M'sia to say sorry to ex-CJ, will S'pore Gov do the same ?
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For years, under the Mahathir Government - the Sultans have largely kept their peace despite the many displeasure with Mahathir, with the Kelantan Sultan being the most intransigent at reconciling relations with UMNO and BN.
The Council of Rulers have largely kept their peace so as to avoid a Constitutional Crisis with Mahathir, even as much as they resent Mahathir's methods.
Or more likeily..... powerless to stop Dr M.....
Since Badawi became the Malaysian PM - he has shown himself to be very careful and deliberate before he move to make any decisions, likewise with the apology to the sacked Justices.
Where did you read that ''PM of Malaysia is willing to offer an apology publicly'' ?
BN's victory in Trengganu was overwhelming - winning 24 seat out of 32 , yet the Regent of Trengganu, who is also the Yang di Pertuan Agong - refused to bend to PM Badawi's choice for Pahang's Mentri Besar.
Did you appreciate the reason for PM Badawi's ''giving-in to the Regent'' ?
Did you realise that it is written in Trenganu's State Constitution for the Sultan to pick his Mentri Besar ? http://bacalah.wordpress.com/
So..... was there an Apology at the end...... No
Yes Was there a... "I'm sorry that the CJ have to go through Sh*t..... and I'm now clearing their names.... "And I do KNOW that the Sultan pick his Mentri Besar...... but rarely have they NOT accept the one chosen by the winning party. And if it wasn't that BN suffer their worst defect in a great numbers of years.... wouldn't the Sultan have - largely kept their peace so as to avoid a Constitutional Crisis - as they did with Dr M. PM Badawi had to give in NOT so much because he is more 'easy going'..... but because he is too busy trying to save his own politic career as even those inside his parties is calling him to step down.
Do I or do I not 'Appreciate' what PM Badawi had done...... Sadly, I don't give a Rat A** one way or the other...... I basicly just wrote in this thread to said there isn't going to be an outright Apology...... and till today.... still doesn't see one.
Did you not read Japan's previous PM Koizumi expressing his ''deep remorse'' over his country's World War Two aggression against Asian neighbors ?
''Japan squarely faces these facts of history in a spirit of humility and with a feeling of deep remorse and heartfelt apology always engraved in mind. Japan has resolutely maintained, consistently since the end of World War Two, never turning into a military power, but an economic power -- its principal of resolving all matters by peaceful means without recourse to use of force.''
This was consider a 'Half' Apology by most people in China. Since "Deep Remorse" & "Regret" is all the Japanese ever said.... without a straight forward - "We are SORRY''. And that is for what the Japanese Nation have done during WWII in general while very much avoiding the Naking Massacre.... even claiming that the Japanese army did not kill many people in Naking......
So, I not too sure that the surviver and ppl who live throught that time in Naking..... felt it was much better than an Apology when "Deep Remorse" & "Regret" is all they'll ever get..... follow by the Japanese refusing to ever admit what really happens there.
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Originally posted by Atobe:The newly appointed Malaysian Law Minister is proposing that the present Badawi Government should make a statement of apology for the injustices done by the previous Mahathir administration towards Tun Mohd Salleh Abbas - the Lord President of the Malaysian Judiciary in 1988.
Will the Singapore Government also issue such a statement for being drawn into the entire scandolous situation in support of an ungrateful Mahathir Administration ?
In 1988, when Dr Mahathir had a head-to-head confrontation with the Chief Justice of Malaysia - the then Lord President Tun Mohd Salleh Abbas, the Singapore Government responded to Mahathir's request for assistance by sending Singapore's Senior Judge Sinnathurai to sit on a Panel of Justices in a tribunal to prosecute the Chief Judge of Malaysia.
The panel of justices that participated in Mahathir's scheme to remove his Chief Justice was drawn from Singapore, Sri Lanka, other Malaysian judges junior to the Lord President and the successor Chief Justice of Malaysia appointed by Dr Mahathir.
