Karpal Singh’s untimely death has robbed Malaysia of a vocal politician who consistently opposed the implementation of hudud law in the country. He will be rightly remembered as a top politician who was unafraid to openly defend the nation’s secular and democratic principles.
It must be remembered, however, that PAS’ declared intention to turn Malaysia into an Islamic state has somehow not deterred Karpal’s party DAP from working with them as political allies. As they say, politics is the art of the possible.
What will DAP’s attitude towards hudud and the idea of an Islamic state be without Karpal? The party’s Malay members will not say anything to suggest that they are opposed to it. They are just like the Malays in UMNO and PKR – they need to pretend that they are God-fearing on this issue. They will mumble something along the lines that as Muslims, they are supportive of hudud but… (followed by a long list of incomprehensible excuses).
In the end, DAP will be like MCA and will only raise their occasional voices of disapproval to the hudud plan as instructed to by their Malay majority partners. When that happens, we will miss Karpal more than ever. On this particular issue, Karpal spoke as more than just a political leader. He believed in the secular principles that this country was founded on, and understood they are key to our future. He spoke with conviction and moral fervour. He was a believer of democratic rights and a relentless defender of the Rule of Law as other Commonwealth countries understand it. We will miss his clarity and unequivocal support for a Malaysia that is free from autocrats, oligarchs and the religious clergy.
I know there are many defenders of our democratic system (who are not political leaders) who will continue to champion the basics of the Federal Constitution. They will be equally vociferous and strong in organising the democratic forces against the neo-fascists groups disguised as religious NGOs. When I first instituted my opposition to the hudud proposal by making a legal challenge in our courts 15 years ago, I was pleasantly surprised that so many lawyers and social activists supported this move. They were Malays too, and they knew that they would suffer the most if the politicians are left to do as they please.
I’m sure that lawyers like Malik Imtiaz, and the younger ones like Syahrezan Johan and Nizam Bashir, are brave Muslims who are prepared to continue speaking out against implementing hudud. They know that Muslims and other Malaysians are simply better off living under the present legal system. Still, without a senior political leader of Karpal’s stature in Parliament, there will be a huge vacuum. Leaders who are categorically emphatic that Malaysia should remain a secular democracy are almost non-existent today.
A similar situation is unfolding in India, where the ultra-nationalist Hindu Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) is taking the lead in the upcoming national polls. A win for the BJP would mean that secular rule in India – long exemplified by the leadership of the Congress Party – may be replaced by a religious one, as BJP leader Narendra Modi has promised to include core policies with Hindu elements. Indians face a tough choice at their national polls. Do they abandon the Congress Party, which has held on to power since 1947 (except for a few years of Emergency Rule) despite accusations of corrupt practices, or do they pick the popular and effective Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who will likely end the country’s tradition of secular politics?
At a time when the days of gentle democrats and religious neutrality are slowly disappearing, Malaysians will face a similarly tough choice in the next General Election. Perkasa will certainly emerge to become a dominant force here if we do not care enough about what’s happening in our country.
Source: The Malay Mail
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Showing posts with label Zaid Ibrahim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zaid Ibrahim. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 April 2014
Sunday, 9 March 2014
Bye Bye Zaid!
Former minister Zaid Ibrahim has announced that he is dropping out from contesting in the Kajang by-election.
Zaid said he is withdrawing from the race as PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is no longer a potential candidate after the latter's disqualification following his five-year jail sentence for sodomy.
"With Anwar’s conviction last Friday... he no longer qualifies to be a candidate in the by-election.
"Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s position as Selangor menteri besar is therefore secure and the Selangor state government will be stable, at least in the foreseeable future.
"Given these changes, Anwar’s reasons for having the by-election are no longer applicable.
"I therefore feel it is unnecessary to engage myself further on these issues and hereby withdraw my candidacy for the Kajang by-election," he said in a statement today.
Zaid last month announced his candidacy saying he wanted to prevent PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim (left) from replacing Khalid as Selangor MB.
Following prolonged disagreements between PKR and Khalid, the party instructed that the Kajang state seat to be vacated in a manoeuver dubbed the 'Kajang Move' to allow Anwar to contest and possibly take over as MB.
As the sodomy verdict has scuttled the plan, PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail today announced she will run for Kajang instead.
She will be facing off with BN's candidate Chew Mei Fun, who is MCA vice president.
'Judgment was right'
Zaid had accused Anwar of wanting to use Selangor's resources for political purposes.
The former de facto law minister also defended the courts which have come under attack for Anwar's conviction on Friday.
"We must not, however, impugn the integrity and credibility of the judges who ruled unanimously to uphold the government’s appeal, or the judiciary as a whole, solely on how the verdict on Anwar’s case was decided.
