Bersih today asked police to probe "biased" comments allegedly made by the presiding officer of Major Zaidi Ahmad's court martial.

 

A police report was lodged by Bersih deputy chairperson Sarajun Hoda Abdul Hassan ( left ) at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters this morning.

 

He wants police to investigate if Col Saadon Hasnon, who heads the panel which will decide Zaidi's fate, had indeed told the former that he should "tap rubber trees" if he did not want to be in the military, in a Facebook comment.

 

"If it's the same person, then we will request the court to drop all charges against Major Zaidi because this comment is prejudice and subjudice.

 

"If it is not the same person, then it will be good for justice that the name of the judge is cleared from this suspect," he told journalists outside the police headquarters, according to KiniTV .

The remark was made under a Malaysiakini story on Facebook using the account name "Saadon T'son", which bore a picture resembling the presiding officer ( right ).

 

The account had since been disabled after Zaidi's lawyer raised the matter and requested for a mistrial.

 

Saadon rejected the application for mistrial on Nov 24.

 

He also rejected an application to postpone the trial, pending a judicial review hearing of the earlier decision at the High Court.

 

'Court martial's haste is suspicious'

The military court set Jan 8 to decide Zaidi's fate but the High Court will only hear the judicial review on Feb 5.

 

"The haste at which the military court intends to proceed, disregarding even a perception of bias on the part of no less than the head of the panel, lends itself to suspicion," said Bersih in a statement later.

 

Zaidi faced court martial after lodging a police report complaining that the supposed indelible ink in the 13th General Election as in fact, delible.

 

He is facing two charges of contravening the Armed Forces Council Order No 13, Year 1961.

 

Zaidi was charged with breaching paragraph 13 by making a media statement on the indelible ink without getting prior approval from the Defence Ministry.

 

He was also charged with breaching paragraph 3 by showing official communications to media without prior approval from the Armed Forces Council.