The political commentators during that period noted that with two judges from Singapore and Sri Lanka known to be Government appointees - {with their history of siding Government positions}, and including the then newly appointed Malaysian Chief Justice sitting on the tribunal - the fate of the Lord President Tun Abbas was practically sealed with only one other neutral foreign senior judge on the panel.
Singapore's Senior Judge Sinnathurai had presided in several high profile and controversial political cases and have always weighed heavily on the side of the Government despite the dubious evidence. Some of the prime cases included one involving the then NUS Student's Union President Tan Wah Piow supposed single handed riot inside the headquarters of the PIEU headed by Phey Yew Kok {now a fugitive}; as well as several cases involving J.B. Jeyaratnam.
Now that the Malaysian Bar Council is also supportive of their Law Minister's proposed Statement of Apology to correct the shameful and wrongful acts done to the then Lord President of the Malaysian Judiciary, Tun Mohd Salleh Abbas - will the Singapore Government extend a similar apology for being drawn into this same shameful act of undermining the pillars of Malaysian democracy that was supposed to be divided in the separate roles of the Executive Government, Parliament and the Judiciary ?
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/24/nation/20733676&sec=nation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988_Malaysian_constitutional_crisis
http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/monthly/2004a/4m.html Part 1
http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/monthly/2004a/5h.html Part 2
http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/monthly/2004a/6f.html Part 3
http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/monthly/2004b/7i.html Part 4
http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/monthly/2004b/8k.html Part 5 Conclusion
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE0D7173EF934A35754C0A96E948260
http://www.aliran.com/oldsite/monthly/2004b/8b.html
http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/bar_news/berita_badan_peguam/raising_the_bar.html
http://swordofdemocles.blogspot.com/2005/07/price-of-truth.html
http://www.singapore-window.org/1028judi.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judicial_officers_of_the_Republic_of_Singapore
fat hope! sg govt is too arrogant to apologise to anybody.
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I think it is time to be rid of the PAP.
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sg's newly appointed Attorney-General,Solicitor-General and Law Minister are going to have headaches...
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Nice Pics for your Avatar - Xcert -
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Originally posted by hloc:
Nice Pics for your Avatar - Xcert -
thank you thank you...its difficult to come out of the jungle these days...
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Originally posted by hloc:
Or more likeily..... powerless to stop Dr M.....
Can the combined weight of the Council of Ruler be ''powerless to stop Mahathir'' ?
You may wish to visit the following referenced sites to familiarise yourself with a ''summarised version'' of the Malaysian Constitution with regards to the Executive Powers of the Yang di Pertuan Agong - especially the following in the first site mentioned: Part IV - The Federation: Chapter 1 - The Supreme Head, Chapter 2 - The Conference of Rulers, Chapter 3 - The Executive { which provides details of the Executive Powers of the Malaysian King }
http://www.helplinelaw.com/law/constitution/malaysia/malaysia04b.php
The second reference site will provide a synopsis of the Powers and Stature of the Malaysian King - and with particular commentary to the Malaysian King's power to defer from the advice of his Prime Minister, as well as to rescind the advise to dissolve Parliament.
www1.mmu.edu.my/~husni/government_struc.ppt
So..... was there an Apology at the end...... No
Yes Was there a... "I'm sorry that the CJ have to go through Sh*t..... and I'm now clearing their names.... "PM Abdullah Badawi's ways are well known by now, his proposal to ''redeem the reputation and esteem of the sacked Justices - is in itself ''an act of contrition'' - which is even more substantial than the mention of the word ''SORRY''.
Can an apology wash away the wrongs done to the sacked Justices ?
Even MM LKY cannot accept a simple ''SORRY'' from James Gomez, and expected more from the leadership of the Worker's Party - for the blemish to the Election Officials made by the erroneous position that James Gomez had taken with regards to his belief in having ''submitted the missing papers''.
