Posted on by Kit

AG’s role in two decades of judicial darkness

The Star
Monday May 19, 2008
Call to order withdrawal of report against press

KOTA KINABALU: The Prime Minister should order the withdrawal of a police report made against several newspapers for publishing the Royal Commission of Inquiry report on the V.K. Lingam video clip before it was made public.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said the Government’s police report over alleged contravention of the Official Secrets Act by the media was incorrect.

The Act could only be used if any leaked government confidential information had threatened national security, he said.

Lim said the contents of the Royal Commission of Inquiry findings into the video clip was of public interest.

He noted that in other countries, royal commission reports were immediately made public.

He also said the Cabinet’s decision in instructing the Attorney-General’s Chambers to investigate the various individuals named in the commission’s report was insufficient.

For more than 20 years, the Attorney-General’s Chambers had failed to defend the impartiality of the judiciary and “nobody expects the AG to play a rightful role in the aftermath of the Lingam report,” he said.

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63 Replies to “AG’s role in two decades of judicial darkness”

  3. No, it’s not that the Commission report is “of national interest”. It is against UMNO’s interest, hence it has to be classified as official secret.

    These thieves use the law for their own selfish ends, and it will require a change in federal government to be able to set the country on the right path to accountability and transparency.

  4. One question: Why the AG needs directive/instruction from the Cabinet to investigate those supposedly involved in judge fixing as reported in the RCI? If AG gets directive or instruction from the Cabinet, then how does he act independently if Cabinet members are involved in some impropriety or crime? Like what I read somewhere, all roads lead to Rome. The system of governance here is just too scr*wed up already. Power are just too centralised and arbitrary now. Those entrusted with important positions can no longer see their constitutional role and responsibility any more. Instead, they are all happily submitting and beholden to the power that be. How we have come to this stage is really beyond me. I hope someone could shed some light.

  5. The present AG should be remove from office long ago since the the infamous Anwar Ibrahim trial a decade ago.

    By all means, this very man who claimed that lawyer V.K. Linggam was on a monologue in the pre-Royal Commission Inquiry into the “Linggamgate” scandal, an inversion to the RCI’s findings is definitely unfit to take charge of this case.

  6. dear limkamput Says: the AG is political appontee under the Malaysian constitution. He the AG doesn’t owe the malaysian public but his political masters within the parameters of the law.
    Thus he moves with the present government thus the real power behind that chambers comes from the executive.

  8. 1999-07-11

    Dato’ Seri Anwar last Friday forced the Prime Minister yet again into the corner he has become accustomed to. He lodged a police report accusing him, the Attorney-General, and Dato’ Abdul Gani Patail, a deputy public prosecutor for failing to press charges against a senior member of the Malaysian cabinet. The Harakah, the PAS newspaper, in this morning’s edition named the minister for international trade and industry, Datin Seri Rafidah Aziz, as the minister involved.

    The Prime Minister meets every accusation by further public relations pronouncements on how well the country does. The newspapers are replete with news of matters of no import. The cabinet and government lives in the clouds, unwilling to come down to earth. It is left to the Prime Minister alone to challenge a spontaneous ground swell of questioning crowds for which none dares give answers. Attempts to divert public attention by harping on opposition shortcomings fail because they are not followed through. Ministers make stupid statements that redound on the government’s credibility. The minister of information, Tan Sri Khalil Yaakob’s silly statement about no air time for opposition parties is typical of what comes out of the mouths of cabinet ministers these days. When they decide to open their mouths. When issues of import are raised they are ignored; instead, the government usually accuse the questioners of being ungrateful.

    But the latest Anwar complaint is serious: he has alleged the Prime Minister, the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah, and DPP Dato’ Abdul Gani Patail of perverting the course of justice; they had prima facie evidence against the minister, whom Harakah identifies as Datin Seri Rafidah Aziz, on five counts of corruption. “The charges were not preferred due to the intervention of the Prime Minister and as a result … (the minister) has not been prosecuted,” he said in the statement. He said the Prime Minister reprimanded him when he tried to change the latter’s decision to halt the corruption case. Dato’ Seri Anwar responds with every action against him with a believable, provable accusation against a named individual close to the Prime Minister, with the impact of a tightening noose. How would Goliath respond?

    M.G.G. Pillai

  9. This ‘making police report thing’ is becoming a Malaysia living norm. Police have better task to do rather then taking down statement and at the end of the day don’t know what to do with most of them. I believed Malaysia do own law on RCI procedure. If such law is not in place them quickly set one up and make it as the ‘universal guideline’. Then nobody can simply give instruction on who should act what. On March 8th, we the rakyat have voted hoping to see positive changes and expected the new government to listen to the people voice but it all fallen onto deaf ears – a super tsunami is what we need!

