many, if not all of us.
Justice Ian Chin spoke of events in 1997. In 1996, he would have witnessed first-hand how a nation stood by and did nothing as another brave judge, Justice Syed Ahmad Idid, was forced to resign whilst the list of judicial improprieties he had sought to expose were ‘NFA’ed as being baseless and unfounded.
What moral foundation do we now have to ask this man with gumption, ‘Why so long?’.
http://harismibrahim.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/gumption-a-minister-one-judge-and-a-great-many-mediamen/
We can all say that Tun Dr Mahathir has selective amnesia or perfected the art of hypocrisy but the essential point is this : if he says he is not afraid to be investigated over allegations he had interfered with the judiciary when he was prime minister, why are we (or the government) so afraid to grant him his wish and to so investigate (starting with Royal Commission)??? Does not an ordinary man, let alone the former prime minister, have a right or opportunity to counter and answer allegations against him publicly under conditions of Oath for all parties in an RCI to vindicate himself? Not only had a sitting judge made serious allegations against the former premier but the former premier through his former political secretary has now made serious counter allegations against a sitting judge – and who ever is saying the truth or otherwise the fact remains that the issues raised by these allegations and counter allegations bear significantly on major questions of integrity of and affecting both the institutions of the Executive as well as the Judiciary – which on this basis alone justifies a public enquiry. YB, you should call for the Royal Commission of Enquiry.
KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Lawyer Matthias Chang today alleged that High Court judge Datuk Ian Chin made his recent disclosure of judges being threatened by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad because he was not promoted.
Chang, a former political secretary to former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, claimed that Chin was upset that he was not promoted to Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak.
“This judge is angry because he covets the post of Chief Judge of Sarawak and Sabah. He cannot understand why Tan Sri Richard Malanjun was promoted to the post instead,” said Chang.
[ ]
He also said that by making unsubstantiated the allegations against the former Chief Justice and the former President of the Court of Appeal, Chin has scandalised the judiciary and he has also committed contempt of court.
Chang challenged Chin to a debate on the issues raised in his court statement, daring the judge hold him in contempt of court in making this challenge.
http://themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/home/42-lead-stories/268-judge-angry-he-was-not-promoted-says-lawyer-
If the AG will not take action against Matthias, then the AG must resign.
The fear of the current administration is that the old fox would simply drag other UMNO people down with him, perhaps through old cabinet minutes or tapes of other discussions in which certain people would have agreed with some of his actions. We can certainly guess who these people are.
The beginning of the end for Dollah and his gang?
http://themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/home/42-lead-stories/295-friday-the-13th-nightmare-in-downtown-kl
For something that has been going on for decades, this should NEVER be swept under the carpet under whatever pretext.
AAB and Zaid can say that they already know everything there is to know under the sun, but that is not only arrogant, but presumptuous.
For them to say they already decided to fix the judiciary without the FULL facts is presumptious, and very likely result in Flip Flop decisions.
All 27 million Malaysians want to see justice!
They want to know what actually happened!
Only when we, as a nation, knows the true facts, then, we may have a chance to heal from this decades-long disease.
Someone here mentions that we need a Royal Commission of Inquiry to dig up the full facts.
I totally support this idea, irrespective of any short term pain.
The alternative, to suppress the true facts from arising and being publicly discussed, is to deny justice and increase the likelihood of introducing sub-optimal solutions. More likely, we’ll flip flop again as a nation.
A Royal Commission of Inquiry please, and nothing less!
Old Observer.
That old man reminds me of the devilish underworld taiko who had commited countless crimes and yet behaved like a very well respected gang leader among his followers.That taiko had he been caught would have been put in jail.But he could escape scotfree because of his connection with the corrupted police.So there are some similarities between that old man and the taiko.
Having been “strongly implicated” by two INDEPENDENT sources, i.e. the Lingam Videotape RCI and Datuk Ian Chin, Tun M. should stop making the denial that he had ever interfered with the judiciary. I think Tun M. should be bold as Chua Soi Lek to gentlemanly admit being wrong.
Great leaders like Mao Tse Tung and Margaret Thatcher did make mistakes and contributions to their country they led. If their contributions are more than their mistakes, they are regarded as “good leader” – this is how the world judge an ex-leader! To be fair, Tun M. probably falls into this category. Though he had his share of condoning cronyism and corruption during his “reign”, but I still highly repect him as a great leader of Malaysia for his enormous contributions in transforming the country’s backward agro-based economy into a dynamic modern one.
TheWrathOfGrapes Says:
Today at 17: 46.21 (1 hour ago)
A message for you, from bro Haris Ibrahim, in his blog…”
if you have nothing personally or original to contribute to this blog, then don’t. we know where else to go to read about the issues.
“Yes, remember to ask the givernment to freeze all accounts and files safely locked before the next GE. Otherwise PR would inherit an empty office and void of fund as happened in the four states that BN lost!!!” – Grace
Do you really think that they will do Malaysians that favour?
Still feeling a bit naive about the BN government?
As I had envisaged,one by one the skeletons are coming out of the closet.It is not important to question why it took so many years for Datuk Ian Chin to reveal the truth.The onus is now on the govt.of the day to give top prority to this startling revealation by Chin to start investigating this matter.We are talking about the judiciary here which is of utmost importance to all Malaysians.The world is watching too.
Zaid says,it’s a waste of public fund to begin another royal inquiry on this.So,how about those public funds wasted 11 years ago,when the cases were argued in the court eventhough the judges have been pre-warned to decide cases in the favour of the goverment?
How about injustice done to those victims and their families?You cant just let the perpetrators of injustice to go scot free.There are so much to gain by immediately ordering for a royal commission of inquiry on this matter of paramount importance to the public.If no wrong was done by Mahathir,then prove it to the rakyat.If he is proven guilty then prosecute him.He is liable to answer the rakyat whether he is in the govt.and UMNO or not.There is no expiry date for any exposure of wrong doings.
The government is trying to hoodwink the public again.I for one am willing for my tax money to be used for this investigation and I am sure all right thinking Malaysians would too.So Zaid we have lost enough of our funds to the corrupt govt.leaders ,their families and cronies,so now please use our money and tell us the truth and nothing but the truth.
I hope Datuk Seri Anwar will be able to shed some light with regard to the `boot camp’as he was the then DPM who represented Mahathir.Truth has to prevail no matter what it is.We are watching and the world is watching too.If the Hindraf 5 could be detained under the merciless ISA just for asking the legitimate rights of the marginalized,dictators like Mahathir can be left off the hook?
If the govt of AAB is really serious in restoring the severely dented image of the nation’s judiciary then this is the time.
I think that in a court of law, an accused will normally deny the charge.
Be that as it may, the prosecutor will then put forward circumstantial evidence to prove his case.
So’s the same with this case; it doesn’t matter what the former PM said, if the government really wanted to proceed with it, it can start collecting such evidence to initiate proceedings.
The accused can deny all he wants!
You think TDM will dare to stand out and voice the issue? He is the cause of all these and speaking out will only jeopardize his stand, image and reputation. Like what one of the maxims of Equity in English Law says, “He who comes to equity must come with clean hands!”
Datuk Zaid said that there was no need for another enquiry, as it “will not reveal anything more than what we already know and a waste of public funds.”
Does it indirectly implied that the investigations on the Lingam 6 are closed ? NFA ed ?
Just a quick note. Not related to this article. Do we really need so many protests being organized around Malaysia? Pakatan Rakyat has enough MPs in the parliament. I’m certain you’ve other means to prove your discontent about the fuel hike. For instance, you can organize public speech to educate the people the course of fuel hike and teaching them that part of the problem is due to corrupt practices of the government. Please YB could you explain the neccessity of so many protest being organize?
Concerned DAP Supporter.
bernadette Says: “if you have nothing personally or original to contribute to this blog, then don’t. we know where else to go to read about the issues”.
Bernadette,
Precisely, that includes you, the good for nothing one liner. What have you got to say personally or originally? The biggest tragedy is you can not see your own irony.
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?????????“????”????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????“????”?????
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
????????????18???????2004??????????????????2008?3?8?????????“?????????????????”?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
??????????“?????”???????????????????????????????????“???”?“???”??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
“How many such “boot camps” to indoctrinate judges to be servile and subservient to the government were held during the last decade of Mahathir’s 22-year premiership and who were the judges who aided and abetted in organising such “boot camps”?”
I am more curious about if there’s any “real judges” left in the judiciary…
Tun has done nothing wrong in his tenure of 22 years as Prime Minister of Malaysia. In fact, he is the key person who dared to speak up for the poor and steered Malaysia into the right direction during difficult times. Among his countless merits, he has made Malaysia to be one of the most developed country in terms of its judiciary system. He was basically overwhelmed by so many judges who wanted to fight for the top post. With his impartial character, he was doing what was right and necessary in upholding the integrity of our judiciary system. Along the way there are bound to be people who were not happy. Again, this blog is a joke and is getting out of control! As a supporter of Tun, I would like to caution that the abovenamed who posted on this blog has intentionally and seriously caused defamation to our ex-PM and his supporters. I hereby demand the these people to apologise in this blog or serious action will be taken.
