We welcome the dropping of attempted murder charges against the 31 Malaysians who were implicated by the police without any incriminating evidence. It was the only decent thing to do since their case was so flimsy and without merit. Under these circumstances the police were in no position to proceed with the case. It has nothing to do with compassion or justice. It is simple as that.

Any claim that “The prosecution showed its softer side yesterday when it dropped the attempted murder charges against 31 people for hurting a policeman” is nothing but absolute nonsense . It has nothing to do with the truth of the matter.

The attorney-general’s statement, “We cannot pinpoint who exactly did it or rather who was the one who ‘threw the brick’ at the person who was badly injured” is ludicrous. The wisdom shown by the AG comes too late in the day.

It begs the question: Wasn’t that pretty obvious from day one? Why did you charge them, Mr AG? How could he, in all good conscience, have charged 31 Malaysians without being specific about their culpability in the crime? How could he even have thought of charging them?

He sounds hollow when stating, “When we exercise the law, we have to look at it fairly.” What law did he look at and how did he exercise that law in charging them? Malaysians need a clear and concise explanation to justify his action.

Didn’t he, in spite of the defects in the attempted murder charges, appear in person to oppose bail so that they could be locked up unjustly? The charges were so serious that he had to come before a junior judge, imposing his presence to obtain the judgment he was pushing for. He did all this knowing full well that he was walking on thin ice.

As far as ordinary Malaysians are concerned, the AG had wilfully discarded the law and frivolously charged them when there was no case to answer. In doing so he had heartlessly robbed them of their freedom and wantonly denied them their human rights.

It has not even been established whether all of them were there to participate in the Hindraf assembly. Nov 25 being a festive and religious occasion, we understand that there were devotees amongst them in the temple precincts who had come to offer prayers or to spend their night in observance of the religious festival.

Who could forget the mother’s hysterical screams of agony on the day her son was charged and denied bail? She kept screaming that her son was not with Hindraf and that he had only come to pray. But the pleas of a helpless mother was completely ignored by an uncaring state adamant in pursuing the case, right or wrong.

We are reminded of the famous line in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, “O, it is excellent to have a giant’s strength but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.” That is what you have done, Mr AG. There was no semblance of justice or fairness in what you have done and how you did it.

The writer is president, Aliran.