  12. Is the bugger going to set up a new party, “umno terbaru”? Or “semangat 08”? Or just “united mamak national organization”? (There are approx 100 million mamaks in India, so no lack of membership)

  13. I can’t think of any better reason for Dr M to desert UMNO other than the fact that he is ashamed of the misdeeds he had committed in perverting the course of the Malaysian judiciary. I ay “YES!” to the RCI on the Lingamgate scandal. Let those responsible be named and justice prevail!

  15. The current A Gong Generalissimo is a man of low intellect and high cunning – a deadly combination of 2 opposing qualities.

    He has repeatedly that he only has the interest of the ruling party, and not the people who pay his salary – the Rakyat.

    So, the first step is to put him in the deep freezer.

    The appointment of Judges, AG, ACA Chief, I Raja Polis etc should all be taken out from the exclusive hands of the PM and be handled by a new Commmission comprising the PM, Bar Council, CJ, Min of Law & 2 Opposition MPs’

  16. Tunku and Tun Hussien left the UMNO mahathir created, because they had total disdain for what mahathir was doing. mahathir is now leaving the party he has created himself, because he could not get his way.

    He hopes others will follow his example. It would be good to see how much of a support he has in UMNO. AAB now has the opportunity to put mahathir to rest for good, at least in UMNO.

    mahathir’s arrogance knows no bound. This arrogance is a result of his bloated self-confidence in himself. He has convinced himself that he can do no wrong and his logic supasses all others’.

    The logic and confidence which are built with no moral and spiritual foundation are now tumbling down. Malaysia is on the path of recovery from 2 decades of decadence. There is hope for Malaysia yet. Just imagine what people’s unity can do!

  17. What is happening now was created by Tun Dr M. When he was in power no BN members or leaders dare question him. EVEN WHEN HE SPOKE AGAINTS THE ROYALTIES.Everyone knows that he control the AG,ACA and the police.One wrong move and you are out.Everyone knows that the case againts ANWAR was all plan by Tun Dr M , all because ANWAR wanted to challenge him for the post of party PRESIDENT.
    After what he did no body dare go againts him.Even now when his back is againts the wall ,Tun Dr M is still saying what he did is right.

  21. Rahim Noor, Mohtar Abdullah, Abdul Gani Patail, Augustine Paul, and Musa Hassan were key trusted puppets of Mahathir during Anwar’s trial, and some of them have morphed into very powerful civil servants holding positions that are supposed to look after peace, justice, and fairplay in Malaysia.

    What happened then is still a puzzle and we need another exposé to dig into the untold truth and dark forces, à la Loh Mui Fah’s and Loh Gwo-Burne’s Lingamgate.

    Is there a light at the end of the dark tunnel?

  23. My deep throat told me Mahathiu quit UMNO because he knows he would be soon be expelled from UMNO!

    He is just taking a pre-emptive move to save his ugly face!

    He knows very well his days are really numbered!

  25. It looks like he`s only playing to the gallery. The resignation is not a resignation:

    Against this backdrop of inertia and indifference, the former PM could see that his campaign to oust Abdullah was petering out. Only a sudden and drastic move could help him regain the initiative. This is what he attempted to do today by resigning from a party he joined in 1946.

    At a press conference later, Dr Mahathir said he will submit his resignation from Umno as soon as possible.
    http://themalaysianinsider.com/mni/dr-ms-final-move-to-topple-abdullah.html

    What does `as soon as possible` mean. Surely he doesn`t mean he`s forgotten how to write now.

  26. Time for UMNO to change from “UNITED MALAYS NATIONAL ORGANIZATION” to “UNITING MALAYS NATIONAL ORGANIZATION”. It has worked backwards and is back to “square one”!

  29. Mukhriz to resign from Umno as well? No lah. How to walk away from the juicy gravy trains? After all, papa only cakap to temporarily resign from Umno ASAP. Apa itu temporarily resign?

    It’s papa’s way of playing racial card to stir up racial tension between Malays and other racial groups. Whenever there’s a problem in Umno, Umnoputras will look for non-Malay bogeyman to hentam. Boogy, boogy!

  30. Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has announced his shocking exit from Umno, “has been and still remains a gutter politician”, according to DAP national chairperson Karpal Singh.
    [ ]
    “He has clearly shown that he is incapable of becoming a statesman. He has been, and still remains, a gutter politician,” Karpal said in a statement today.

