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More hideous than crime is repressive justice

YOURSAY ‘100 more Anwars and Karpals will rise. It ain't over till it’s over.’

 

Prosecution: Five years for Anwar ‘inadequate’

Casey: "There is one, and only one, thing in modern society more hideous than crime, namely repressive justice," said French philosopher Simone Weil.

 

Repressive justice or political repression or political discrimination is the persecution of an individual or group for political reasons, particularly for the purpose of restricting or preventing their ability to take part in the political life of a society.

 

Since the ascension of Dr Mahathir Mohamad as PM, repressive justice is often perpetrated by the ruling government against political foes, critics, activists and dissidents; manifested by the exercise of draconian, archaic or otherwise laws that operate like a dragnet.

 

In order for society to be free from oppressive restrictions and the arbitrary exercise of power by the government on one's political views, the government must subject itself to well-defined and established laws.

 

The necessity and the burden of proof always lie with the prosecution who lays charges. The criminal standard of proof demanded of our constitutional and common law principle is described as that of "beyond reasonable doubt".

 

Overzealousness on the part of judges to make decisions on very serious matters on the basis of the balance of probabilities or worst still, as in Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's case, the admission or omission of certain crucial evidences on surmise and conjecture, had led to a departure from the common law principles of this strict standard of proof which must be observed in all criminal prosecutions.

 

The political overtone, and the mere appearance that there has been an improper interference with the course of justice, is sufficient to make an ordinary man walks away thinking that there has been a travesty of justice and that justice is not seen to have been done.

 

For sure, the ordinary man will think that this is not a case of the administration of justice but a clear case of political persecution or repressive justice.

 

Negarawan: “The five years' jail term is manifestly inadequate compared to the provisions of 20 years’ jail and rotan (whipping), as stipulated under Section 377B of the Penal Code,” the prosecution argued.

 

Of course, a corrupt and despotic government will want to permanently put away anybody that stands in its way through abuse of power so that they can continue to plunder the country's wealth.

 

But a hundred more Anwars and Karpal Singhs will rise. It ain't over till it’s over.

 

Well Thats Fantastic: Going from innocent to guilty and handed a five-year jail term is not seeing justice done? What rubbish!

 

The appellate court made a decision that the High Court took months to make - that is where I see no justice done and our legal system abused and misused.

 

Kyrie Eleison: These prosecutors will go down the slippery road to hell with their Umno masters knowing fully well that these are just trump-up charges against an innocent person.

 

The circumstances that they convict Anwar on are so flimsy I wonder where the conscience of the appeal court judges was.

 

I am no fan of Anwar but we are talking about an innocent person and no innocent person in this country deserves this sort of treatment.

 

If really Anwar is convicted on Tuesday, then the existence of the judiciary in this country is no longer relevant.

 

Lamborghini: The prosecution is out to persecute, not to defend justice. Only in Malaysia is a man charged twice for the same offence, even though he has already served his sentence.

 

This whole trial smacks of political vengeance, legal idiocy and is a complete waste of public funds and will bring shame and dishonour to Malaysia.

 

Everybody knows this is a sham of a trial except those who are so blinded by their bigotry and hatred.

 

Louis: Five years is considered too heavy for such an offence. After all, he is not a public threat nor is he nuisance to anyone.

 

Oscar Pistorius, the South African ‘blade runner’, only gets five years for killing his girlfriend. Anwar's crime is chicken-feed to Pistorius'.

 

Kingfisher: A mental, emotional and psychological watershed, and a fault line is apparently in the making amongst communities which for long have been agnostic (“don't get involved”, “don't express a judgement”, “remain apathetic”, “don't care as it does not involve me”) to many of the abuses and injustices that have been a dominant part of the national fabric and blatantly prevalent.

 

The utter discontent of the majority appears to have coalesced into strong ‘judgmental’ outcries by various sections of society to the many corrupting and nationally debilitating characteristics evident.

 

This ‘judgmental’ armour recently acquired by many in a legitimate manner should augur well for the future of the nation as then knaves with ill-gotten indulgence will be identified, contained and eventually eradicated in the interest of the nation.

 

Dood: What would really serve the public interests is a fair, impartial judicial system, particularly the parts involving the Attorney-General's Chambers and public prosecutors.

 

Clearwater: Malaysia, truly selective Asia. Even its prosecutors select who to persecute and what to prosecute. It's all about who you befriend and who you must not offend.

Guilty or not, this is no way to rid the opposition


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