"It is most unreasonable to accuse the court of bias and of having its own political agenda when the verdict does not suit some people, when Anwar’s earlier acquittal by the same justice system was embraced," he said.
The Court of Appeal on Friday overturned a High Court ruling made in Jan 2012 which acquitted Anwar of sodomising his aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan (left).
Anwar temporarily is a free man as the same court had granted him a stay of execution and bail of RM10,000 pending appeal at the Federal Court.
However, Zaid said he sympathised with Anwar's family as he thought the sentence of five years was too harsh and "unjustified"
"Homosexual activities may be deemed to be criminal under the law, but the judges should have exercised their discretion in light of the changing mores over such sexual activities all over the world.
"An archaic law such as Section 377A of the Penal Code which follows the definition of 'unnatural offences' enacted some 165 years ago in England perhaps needs to be reviewed," he said.
'Rush to sentence'
Zaid said the Court of Appeal did not err in its judgment against Anwar but its rush to mete sentencing did not look good to the public.
"The haste to disqualify Anwar from contesting in Kajang is clear for everyone to see, and this unfortunately blots out the real merit of the case. The substance of the Appeal Court’s decision will now be treated with distrust.
"This is a shame, given the clear evidence against Anwar brought up by the prosecution. The court is no place to decide political contests.
"Anwar should have been given the chance to either stand or fall by the decision of the people at the ballot box, not by the court of law," he said.
Several other individuals including senator S Nallakaruppan and the New Gen Party have expressed interest to contest in the by-election.
Nomination day for the Kajang by-election is fixed on March 11 and polling day on March 23.
Malaysiakini
Zaid said he is withdrawing from the race as PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is no longer a potential candidate after the latter's disqualification following his five-year jail sentence for sodomy.
"With Anwar’s conviction last Friday... he no longer qualifies to be a candidate in the by-election.
"Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s position as Selangor menteri besar is therefore secure and the Selangor state government will be stable, at least in the foreseeable future.
"Given these changes, Anwar’s reasons for having the by-election are no longer applicable.
"I therefore feel it is unnecessary to engage myself further on these issues and hereby withdraw my candidacy for the Kajang by-election," he said in a statement today.
Zaid last month announced his candidacy saying he wanted to prevent PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim (left) from replacing Khalid as Selangor MB.
Following prolonged disagreements between PKR and Khalid, the party instructed that the Kajang state seat to be vacated in a manoeuver dubbed the 'Kajang Move' to allow Anwar to contest and possibly take over as MB.
As the sodomy verdict has scuttled the plan, PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail today announced she will run for Kajang instead.
She will be facing off with BN's candidate Chew Mei Fun, who is MCA vice president.
'Judgment was right'
Zaid had accused Anwar of wanting to use Selangor's resources for political purposes.
The former de facto law minister also defended the courts which have come under attack for Anwar's conviction on Friday.
"We must not, however, impugn the integrity and credibility of the judges who ruled unanimously to uphold the government’s appeal, or the judiciary as a whole, solely on how the verdict on Anwar’s case was decided.
"It is most unreasonable to accuse the court of bias and of having its own political agenda when the verdict does not suit some people, when Anwar’s earlier acquittal by the same justice system was embraced," he said.
The Court of Appeal on Friday overturned a High Court ruling made in Jan 2012 which acquitted Anwar of sodomising his aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan (left).
Anwar temporarily is a free man as the same court had granted him a stay of execution and bail of RM10,000 pending appeal at the Federal Court.
However, Zaid said he sympathised with Anwar's family as he thought the sentence of five years was too harsh and "unjustified"
"Homosexual activities may be deemed to be criminal under the law, but the judges should have exercised their discretion in light of the changing mores over such sexual activities all over the world.
"An archaic law such as Section 377A of the Penal Code which follows the definition of 'unnatural offences' enacted some 165 years ago in England perhaps needs to be reviewed," he said.
'Rush to sentence'
Zaid said the Court of Appeal did not err in its judgment against Anwar but its rush to mete sentencing did not look good to the public.
"The haste to disqualify Anwar from contesting in Kajang is clear for everyone to see, and this unfortunately blots out the real merit of the case. The substance of the Appeal Court’s decision will now be treated with distrust.
"This is a shame, given the clear evidence against Anwar brought up by the prosecution. The court is no place to decide political contests.
"Anwar should have been given the chance to either stand or fall by the decision of the people at the ballot box, not by the court of law," he said.
Several other individuals including senator S Nallakaruppan and the New Gen Party have expressed interest to contest in the by-election.
Nomination day for the Kajang by-election is fixed on March 11 and polling day on March 23.
Malaysiakini
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