Oops !!!! Apaa Namaa………………………………..
why waste time Sdr LKS,
TUN M branded as “DURI DALAM DAGING” or “SPIKE INSIDE MEAT” had been removed out forever in our history in Malaysia.
Malaysians had suffered severe pains and tortured under TUN M “kuku besi” regime and dragonian laws for past 22 years. Enough is enough !!
No point for coward judges to cry over spilt milk today after TUN was powerless and oldman now. Malaysians don’t want to listen anymore such coward judges voicing out their symphaty sour stories to seek “ex-gratia” from the government for past cruel PM.
Past is past – over bad judgements under undue influences and threats !! Forget about TUN M is past legacy leader and irrelevant to Malaysia today.
Malaysians move forward and let new government of Pakatan Rakyat save our people, change for better good governance, freedom and adopt a CAT system.
……………… “HIDUP MALAYSIANS” !!!!!!
Malaysians keen to have TDM inner views in court should be aware of the Suharto Conundrun.
TDM knows he can retreat to a selective option of the Suharto’s conundrum – a waiver from being charged in court by being deemed medically and mentally unfit for court. TDM tested such grounds during the RCI thru statements to the effect he had no recollection or unable to recollect certain events; while outside of the RCI he could merrily fill in minute details of events he so chose to talk about. Meanwhile, TDM is certainly enjoying his jaunt in the park courtesy of AAB’s with all expense paid for by the Malaysian public.
The Indons were stumped for alternatives when Suharto played the ace; there was no amount of medical checks that could bring the man fit enough to face court charges.
And so for Malaysians, you will have to be more ingenious to ensure the Suharto conundrum does not spread to your shore.
After all, Malaysia and Indonesia share many common cultural traits such as crowd mentality and deference for elders. Because of their close similarities, events in Indonesia should be learnt for lessons in Malaysia. After all, TDM and Suharto were contemporaries, shaping many common objectives. Habibi was not even allowed to meet with Suharto in his final days; TDM was.
//…Among his countless merits, he has made Malaysia to be one of the most developed country in terms of its judiciary system. He was basically overwhelmed by so many judges who wanted to fight for the top post. With his impartial character, he was doing what was right and necessary in upholding the integrity of our judiciary system…// – Kasim Amat.
Huh??? I have never heard anything so contrary to popular conception – or shall I say misconception – that I hope you will spread the light and for the benefit of all explain the basis, facts or reasonings upon which you have come to such an exceptional conclusion.
Kasim Amat, I have never heard any opinion or assertion so contrary to popular conception – or shall I say misconception – that I hope you will spread the light, and for the benefit of all, explain the basis, facts or reasonings upon which you have come to such an exceptional conclusion – that Tun Dr Mahathir “has made Malaysia to be one of the most developed country in terms of its judiciary system….. With his impartial character, he was doing what was right and necessary in upholding the integrity of our judiciary system”.
A sitting judge has made serious allegations against a former premier and the premier has countered with a serious allegation against that judge.The question of integrity pertaining to both the Executive and the Judiciary is definitely at stake and therefore is of great public interest.Precisely because of this I agree 100% with Jeffrey that it is imperative that YB Kit should press for a Royal Commission of Enquiry. It would certainly help to salvage some of Malaysia’s lost image internationally.Zaid misplaced concern that holding such inquiry would incur losses is irrelevant and most importantly of no consequence.What is of utmost importance is an effort to repair Malaysia’s lost standing in the international community of nations.
bernadette Says:
Today at 08: 15.25 (14 hours ago)
don’t know what your jeffery is talking about! all that in one para.
bernadette Says:
Yesterday at 21: 42.44
“He is standing at the edge of a cliff………….” Jamesy
is that all you got to say?? never mind that malaysians are being made to suffer from the price increase? that’s stupid!
bernadette Says:
Today at 07: 42.54 (15 hours ago)
“‘Ask about 30 to 40% of the civil servants to stay at home.’. limkamput
so they all stay at home because you say so? so you don’t have to pay them??! never heard of more stupid comment.
