YOURSAY 'In the case of Harun Idris, another former Selangor MB, he was sentenced to six years. I hope, on appeal, the court would enhance the sentence.'

Ex-MB Khir Toyo jailed 12 months for corruption

Wira: The maximum penalty under section 165 of the Penal Code is two years. Former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo was given one year, hardly the maximum penalty allowed for under the law.

Yang Arif (your honour) already gave him a 50 percent discount. Even though his house was to be confiscated, he wasn't fined a single sen.

Based on ruling handed down to Batu MP Tian Chua previously, a RM2,000 fine did not disqualify him. So a one-year-jail would not disqualify Khir Toyo. Only a one year plus one day jail sentence would. No wonder he is smiling.

Few will believe Khir Toyo will ever serve a jail term. If the BN wins the next election, he is expected to be freed by the appellate court. You think they are not afraid that he may blow the whistle on them?

Lover Boy: The judge got his facts wrong if this is supposed to be a deterrent. Twelve months is not a deterrent. In the case of Harun Idris, another former Selangor MB, he was jailed for six years.

At the intervention of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he was given a pardon after serving three years. Now in Khir Toyo's case, looking at the magnitude of the crime, I think a 12 months' sentence is kid-glove punishment.

I say a six years sentence is appropriate. I hope, on appeal, the court would enhance the sentence.

The first time offender is a big joke, his abuses are well known, among them his ‘lawatan sambil belajar' (study tours) to Disneyland.

So to the NFC (National Feedlot Corporation) matter, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and family, you are next. I hope this time a deterrent sentence means exactly that.

Azlan Ahmad: When a strong Umno stalwart is put on trial, the bottomline is he must be saved from getting convicted or at worst, get the lowest punishment.

That is why in Khir Toyo's case, the defence after consulting with the prosecution at the outset, changed the charge to under Penal Code and not under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act where the minimum imprisonment period is two years and this will automatically disqualify him for the next general election.

So there you see how the whole affair is manipulated to arrive at a win-win situation. Khir can appeal. He will not lose his state seat and he can contest in the next election.

The judge has done his homework by finding him guilty and make the prosecution happy because the latter won the case.

They never ask Khir Toyo get all that much money to pay for the house and land. No, that is not important. What is important is every stakeholder is happy. Long live the judiciary and long live corruption.

Cala: Azlan Ahmad, I like your analysis. Thank you, sir. Is Malaysia telling the rest of the world how the law should be applied in the Third World? One set for the ruling elites of the corrupted regime, while another for ordinary people.

Najib can ‘go fly kite' if he wishes if he is still dreaming of becoming a high-income nation. This country is regressing.

The original charge is too lenient. I just read the provision as contained in Section 165 of the Penal Code. To me, such a provision should not have been applied to Khir Toyo given the prominent position he occupied as MB of a state.

Mind you, as MB, he could literally give a way hundreds and thousands of acres of prime land to his cronies/sidekicks for a song at the expense of rakyat. The stated provision is meant to be applied to junior civil servants involved in petty graft, not Khir Toyo.

Look at him, does he show any remorsefulness? On hindsight, DPP Mohd Masri Daud is trying to plug the hole by applying to the court for the said mansion to be forfeited. Good job.

Anonymous_3e86: Only one BN politician guilty of corruption? Only one? Is that all? Is that enough to prove that the judiciary is independent? What about the many BN politicians out there still plundering taxpayers' money?

Cannon: Anonymous_3e86, are you surprised that to date only one BN politician has been convicted of corruption?

The conviction of the former Selangor MB, Harun Idris, was under the administration of Hussein Onn. The man later received a royal pardon, courtesy of, guess who? Mahathir!

The other politician who was convicted of corruption was Anwar Ibrahim for allegedly influencing the police to take action against his detractors to withdraw their testimony.

The conviction of Anwar took place under the premiership of, guess who? Mahathir! That's BN politics for you.

Onyourtoes: Khir Toyo, it is pointless to say there are people trying to conspire against you. The charge against you was long overdue and I hope there are more to come against you and others equally predatory and equally abusive.

I can perfectly understand how you feel now, but when your power and influence held sway, I am sure you did not care whenever injustice and unfairness were being inflicted on others. Accept it as your fate.

Shanandoah: The sentence is no deterrent. It is too light for a person who held the highest post in the most prosperous state which PM Najib Razak wants to reclaim at all costs.

The appeal court must enhance the punishment for a person of this character to send out a clear message that corruption will not be tolerated at any cost.

Change Agent: There is something very wrong with the judicial system - his punishment of one year in jail is almost the same as someone stealing a packet of cigarettes from a shop. This is not a deterrent but an incentive to do the same.

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