And I do KNOW that the Sultan pick his Mentri Besar...... but rarely have they NOT accept the one chosen by the winning party. And if it wasn't that BN suffer their worst defect in a great numbers of years.... wouldn't the Sultan have - largely kept their peace so as to avoid a Constitutional Crisis - as they did with Dr M. PM Badawi had to give in NOT so much because he is more 'easy going'..... but because he is too busy trying to save his own politic career as even those inside his parties is calling him to step down.
You must have been out of date, or did not care to take note of politics during the 1980s.
UMNO had never lost in the state of Johor, yet it was during Mahathir's winning year that the Sultan of Johor rejected Mahathir's first nominated person, which resulted in a second choice of Muhiddyn being appointed as the Mentri Besar.
Do I or do I not 'Appreciate' what PM Badawi had done...... Sadly, I don't give a Rat A** one way or the other...... I basicly just wrote in this thread to said there isn't going to be an outright Apology...... and till today.... still doesn't see one.
Sadly, for one that do not ''give a Rat A'' one way or the other'' you have taken alot of trouble to write in this thread without even understanding the background in the political affairs of Malaysia - except for your superficial gloss over of on-going issues.
The Malaysian ways are unlike the Singapore way - as they have always accused Singapore of being too rigid - are you not a reflection of the years of PAP rule ?
This probably explains your inability to appreciate Badawi's offer to redeem the sacked Justices.
This was consider a 'Half' Apology by most people in China. Since "Deep Remorse" & "Regret" is all the Japanese ever said.... without a straight forward - "We are SORRY''. And that is for what the Japanese Nation have done during WWII in general while very much avoiding the Naking Massacre.... even claiming that the Japanese army did not kill many people in Naking......
So, I not too sure that the surviver and ppl who live throught that time in Naking..... felt it was much better than an Apology when "Deep Remorse" & "Regret" is all they'll ever get..... follow by the Japanese refusing to ever admit what really happens there.
China's Government does not seem to share your views about the ''Half'' Apology - and had even considered Emperor Akihito historic visit to China in October 1992 as a success, as it was seen as a reciprocal visit to the earlier visit in May 1992 by China's President Jiang Zemin to Japan.
Japan was the first country in the G-8 Western Alliance to break the financial and economic embargo on China following the Tiananmen Incident, and was the only country prepared to help China's efforts at modernising its industrial base - {although one can always ask if it has been for altruistic reasons by Japan}.
Unlike the Jews, the Chinese have moved on from the Nanking experience - while the Jews continue to keep the flames burning on the conscience of every community on this Globe, as long as their existence remain threatened by hostility that is fueled by their own seige mentality.
Ask any Chinese about the ''Nanking Incident'' today - most will have vague memories until their emotions are purposefully stoked up for political reasons, with all current progress ignored even as Japan had contributed vast financial development aid, soft loans, and signed bilateral agreements to modernise China - all enabling it to leapfrog from poverty to its current national wealth accumulated.
This is not unlike the present day in Singapore, if you were to ask any Singaporean today about the experience of the days when Singapore was part of Malaysia - you will hardly find anyone today with any clear memories - except for the dwindling generation that lived through that period.
Have this Singapore generation harped on the past as a continuous reminder to ourselves to remain independent ?
As a whole, everyone moved on, and find a new equilibrium in building for the future, and some are working closely with the Malaysians.
You may or may not know that more of the younger Japanese are travelling around Asia, and are discovering their ''real historical military conduct during WW-2''; and we are seeing some university elites challenging their written History influenced by the views according to the Japanese Right Wing Politicians.
We may see more acts of contrition from the Japanese for the mistakes made by their forefathers.
http://irchina.org/en/xueren/china/pdf/czm1.pdf.
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Originally posted by Xcert:
thank you thank you...its difficult to come out of the jungle these days...
Yup..... weather hasn't been too kind either.....