bernadette Says:
Today at 08: 11.41 (15 hours ago)
less traffic congestion? you sure you know what you are talking? you mean stay at home means exactly that?
bernadette Says:
Today at 19: 24.01 (3 hours ago)
“So continue to pay them salary but asking them to stay at home is the best. Indirectly we are also telling them they are parasites. Of course I don’t expect Bernadette to understand because his puny brain can’t take it. ” leekamput
in one word – d a f t !!!
bernadette Says:
Yesterday at 22: 40.15
ok you made your point. take a break!
bernadette Says:
Today at 19: 34.29 (3 hours ago)
“The question is whether it is right or wrong act, a wise or unwise move ..”
we are not in the business of passing judgments.
bernadette Says:
Today at 19: 29.12 (3 hours ago)
if you have nothing personally or original to contribute to this blog, then don’t. we know where else to go to read about the issues.
limkamput Says:
Today at 21: 02.51 (2 hours ago)
bernadette Says: “if you have nothing personally or original to contribute to this blog, then don’t. we know where else to go to read about the issues”.
Bernadette,
Precisely, that includes you, the good for nothing one liner. What have you got to say personally or originally? The biggest tragedy is you can not see your own irony.
Jamesy Says:
Today at 11: 40.58 (11 hours ago)
Dear bernadette,
If you have better views to furnish, by all means, comment all you want on the issue at hand, rather than insulting others.
In this way, nobody will perceived you as LESS intelligent.
Should be ‘Zaid’s misplaced concern ……………….of no consequence.’.
From what he writes in a different thread, it seems to me that Kasim Amat is just being sarcastic.
Indoctrination sounds communist. And the boot camp sounds like the khidmat negara. Anyway, TDM has his own blog and so we will follow up with what he has to say. It is one thing to be loyal to the government. But it is another thing to be stupidly loyal.
For example, in ‘Petrol Price Hike Protest’, Kasim Amat writes:
‘Today at 23: 34.54 (10 minutes ago)
Before the government’s announcement of the price hike in petrol, necessary due diligence and proper consultation with Mr Khairy, the son in law of the PM must have been done. As an Oxford graduate and a young successful enterpreneur, we trust Mr Khairy has made the right decision and therefore it must be in the best interest of all. The decision must be respected by all Malaysians.’
This sounds to me like sarcasm. But I could be wrong.
By the way, I agree that Kit Siang should press for a Royal Commission of Inquiry on judiciary boot camps (as well as one on Sabah’s illegal immigrants).
who is asking you???
YB Lim
Not only must Tun Dr. Mahathir speak up, all the Justices who attended that “Boot Camp” must also speak up. As well, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who is reported to have said that he couldn’t recall attending such meeting/conference must think hard and also do so.
You see, some “learned and respected” people of our land, whose names epitomize noblesse oblige and to whom we must address as “Sir,” “Tun,” “Tan Sri,” “Datok Seri,” “Yang Berhormat,” etc., have effectively replicated the oblige, but not the noblesse.
In the United States one would invoke the Fifth to avoid self-incrimination, but a scoundrel from the “bolehland” would cite “dah lupa dah” to seek his last refuge.
They are supposed be the beau ideal of what moral certitude and honeste vivere are and mean. But, alas, they turned out to be moral turpitudes.
Are the bickering upstairs and cries in the streets the ubi sunt accompanying the sunset of our beloved motherland?
Where are they, our founding fathers? Will their promise of a Elysium, never mind la dolce vita, ever materialize?
De profundis clamavi !
To
The Former PM:
You now charged, as you have always charged, that the judiciary, had interfered in the administration of the country. Your disdain for the law, lawyers and judiciary is well documented Dr M. I remember clearly in one speech, you liken the lawyers to vultures. But of course, you would now say it was all in jest. Your contempt for the law and judiciary, every time the judiciary made a decision against you or your government is almost peerless. You would deem such decision as interference with the administration. Although you know that the administration consists of 3 different, but essential, arms, namely, the legislature, executive and judiciary, you failed miserably to understand their respective functions and duties. The phrase “check and balance” was missing from your administrative dictionary which was probably reprinted with an express instruction from you to delete the same.