    “He should remain a member until he clears his name for the alleged offences committed when he was Umno president and prime minister.”

    http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/83096

  33. Let me tell you about police reports which I’ve encountered and those experienced by my friends.

    a. Report car accident
    b. Report snatch thieves
    c. Report molest cases by office workers
    d. Report child running away from home
    e. Report employee erasing files from computers after resignation.
    f. Report a breakin into car, apartment, factory, office.
    g. Employee reporting that employer calls them too many times.
    h. Students reporting against teachers.
    i. Children reporting that parents beat them up.
    j. Driver reporting an self inflict accident to claim insurance.
    k. Report for handphone lost when a drunkard can remember where he place it last.
    l. Report someone register for a car loan under his name.
    m. Report that someone insult the King. The King don’t see it as a problem.
    n. Report that, rprt this… everything report police.

    CAN THE POLICE DO ANYTHING?

  34. Mahathir resigning from UMNO is not unexpected and his departure is merely to take his followers out of the once united Malay party which has now changed to the one disunited Malay party.

    This apparently is a planned and calculated move to remove the legitimacy of the once united Malay party to govern on behalf of the Malays. The message is clear i.e. UMNO has lost all legitimacy in its struggle to defend Malay rights. It is time the baton is passed which would transform the present UMNO in effect into a splinter group.

    Fresh general elections? You bet!

    The outcome? Malays will unite to re-take some of the states lost to PR. Perak is a good bet.

  35. He sounds desperate and frustrated to me rather than planned. I don’t think there will be an exodus of UMNO members and leaders following his resignation. He is a spent force. No one of substance listens to him anymore, only the frustrated ones may be.

  36. Mahathir’s actions are purely a charade – and are designed to force Badawi into some form of accomodation. Remember that these used to be thieves of the same camp, and they are now fighting over the spoils. PR must remain vigilant. We must not be provoked into doing anything rash which could divert attention from the problems within UMNO.

    Let the process of implosion begin !

  39. This is the history of UMNO Presidents and Prime Ministers of Malaysia:

    First Prime Minister died as a non member of UMNO

    Second Prime Minister died in office.

    Third Prime Minister died as a non member of UMNO

    Fourth Pime Minister dies in jail as a non member of UMNO?

  40. From Mahathir’s view point, it is better to resign by himself instead of being revoked the membership or being expelled.

    What will UMNO do? If UMNO is smart enough, it should not accept his withdrawn of membership, but to expell him. In that case, he will be like Anwar, given no path of return. So he would know how Anwar felt.

  42. This is no ordinary case. It involves 3 Tun(s) and the person tops the list is non other than the ex-PM himself. In the past we have seen how the AG handled some of the high profile cases including DSAI.
    The question is can we expect anything more from him? I doubt that very much. Moreover the pressure is very tremendous this time around. There could be more than 1 who holds higher position in the government could be pushing the AG and IGP to drop this case. Unless the opposition and people put greater pressure we may not see the end of the tunnel.

  43. Dont you guys realised what really bothers DR M all this years,the real reason he hates Pak Lah?

    ITs THE BRIDGE

    He cant stop talking about it….even when anouncing his “resignation” from UMNO.

    THe johore-singapore bridge means everything to DR M.

  44. I think DR M didnt mean no harm when he play the racial sentiment in his blog recently.Its just his stratergy to make sure his quiting from UMNO several days later works to its maximum effect.

  45. Let’s all be honest: Mahathir isn’t all bad & Pak LAh isn’t all good. But, to be brutally honest, Mahathir and Pak Lah are overwhelmingly bad than good, not for their families but for the nation. MArk the difference; the former as a family man, the latter as a leader of Malaysia.

    [deleted]

    Still, I believe there is hope for Malaysia. A fresh GE may be just the right antidote for a nation poisoned to its very core. But Pakatan Rakyat must be forewarned and prepared to crest to victory in the event of a snap election. The people are exhausted looking at the stupid sandiwara being played on the national stage. They leave a strong distate and disgust behind.

    So we must all begin our efforts at cyber-campaigning all over again. And we must redouble our efforts to ensure a swwift and sure victory. The smell of a new Malaysian Malaysia under a Pakatan Rayat government will become a reality if all of us work hard to ensure a resounding victory.

  46. The ‘resignation’ didn’t look or sound like “planned”, premeditated and well thought out as part of an elaborate scheme to force UMNO power brokers to take a position for him and against PL. It was more like an emotional response to a dare.