To Atobe.... you wrote too long.... don't want to copy & paste the whole thing here.....
1st off.... I really don't give a Rat-A** on Malaysia Politic.... So I can't even bother like you to go dig up so much stuff.....
My point is clear..... there hasn't been a out-right Apology from PM Badawi, I'm lookin for a "We're SORRY".... not anything more or anything less. You want to consider what he did as better than an Apology..... Fine. To me, it is not. Ant till all the Ex-CJ agree with you.... then this is very much a point of view issue.
If the Japanese Apology was so successful..... why the Hell do we have to go throught the same Sh*t everytime a Jap PM goes to visit the Yasukuni Shrine
You want to consider that the Japanese had given an full Apology.... Fine. To me.... NO. Cause they have yet to admit to issue like the comfort woman saga, or admit to the killing at Naking..... lookin at how many times they have change their School's History Book.... I doubt it would get any better soon. But again..... feel free to your own view.Btw..... Welcome Back to 'Speakers Corner'...... you have been away for too long
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Originally posted by hloc:
Yup..... weather hasn't been too kind either.....
To Atobe.... you wrote too long.... don't want to copy & paste the whole thing here.....
1st off.... I really don't give a Rat-A** on Malaysia Politic.... So I can't even bother like you to go dig up so much stuff.....
If you are serious about giving comments in the current discussion about Malaysian Politics - you should based your views with some understanding to the events that led to the current situation.
In order to understand the situation, you should also have some background knowledge to the Malaysian political culture - as after all, whether we like it or not, we have them linked to our island and we have to be interested in the events across the border.
My point is clear..... there hasn't been a out-right Apology from PM Badawi, I'm lookin for a "We're SORRY".... not anything more or anything less. You want to consider what he did as better than an Apology..... Fine. To me, it is not. Ant till all the Ex-CJ agree with you.... then this is very much a point of view issue.
It is more then a point of view issue - if you are insisting on an explicit ''We're SORRY'' statement.
In the Malaysian Political scene, ''the acts of apology is as much as the spoken word'' - as the ''actions always speak louder than words''.
Looking at MM LKY's ''apology'' to PM Badawi, his intent was clearly reflected in writing the letter of apology - as the intent was clearly reflected in the words - it was not even a half-apology.
It was not even an apology. His intent was to justify the offending statements made. His intent was not at an apology.
If the Japanese Apology was so successful..... why the Hell do we have to go throught the same Sh*t everytime a Jap PM goes to visit the Yasukuni Shrine
You want to consider that the Japanese had given an full Apology.... Fine. To me.... NO. Cause they have yet to admit to issue like the comfort woman saga, or admit to the killing at Naking..... lookin at how many times they have change their School's History Book.... I doubt it would get any better soon. But again..... feel free to your own view.Your brilliance in mixing events is remarkable - even as you introduced the Sino-Japanese events into this topic.
While China has accepted the stated remorse from the Emperor Akihito, and in various words from the various Prime Ministers - China has always objected to the visit by Japanese Ministers to the Japanese War Shrine, which had the remains of the Japanese leaders convicted of War Crimes for starting the war and committing all the atrocities across Asia.
To China and South Korea, the continued practice by Japanese Ministers to visit the War Shrines annually to commemorate the war dead with these War Criminals included - are tantamount to worshipping the past.
Had the Japanese moved the remains - of those convicted as War Criminals - from this Yasukuni War Shrine, the Chinese would not have protested the commemoration service of the ordianary Japanese soldiers who died fighting during the War.
This is a clash of culture - more then politics alone - and with two nations proud of their history and culture, can any middle road be found to this issue ?
China and Japan has found a way around to manouvre a middle road with the ''expression of remorse'' by none other then the Japanese Emperor.
China's Political Leadership had shown magnimity and maturity to accept these acts of contrition that were delivered by no less a person then the Japanese Emperor, who had shown his own greatness in humility from an ethnic group reknown for their strident national pride.