Thus, history will show that you were so upset and angry with the judiciary that you had instigated another Constitutional amendment to take away “judicial powers” from the judiciary! May I point out Dr M, that Malaysia, would be the only country in the whole Commonwealth ( I say Commonwealth because I am not accustomed to non-Commonwealth systems) whose judiciary does not have judicial powers unless the legislature says so. Coincidentally of course, who controlled the legislature? That was, and I surmise, still is, your idea of a democracy.
http://thegazerofnavels.blogspot.com/2008/06/tun-salleh-saga-open-reply-to-dr.html
Is it possible that in regards to the Ayer Molek case, Mahathir is not aware of the Court of Appeal’s dicta in that case,”Something is rotten in the State of Denmark”?, despite the extensive coverage given the matter and that dicta?
On the other hand, did Mahathir choose Lingam for the job of defending himself against Anwar’s claim in defamation precisely because Lingam had been reported to be the agent responsible for the rotting of the House of Denmark?
Mahathir must choose between being seen to be very stupid or very cunning.
http://malaysianjudges.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-01-18T04%3A06%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=7
MggPillai (now decd.) wrote 2006-01-28:
Tan Sri Vincent Tan, a friend of the UMNO establishment then but not anymore, took me to court, arranged for a hearing at double-quick time, without my knowledge. I had some lawyer who called me saying he was going to discharge himself if I did not give him any instructions.
That was a Saturday before the Monday of the trial in 1994, and when I first knew I was being sued. I asked the lawyer for proof that I had engaged him. He had none, either from me or the seven other defendants. I went to Mr Karpal Singh, who could only come at the weekend, so I defended myself. In such circumstances where the plaintiff had not given his side of the dispute, there is provision for the plaintiff’s defence to be adduced in open court. I was not allowed to. The judge was hostile from the start. He would not give a postponement so that I could a lawyer of my choice of lawyer “because I would then not be the judge.” We lost. in the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Sri Ram told Mr Karpal, early in the proceedings, to look out of the windows. He looked, and said he could see nothing. “Well, don’t you see your appeal floating down the window.” We knew then we had lost. But as we were leaving the court building, one of the three judges asked us to look at a certain page of the judgement. We did and gave us the reason to get the permission to appeal to the Federal Court, which we got.
The chief justice, Tun Eusoff Chin, decided he would be part of the three judges, while he was around, who heard permission to appeal. In the Federal Court, Tun Eusoff sat. My lawyer asked that he be recused, but he refused, saying there were not enough judges to go around. This request was made after I had distributed photographs of he and Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s lawyer and their families holidaying in New Zealand. But Tun Eusoff took the view that it did not matter as there was no further appeal. So he thought. I lost again, but I appealed to the Federal Court to reverse itself. But I could do it only after Tun Eusoff retired. I filed the appeal, with a different set of lawyers as Mr Karpal Singh felt the Federal Court would not order what I wanted, shortly before Tun Eusoff was due to be sworn in as governor of Penang. Since he was a party of a court action, he was not appointed. The Federal Court in 2003 said it would rehear my appeal. So far it has not.
This is what ordinary people face.
Re : ///…“This is what ordinary people face..” /// – Tickler & other comments.
Had the Kedah State government, as a matter of historical accident, given Mahathir the scholarship to study law instead of medicine, maybe he might – not sure but just might – acquire a little more understanding of legal precepts and evinced greater respect for the constitutional checks and balance rather than impose his will on every branch of government and all and sundry and the nation might just have taken another course.
I agree that the above is speculative – he might not, even with legal training, turn out different, but the chances might be better.
The ultimate safeguard is not so much the one wields power – for power tends to corrupt those who wield it – but in those like us over whom power is wielded to check and demand for limits to power.
What we Malaysians must from now on learn and condition our thinking to is that if power tends to corrupt those who wield it, then we should be eternally vigilant to scrutinize and check such an exercise of power to ensure that it is wielded substantially for the proper purpose it is vested and intended, and not for extraneous collateral purpose of benefiting the person who wields and his friends and cronies. Here power is not confined to Judicial Power. It can be power of majority in Parliament or in Government (Executive) both Federal and State Level, power of civil servants and uniformed services like police or even corporate power in boardrooms and extra general meeting of shareholders.
However to have an understanding of powers and the proper limits of its exercise, it would behoove us, as laymen, to also acquire a modicum of knowledge of law, rules and regulations governing our lives. It helps to safeguard vigilance of our rights.
Datuk Zaid is not wrong in saying that RCI is a waste of public funds.
Only the AG has the power to prosecute. The AG will just NAFed all RCI reports. Instead of asking for more RCI we should first campaign for the removal of the current AG.
Jeffrey:
You are asking us to understand the concept of check and balance. You write the checks, credit to my account, and I will check on the balance.
Malaysian political process to select PM and members of cabinet need to be changed.