    According to report of Noor Adzman Baharuddin & Adib Povera, NST uploaded to MalaysiaToday this was what supposedly happened :

    (To quote) “After goading Umno members today to temporarily resign from Umno as a sign of protest against the party president, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took up a “dare” to take the lead by resigning from the party he had been a founding member of since 1946. Dr Mahathir was answering questions from the floor after giving a talk at a forum entitled ‘Malays’ Future after the 12th General Election’ at the Star City Hotel in Alor Star when a member of the audience asked him if he would take the lead in quitting Umno.

    “Wah, saya di cabar ni…(I have been dared),” he quipped but in a serious tone, he said: “Yes, I will leave Umno….until the party leadership is determined. Other Umno members should follow me.”

    Loud cheers immediately met his declaration. It is not immediately clear if his son, Datuk Mukhriz, also the MP for Jerlun and an Umno Youth Exco member, would follow suit. The former Prime Minister’s announcement also caught his aides by surprise.” (Unquote)

    This time he could possibly have tripped, and shot himself in the foot….He sure didn’t look or sound his customary confident self on TV3. It would have been different had he called a press conference just to make the announcement. Looked like half way through the proceedings he was unsure he said the right thing but continued nonetheless. In fact he looked a tinge sad and diffident. In contrast, PL’s response to the resignation was more confident and controlled.

  47. Would he after a night sleep say, “ It was an emotional response to a question planted by opposite faction to entrap him to say wrong things in state of distraught, and having had the benefit of sleeping through the matter, now realise that his resignation would benefit the adversary more, and this being the case, would reconsider his resignation and stay on to fight within UMNO???”

    In view of so many unsympathetic responses to his resignation – his announcement might almost be an unexpected devlopment devoutly wished for by his detractors – would the combative Tun make an aboutface turn in his decision???

    Of course after saying “resignation”, it is not easy to retract or back track without losing moral credibility and face. The last time he announced his resignation as UMNO President in its General Assembly, it was calculated and planned. When it was so, he could even shed some crocodile tears. Then some (including Kak Rafidah) rushed to his side trying to coax him to change his mind. In contrast, this time around, no such thing. According to an article posted by one Kasee in MalaysiaToday with title “Mahathir Resigns, Deepening Cracks in UMNO, A senior Umno leader dismissed suggestions that the party would break up, saying Mahathir’s departure “is not that important.” He indicated that the party was glad to be rid of Mahathir’s disruptive influence.

  48. “I welcome his decision. It is high time for him” to leave, said Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a Cabinet minister and a member of Umno’s supreme council. “He is old enough to decide. He has every right to do it but he shouldn’t urge members to follow him. It’s up to the members” he added.

  49. After 20+ years, I must say that he has less wealth compared to other corrupted leaders of same generation, such as Suharto, Marcos, TAIB MAHMUD of Sarawak, and even other UMNO or MCA or MIC politicians who spent less years in politics than him. To be honest, does he need UMNO membership any more? I think he no longer needs it. While we want to spit at him, we also hold some respect for him (and thus stopped spitting at him).

    One thing that he has learned for sure is POWER is everything. Without power in hand, all his former cabinet ministers no longer respect him. They respect only people with power, and it is Abdullah Badawi. Once abdullah falls, this group of opportunists just switch to another master.

    I agree with Mahathir that UMNO is no longer relevant. I hope that was the reason why he dropped out of UMNO

  51. Pak Lah should set a new ruling that those who resigned from umno at their accord will not be accepted back. Then the mamak would curse himself and all his ancestors for being so stupid to resign

  53. In 50 years between malaysia and singapore we can count a few true and real political masters: (1) Lee Kuan Yew; (2) Mahathir Mohamad; (3) Anwar Ibrahim; and (4) Lim Kit Siang. [Order does not denote ranking.]

    They are real figthers and they able to survive and can in fact thrive in extreme or hostile political environment.

    Mahathir may be an old man. And he may seemed to have been sidelined by the party but never underestimate him.

    20+ years as PM of the country and in that time span he got rid of 3 DPMs, jailed Anwar Ibrahim, jailed Lim Guan Eng, detained Lim Kit Siang, dismissed 5 FC judges, challenged the rulers, rebuild UMNO after it was declared illegal and overcame many other political crisis.

    Of course, not all of them were done legally or properly.

    But he got away with the end result which he had sight on.

    Now, he is a real pain in everyone’s side (whether within or without UMNO). And he has done it very effectively indeed.

    He is no longer in power but he is still manages to kick up storms in the media.