Can you begin to understand these political nuances ?
Yes, time will develop to show how these sacked Malaysian Chief Justices will be redeemed, and their reputation restored - PM Badawi's personal belief in being a good moderate Muslim will surely allow a wide latitude of generosity in correcting the wrongs done to his fellow humans.
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I was very young when George Seah met with my mum after the crisis. I will always remember him saying ' History will exonerate me'
Anyways , redeeming is as good as an apology. For Mahatir , he is still at a time where the people involved are still very much alive. The public aware of the truths. I wish he will be formally charged which i think if the judiciary wanted to , they can. And they can zealously go after Mahatir and also to restore the integrity of the judiciary back.
Whatever it is , its a chance for Badawai to right the wrong. To gain back the confidence. To do some clean up. With the present strong opposition , raja Nzrin Shah's outspoken view on these issues , i see many more issues to be brought to light and the people responsible held accountable for thier actions.
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Well.... seems PM Badawai took a course in "How to give an Apology, the Japanese way..." .
* Financial compensation to scaked judges
* Expression of regret by PM Abdullah
So hard to just say 'Sorry'.......
Btw..... a former Court of Appeal jurist - Datuk V. C. George - don't think it is good enough.....
Page 3 of - The Straits Times - 17th Apr 2008
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Thursday April 17, 2008 - The Star
Justice was served
KUALA LUMPUR: It was a dinner for lawyers and friends, graced by former judges, and the guest of honour was the Prime Minister.
But as expected, it turned out to be much more.
The Malaysian Bar Council dinner saw the closure of a very painful chapter in the history of the country’s judiciary and hopefully the start of a new one to renew the public’s trust in the courts.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced several measures to reform the judiciary but to many in attendance, what was more important was the tribute he paid to the six Supreme Court judges who were sacked in 1988, which he described as a legacy that still haunted the nation.
Turning to former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas, Tan Sri Tan Sri Azmi Kamaruddin, Datuk George Seah, the families of the late Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawan Teh and Tan Sri Eusoffe Abdoolcader, the Prime Minister said the Government wanted to recognise “their commitment towards upholding justice and to acknowledge the pain and loss they have endured.”
Stopping short of an apology as suggested by his de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim a few weeks ago, Abdullah said:
“For me and for many other Malaysians, these towering judicial personalities represent a very different era for the nation’s judiciary. Many feel that the judiciary then was a venerable institution that could be trusted to deliver justice. “Some even hailed Malaysia’s judiciary as a model for other countries – independent and credible.
“This level of trust and respect for the judiciary, we must all admit, is simply not as strong as it was before.”
Abdullah also announced goodwill ex gratia payments to the six sacked judges and their surviving families as recognition of their contribution, but quickly added:
“I do not presume to equate your contributions, pain and loss with mere currency, but I hope that you can accept this as a heartfelt and sincere gesture to mend what has been.”
He also addressed the need to renew the public’s trust in the nation’s judiciary and “to ensure that justice is consistently delivered.”
Abdullah urged the judiciary, lawyers and the nation to move on, as it was not “wise or helpful to revisit past decisions as it would only serve to prolong the sense of crisis – something our nation can do without."
At the end of his speech entitled Delivering Justice, Renewing Trust, Abdullah was given a standing ovation. Among those who got off his seat first was Salleh, who shook the Prime Minister’s hand warmly as he got down from the stage.
In the words of Abdullah, the time had come to write a proud and new chapter.
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Even the Malaysian Legal Fraternity had found Badawi's forthright actions to be more then acceptable in the manner that Badawi had chosen to redeem the reputation of ''1988 sacked Judges'' - even when it was not the Badawi's Government responsible for sacking these judges.
Even the Opposition leader, also a leading and senior Malaysian Legal Counsel - had stated that it should have been Mahathir who should tender his own personal apology for the dispicable acts committed in sacking those judges in 1988, and in the process ruining the reputation and independence of the Malaysian Judiciary.