1. PM should be selected directly by the people. This will allow him/her to have the actual mandate of the people.
2. There should be clear separation between PM and other branches of govt. ACA, Judiciary, EC and others should report directly to parliament.
I agree PM, DPM, AG and the rest of BN are easily intimidated by Dr. Mahathir especially after they didn’t get the 2/3 majority. However, PM need to show backbone in tackling this problem. Dr. Mahathir has been vocal immediately after BN last election dismal performance. He was loud and tried his best to stay politically relevant, but thanks to the bloggers communities that shut him down period! Power to the bloggers!!! Lately, his dog, Matthias did the barking for him calling for Judge Datuk Ian Chin to resign.
Now, people are coming out of the wood work to voice the abused they experienced during Dr. Mahathir administration. Enough is enough, this is Malaysia, but Zimbabwe…
IF JUDGES COULD BE INDOCTRINATED AND COWED TO SUBMISSION BY THIS ONE PERSON- THEN WHAT WOULD WE SAY OF THOSE LAW MAKERS, ACADEMIA AND INTELLECTUALS WHO STOOD BY TO WATCH IN SILENCE
That old man’s pitiful and invertebrate running dog has started barking.This type of behaviour befits the chinese saying ‘the eunuch becomes excited and worried instead of the emperor’.
One of the culture in the administration of this country is that ministers of this country will not ever admit their mistake and yet permitted to speak even louder and challenge those who pointed out their mistakes. I have never seen similar cultures in any other countries apart from Mynmar and North Korea.
Is the ex-PM prepare to be investigated, if PR is in government and Anwar is the PM?
// Neo Ban Chuan says: “One of the culture in the administration of this country is that ministers of this country will not ever admit their mistake and yet permitted to speak even louder and challenge those who pointed out their mistakes. I have never seen similar cultures in any other countries apart from Mynmar and North Korea.”//
The minister in this country has been appointed based on their qualifications and endorsement by the people. They were appointed from the democratic process. They have used all the care they could before executing any public policy and there is no doubt all the policies are in the best interest of the Rakyat. Are you saying all the Ministers are incapable and keep making mistakes? Please let me know which Minister has made mistakes and what proof do you have?
Dear Saudara Kasim
There is a world of difference between “using all the care they could before executing any public policy” and “all the policies are executed in the best interest of the rakyat”. The former involves competency and experience while the latter points to honesty and integrity. Agreed?
Examples of incompetency amongst ministers are aplenty. They can be found in the papers (even though they are all government controlled – surely you’re not going to argue on this point as well, right?).
Perhaps you should convince us instead why you think none of the current ministers has made any mistake. You have our ears …
dear kasim amat,
are you one of that ministers or maybe related to one of those ministers you say care for the people? you must be the biggest CLOWN or PUPPET walking around town believing that ever happened in the history of Malaysian politics since Mahathir was in power even until now that Badawi is power. if you say that the ministers care, why has the people lost faith in the BN government even after 5o years being in power?? they had a lot of years to actually run the country much better and if they had the citizens will not be blogging unsatisfied statements against them. but we do and that is all because all of us here(except you) believes it is high time for to change the government and make way for a new party to rule this country and since this time the people of Malaysia actually picked their MPs then the MPs would really make sure that our votes are made worth while.
unlike the current government, of which if you are BIG crook politicians BN wants you.. because they know you can contribute a lot of money into their pockets PERSONALLY!
omg! kasim amat have u not been reading the newspapers since you were born??? take for example our former minister of education hishamudin, what did he say about the nuisance of mat rempit? that it was a malay culture.. so let me ask you is the nuisance of mat rempit a Malay culture?
and not forgetting malaysians most famous idiot politician SAMYVELLU!! do you need me to give examples on his stupidity after being a minister for so long??? well since you have not read newspaper from the day you were born, i think its high time you do so and maybe catch up really fast if you want to update yourself about the malaysian politics…
and may i add our judiciary system is a total BIG JOKE to this country.. judges doing whatever they want and cases are being abandoned for a long time.. maybe even forgotten who knows.. it could happen… we need to change the system and let the public be more involve in sentencing a case such as doing jury duties then there would be fairness in our courts and cases will not be hold up so long before brought to court. boot camps for judges could be done a good way such training them to be a better people in judging the wrong and the right, not accepting briberies at all and making sure that they re obligated to give a fare and just ruling to any case presented to them. not because when money is place in front of them a murderer can get away with murder!!