    He is certainly one difficult man to read and deal with for he habitually fires in all directions and has absolutely no problem in taking U-turns and making denials.

  54. Gani Patail, the AG with a 3rd class honours degree (University Malaya law faculty does not give out general degrees, and the lowest grade is 3rd class honours) and the executor of all BN decisions continues to embarrass the country, even today.

    He and his team continue to be the laughing stock of prosecution – Altantuya, Noritta Samsuddin, etc etc. He will be the laughing stock again when the World Court rules in favour of Singapore on the sovereignity over a little rock between the two countries. He was the one who said the Sultan of Trengganu acted unconstitutionally, parrotting his master, Sleepy Head.

    Is the word “shame” in your vocabulary, Gani ?

  55. Talking, what’s so great about MM?
    For 22 years, he had abused his power absolutely. And worse still, he left behind a legacy that is being still perpetuated today.
    To put him on par with political greats like Lee Kuan Yew, Anwar & Uncle Lim is overdoing it.
    If there is no change of government soon, our country will be a basket case!

  56. Farcical & pathetic!

    Tan sri Haidar already mentioned in the press that the report is indeed “public property”, meaning PM’s approval is irrelevant!

    Even though Haidar pass the buck to PM, out of fear of retaliatory actions, it is still “public property”!

    Hello PM, Malaysians are educated people, don’t give us “kampung punya perangai” and insult the dignity of Malaysians at every level!

    Sad case, sad case!

  57. To put him on par with political greats like Lee Kuan Yew, Anwar & Uncle Lim is overdoing it.
    _____________________________________

    I agree with you absolutely. TDM is in the great Asian dictatorship of SMM (Suharto, Marco, Mahathir).

  59. Mr Lim,
    If you ask GhaniPatail to investigate,I don’t have much hope.
    If they do not see anything fishy in all these dealings as reported in Lingam’s inquiry, they are more idiotic than idiots.

    Just compare flight itinerary of Lingam and Eusoff Chin to New Zealand. Except for the flight to Singapore, it was 100% identical all thru their travel. To strike 6 digits is easier than having a similar flight itinerary for two ‘casual’ friends on an overseas holidays.
    Maybe as some one had mentioned our AG is a third class honor law graduate from MU. With such low level of intelligence he really could not fathom the odds of having such coincidence.

    Then as reported that Mokhtar Abdullah said that there was no case on this visit. Again, remember Mokhtar Abdullah had gone on a Spanish holidays with Lingam as portrayed on a photograph dring the Royal inquiry? How to find a case against a friend?
    If really the country wants to come out clean, we cannot rely on our local ACA, Local Police, Local prosecution team and Local Judges.
    We need to incorporate the expertise of either Singapore or HK’s anti corruption to do a clean job. Similarly for the prosecution, and judges.
    Otherwise, it will end up with no case. Remember TDM has the records of those tainted offficers as claimed by his goodself.

  60. “..rebuild UMNO after it was declared illegal and overcame many other political crisis.” taiking

    Depending on your perspective, you have as many reasons to say he put himself first (read: greed, power and money), and all but destroyed the Party. He caused deep schism within the Party which has never been the same again. He did that after hijacking the elections with the help of the current DPM.

    “…has absolutely no problem in taking U-turns and making denials.” taiking

    Some call that symptoms of a seriously flawed personality. Others would say it is the attribute of a ‘crafty politician’. In truth he is many different personalities to different people – a study in contradictions, no doubt.

    To the world, he has been dubbed as the tin-pot dictator.

  61. Tun M is one political foe whom we cannot and must not underestimate. He is still capable of pulling some nasty tricks and throwing unexpected punches. He has done so effectively on countless times in the past. And he is still doing it now in UMNO; and to his perceived enemies in that party. A one-man opposition within and UMNO is topsy turvy. A real testimony of the havoc he is still capable of creating. I would not write him off. Not yet, anyway.

    PR must be on guards. The punches now being thrown at UMNO by the old man may find an unsuspecting PR as a target.

    Dont let that happen or, at least, be ready when it happens.

  62. The PM has done nothing wrong. The report is not final and the AG has the rights to override the findings of the report. So the leaking of the report’s content can be deemed as misleading the public into believing that the parties mentioned in the report are at wrong. The PM should not release the content of the report and instead, should disclaim what the Royal Commission Inquiry has concluded as the RCI’s investigation has seriously tarnished the image of our ex-chief judges and this is totally a reckless behaviour of the members of RCI. The AG should investigate any improper behaviour of the members of RCI during their work and take action against them for tarnishing the image of our ex-PM and the ex-judges.

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