YOURSAY | ‘May your story cause those who are corrupted to reflect and reform.’

Justice gone wrong: Jailed for graft, ex-magistrate shares his story

Mano: Former Kelantan magistrate Firdaus Ramlan, having read this article, I think you are a great person. Yes, you made mistakes. To err is human but you show us you have changed, and if we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven either for our misdeeds.

You were caught and jailed. But the fact that you came out into the open to help other civil servants realise the scourge of corruption is no small matter. We know for a fact that government departments, government-linked companies (GLCs) and the private sector are riddled with corruption.

All races indulge in it. My point of contention has always been the Malays, being the majority and in top posts, are in a better position to put a stop on this scourge.

Vijay47: The release of former attorney-general (AG) Tommy Thomas’ book was met with much celebration and glee from all of us, elated that finally someone had come onto the scene to speak our minds for us and as an added icing, to share some of the stories concealed from the public.

Then inevitably, the empire struck back - barbs and arrows were flying in from every direction. But Thomas did not flinch, he nonchalantly stood there as the arrows sped by harmlessly missing him.

Yet we wondered, we feared. Would the sheer weight of numerical superiority overcome his resolve? Our comfort was that Thomas is Thomas. He would not have ridden into battle unprepared for the anticipated response from those favoured with mention in his book.

More will surely join the opposing forces but somehow, the attacks seem half-hearted knee-jerk reactions of painting by numbers, the spirit is missing.

Suddenly, out of nowhere like in all heroic movies, rides in an unintended reinforcement, not that this Arjuna needed support to take on the Kauravas.

Lo and behold, from the inner chambers of the enemy citadel comes a repentant soul who shares his intimate knowledge of the shady goings-on within the courts and police. He had been there, done that, a shame he wishes to atone for.

So, what do you have to say now, AG Idris Harun, former AG Mohamed Apandi Ali, and all the rest? Are the Firdaus revelations not another “clear insult” to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) and the judiciary? Perhaps another letter of encouragement, another police report from you?

A word of caution - make sure which side you are on before riding onto Kurukshetra.

Sun: This is a wonderful story with wonderful lessons. You can be proud of yourself, Firdaus. May God bless you richly.

There are so many corrupt people out there feeding their loved ones with illegal earnings. May your story cause those who are corrupted, politicians included, to pause, reflect and reform.

JusticeNow!: What a great reset, Firdaus. A life properly reset will be set for prosperity and growth. You have become a rare gem and I hope to see you rise up and shine again. Take care and may God bless you.

MP Tan: Yes, kudos to Firdaus for being open to sharing his side of the story. It takes a brave man to do so and I salute him and all those who did not, or have not, succumbed to this deadly pandemic.

I wish him all the best and that he had reconciled with his wife and other family members. I hope he is able to make a decent living now with a clear conscience.

FairMalaysian: Is it just the tip of an iceberg or simply one rotten apple?

With Court of Appeal judge Hamid Sultan Abu Backer's "revelations", people tend to give him the benefit of doubt simply because people have the "perception" that corruption has permeated all strata of our society.

Surely, the people can't be blamed. When an intended royal commission of inquiry (RCI) received opposition from both “retired and serving” judges, that is certainly not a good way to start.

Instead of "clearing" their names through the RCI, their opposition reinforces what people had believed all along. Tell the truth and shame the devil but when you have a pact with the "devil", you will be never free from it.

Anonymous 79: Everyone makes mistakes. The devil’s temptation is always too good to resist. But Firdaus, the best thing is that you repented and are brave to face society again. This time you want to stop corruption in the civil service.

Unlike a certain someone who, even though convicted for corruption, still insisted that he is innocent. The whole world already knew about his crime, but this man still got the support from many people.

If more people support this man, we won't have a future.

Dr Raman Letchumanan: Firdaus, you are a towering human. And extremely brave for telling this story when Thomas is getting whacked.

Unlike most criminals who live in shame, you can now walk tall and proud after getting this message out. I hope more ex-convicts will share similar stories.

We always hear of the modus operandi of professional crooks, but hardly any of those crooked enforcers within the system. The few who spoke are being thrashed like former AG Thomas and suspended senior judge Hamid Sultan. Many others have faced a similar fate.

YellowCougar9709: Indeed, a commendable confession. He was entrapped in an entrenched culture of corruption and deceit. That culture has not disappeared but has become even more entrenched.

The players in this former magistrate’s case were judicial officers, police officers and lawyers, all expected to be true servants of the law.

There is so much more muck to be uncovered. A whistleblower former AG, in some respects, is a welcoming light in this sordid gloom.

Cyclonus: Maybe there is a silver lining in all this. Your experience, Firdaus, exposed an evil shadow within our society and now after being part of the problem, you are advocating against it.

In any event, your life is now not without meaning. May your words enlighten those who walk that shadowy path and help heal a broken society.

Tiger In The Jungle: What a stirring story! I must congratulate you, Firdaus, for confronting this Malaysian problem head-on and coming out on top. I wish there were more people like you. The future of the country depends on people like you.

Let me share an old joke with you. A foreigner in Malaysia said this: “When I came to Malaysia, corruption was a crime. Later, it became acceptable and then, it was legal. I better leave before it becomes compulsory.”

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

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.