YOURSAY ‘Najib, you are indeed no better than the IGP, in fact far worse.’

 

PM: Use apex court to resolve custody disputes

                   

Sirach: This is another example of the spinelessness of the PM. In any sensitive issue, especially one touching on race or religion, he hardly ever makes a principled stand.

 

His comments, on the rare occasions he deigns to make any, are vacuous and devoid of conviction.

 

If the High Court has decided the matter, his duty is to ensure that the authorities enforce the order.

 

By saying that the Federal Court should decide the issue, he is effectively giving a licence to the parties concerned to thumb their noses at the decisions handed down by the courts below.

 

Kim Quek: PM Najib Razak has finally opened his mouth, but what a shock from him!

                                               

When the country has been crying out for leadership to resolve a crisis of confidence arising from a recalcitrant inspector-general of police (IGP) openly and repeatedly defying High Court orders, all the PM can say is: “Go to the Federal Court”? 

 

Then, what about the outstanding High Court orders (with no stay of execution)? Just ignore them?

 

The home minister has refused to comment ; the AG is silent as always; and the chief justice is shadow boxing over the issue, so is there no voice left among the authorities to uphold the rule of law in this country?

 

Are non-Muslims not entitled to receive justice in the same measure as Muslims do in this country? Is that not a betrayal of the teachings of Islam?

 

Lim Chong Leong: Why is the attorney-general (AG) consulting with the families and not enforcing the law?

 

He is the country's legal advisor. He is not a marriage and family planning counsellor or a custody dispute mediator. He must not be consulting affected parties but enforcing the law or he will be consulting with every criminal in the country and their victims as well as their family members.                   

 

If we follow the PM's advice to take the matter to the apex court, then just dissolve the high courts. After all, the High Court order is not to be taken seriously. But that has always been Umno's practice all this while.

Negarawan: "Najib Abdul Razak today urged families involved in interfaith child custody cases to use the Federal Court to resolve them."

 

This is tantamount to saying that judgments made in lower courts are not legally binding. Even if the Federal Court makes a similar judgment, the PDRM (Royal Malaysia Police) will still not take any action because of conflict with the Syariah Court.

 

Najib does not have the political will to address the actual problem which lies in the parallel civil-syariah legal systems that put non-Muslims at a disadvantage and without recourse.

 

Anonymous_1371482984: It is for the losing party to appeal. If he (the father in the custody battle) does not appeal, the PM should not suggest the Federal Court to decide the matter.

 

Even if there is an appeal, the High Court order has to be obeyed unless there is a stay of execution.

 

Ex-PJ: Who does the AG, Home Minister and IGP work for? Obviously not the PM. We are seeing a total lack of leadership                                                                   

 

Basically: The civil courts have already decided. The PM should order the AG and IGP to enforce the present court rulings instead of calling for discussion, or else he is saying the high court rulings are useless.

 

There is no appeal, so the ruling stands. Why the need to go to the Federal Court?

 

Wg321: Najib is totally out of touch concerning the suffering of poor people. It will cost a bomb to seek justice in the higher courts.

 

Many couples who are involved in interfaith child custody or interfaith marriage problems are from poor families. How can Najib expect these poor families to pay the legal costs up to Federal Court level?

 

The least Najib should do is to ask the National Unity Consultative Council NUCC to draft a law to solve  interfaith problems like corpse snatching and bride snatching, not to mention child custody issues.

 

Louis: Najib, you are indeed no better than the IGP, in fact far worse. As the head of the country, the poor families, including all Malaysians are looking up to you for a clear direction.

 

Instead you are even more indecisive, a true attribute of yours. It is already decided by the court, one of which, the judge stated specifically that the child be returned immediately to the mother, and this must be followed with immediate effect.

 

And you, stupidly ask the family to wait for the apex court decision. You are no leader, Najib.

 

Onyourtoes: The apex court is to decide based on what - the skewed constitution amended beyond recognition over the years to satisfy factionalism? 

 

This is a political issue, not a legal one. Solve it, it is your job, PM. Don’t pass the buck.

 

LKT: The apex court is irrelevant in the current situation of the IGP not following the order of the High Court.

 

The father is in contempt of the court order, where else the police headed by an arrogant IGP has thumbed his nose against a very specific order of the High Court.

 

Najib should instruct the IGP and home minister to comply immediately with the court order. If any party is unhappy with the court order, they can always bring the issue up with a higher court after complying with the current court order.

 

Any further delay is justice delayed and unfair to the mother who has been denied justice for so many years. The IGP is an enforcer of justice, he is not the dispenser of justice.

 

Hearty Malaysian: So the critics of Najib in the Malaysiakini are proven right once again?


The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .