Our Parliament and state assemblies are little more than a hotbed of interminable intrigue, confrontation, mud-slinging, filibustering and sometimes also outbursts of violence.Judged according to these standards, this numbs the nerves of the executive and paralyses the legislature. The one cannot govern while the other cannot enact laws, adopt policies or, so far as the opposition is concerned, even act as a watch-dog of the government of the day. What stands out, therefore, is a mockery of their constitutional responsibilities.
A few high-profile cases reveal how much democracy’s ‘software’ lags behind its ‘hardware’ intricacies of the cases continue to be subjected to close and critical scrutiny in the media. But the larger picture they reveal hasn’t attracted the requisite attention: the growing disconnect between the “hardware” and the “software” of Malaysian democracy. The “hardware” of democracy include legislative and executive institutions (Parliament, state assemblies, the judiciary, official statutory and non-statutory bodies, political parties and the media. And the “software” relates to the observance of rules and regulations, conventions and precedents to enable the institutions to function in a transparent, accountable and effective manner. What is the record?
In believing AG Gani Patail is invincible -Police are not investigating a sworn statement containing explosive allegations against Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail because it is not a police report, Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today when referring to e statutory declaration made by former city CID chief Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim. the ‘moral of the story’ apparently is “You gotta be careful, you never know nowadays…”. Read the twisted thought process prompting such fear. This part of is driven byMat Zain Ibrahim. stuff: Zahid Hamidi is trying the defence that Red Riding Hood is really the wolf and the wolf was none other than good old Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail . Sickeningly, it’s received wisdom in newsrooms that there will be ‘flings’. That Mat Zain Ibrahim story “ did not catch the editor’s eye”. “That these things happen”. As the case gets murkier,Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi fires his latest WMD (weapon of mass distortion)How the case moves, truth be told, is an off-putting thought given that mud will fly worse than a mud-wrestling bout. All eyes on Najibl, who must’ve studied from special grammar text ‘Wrench & Martin’, to play — verbosity and all -you have individuals without kith or kin who rule the roost in their parties:l. None dares cross their path. What “software” of democracy can they possibly bring to the table? Precious little.
Thank you, Ahmad Zahid for — liberating us — from the burden of suppressed emotions. Regardless of what his critics are saying about Mat Zain Ibrahim. stuff outburst, we am pretty sure AG Gani Patail touched countless hearts. A no-holds-barred personal catharsis from a political bigwig on this scale and level is a hard act to top. But then again, As people evolve and circumstances change, no decision seems too sacrosanct to be questioned again Between the two Liars , what a lesson learnt amidst the beautiful environs of Liars Club: Be true to your own self and cultivate passion for something meaningful… Is it okay to change your mind? How often can one do so without being labelled … Read more
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi have a vested interest in playing down Ahmad Zahid said the authorities would consider investigating the allegations if a police report was lodged on the issue. however, said a statutory declaration did not amount to a police report, hence no investigation papers have been opened.In a 31-page statutory declaration, Mat Zain claimed that hundreds of millions of ringgit had changed hands and deposited into a Hong Kong bank account over the Pulau Batu Puteh case, which the International Court of Justice ruled in favour of Singapore.Mat Zain alleged that Abdul Gani had deliberately lost the case resulting in the ICJ ruling in favour of Singapore. He urged authorities to investigate the actual reason for Malaysia losing the island to Singapore, saying it was a matter of sovereignty.Administrative and legal processes to get to the bottom of four high-profile cases involving, directly What is at stake in each case is abuse of power that is in flagrant violation of the laws by those who are duty-bound – because of the positions they occupy – to uphold them.The most pressing need before the country is to ensure Letting Parliament function is the responsibility that comes with all the rights that our MPs In a democracy should the Speaker sit in give judgment Does the government not have faith in the ability of our Parliamentarians to examine an issue and make realistic and appropriate … Read more
The ailments of the judiciary, including, in the first place, that of the Supreme Court, are of another order. The alleged moral turpitude of some of the judges is only one of them. Even on this count, however, the judiciary is loath to allow an impartial and transparent probe by anyone other than the members of its own fraternity. The most recent instance concerns allegations of sexual misconduct against a recently retired judge of the apex court by an intern.
Add to this the growing interference of the apex court in legislative and executive areas that are, strictly speaking, beyond its remit. It is argued, doubtless with good reason, that such interference is inevitable when the government and the legislature are unable or unwilling or both to shoulder their constitutionally-mandated tasks. Governance, like nature, abhors a vacuum. But the danger in this argument is that it upsets the delicate balance of power between the three estates of the republic that the Constitution decrees. On this count, too, a lethal virus could render the “software” of democracy obsolete.That danger is no less acute when governments, both at the Centre and in the states, deploy official agencies to get even with rivals. More often than not, such deployment is initiated outside the framework of laws, rules and regulations. Fake encounters and fabricated cases are evidence of this conceited insouciance.
‘Right to clear name’
On May 2008, the inquiry findings had recommended investigation by the authorities on six individuals including the trio.
The others were tycoon Vincent Tan, UMNO secretary-general and then minister in the Prime Minister’s 
Department Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Mahathir did not seek a judicial review of the findings in the report.On Dec 12, 2008, the Kuala Lumpur High Court had rejected the applications of Lingam, Eusoff, Ahmad Fairuz, Tan and Tengku Adnan to challenge the commission’s findings.
Tan and Tengku Adnan withdrew their application before the appeals were jointly heard yesterday. Lingam, who represented himself yesterday, had submitted that he has a right to clear his name.
But so is the intrusive surveillance of citizens suspected of making life difficult for the rulers of the day: rival politicians, nosey media persons, un-cooperative civilian and police officials, NGOs and, in one instance at least, an individual who posed no such threat.
The cases ofV AG Gani Patail,Mahathir former MCA President different category. They relate to an unforgiveable betrayal of trust reposed in them . What makes the betrayal odious is that these individuals professed to promote highfalutin principles of moral and spiritual rectitude. All three of them emasculated the substance of their calling and, in the process, polluted the “software” that is expected to keep state and society in India in fine fettle.
Najib respected and knowledgeable economist and an honest and well intentioned man, Najib risks losing even this limited legacy completely, with scams unraveling around him like Draupadi’s robes. Unless angle miracle steps in to save him he is lost.This is really when new MT needs to step up to the plate and provide the leadership … Read more