It is surprisig that the Singapore Straits Times would have published the news of Badawi's offer on the Singapore Wednesday edition of the Straits Times, when nothing was published in the Malaysian news until Thursday.
Is the present Singapore Government already beginning to minimise any possibility of tendering their own apology for the actions taken during LKY's administration in sending a ''pro-Government judge'' to help Mahathir during his moment of crisis with UMNO being dissolved as an illegally formed political party ?
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Friday April 18, 2008
It’s a moral victory, says former Lord President
By SHAILA KOSHY, CHELSEA L.Y. NG, SHAHANAAZ HABIB, CECIL FUNG, TEH ENG HOCK and JO TEH
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas said God had answered his prayers and given him a moral victory which translates to a legal victory.
“I’ve suffered so much in the last 20 years, so much so I ran away from the public. I found solace in farming. I talked to monkeys, birds and wild boars. I asked them not to disturb my plants,” he said.
Salleh said he was confident that the reforms would go some way towards rebuilding and restoring confidence in the judiciary.
“The judiciary, since I left, is not the same,” he said.
Asked whether he was dissatisfied that no apology had been tendered, Salleh said: “I am satisfied for the time being. The Government has recognised and acknowledged the wrong done to me and the other judges.”
He however regretted that late Supreme Court judge Tan Sri Eusoffe Abdoolcader was no longer around to hear the “good news”.
The widow of Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawan Teh wants the Government to review the 1988 judicial crisis and clear the late Supreme Court judge’s name.
“My husband cannot be valued with money,” said Puan Sri Siti Nurhayati Mohd Daud.
Eusoffe's granddaughter Brenda Lim said: “I’m glad he’s being recognised but it shouldn’t have taken so long. It has been 20 years, people have long forgotten who he was. Nevertheless, I’m very glad and proud of him.”
Tan Sri Azmi Kamaruddin said he would “die a very happy man”.
“I’m happy not for me but for the people of Malaysia. I thought nobody cared. I feel my sacrifice had been worthwhile.”
He added that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should apologise for the 1988 judicial crisis.
“Why should the present government apologise for what it has not done? Tun Mahathir should apologise if he is a gentleman. Not to me, but to the country.
“We are working for the rakyat. I did what I did in 1988 for the people of the country.”
Datuk George Seah’s son, Basil, said: “We want a simple apology. The goodwill payment ... how do you gauge and measure how much to compensate? An apology would have been good.
“Tonight is a step in the right direction. It is better late than never,” he said.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It would have been nice to hear from Datuk George Seah himself, and not from his son.If the ex-Lord President of the Malaysian Judiciary, Tan Sri Salleh remains to be considered the most senior amongst the sacked Justices in 1988 - his words remains more relevant than any other views or opinions or statements to the way PM Badawi has responded. -
Friday April 18, 2008
PM's 'Delivering justice, renewing trust' speech
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Taken from The Straits Times, 19th Apr, pg 33
Quote -
"The ex gratia payment is... not to be construed as any form of apology, but this is our way of addressing some of their personal considerations and some of the personal experiences hardship that they have gone through."
DPM Najib Razak
Ok...... if the ex gratia payment is not a form of apology.... then what iszit
A bribe ..... some money to 'Buy' your slient..... till Abdullah could resist the called to stepdown What Taken from The Straits Times, 19th Apr, pg 33
Quote -
"I waited 20 years and my prayers have been answered. I know that I could not win legally before the previous goverment but my prayers were answered today, as I was given the moral victory."
Former Lord President, Tun Salleh Abas
Well..... at least one guy is happy of the outcome......
Taken from The Straits Times, 19th Apr, pg 33
Quote -
"This move is rather belated because the plan has long been proposed."
Parti Keadilan Rakyat Chief, Wan Azizah Ismail
While another thinks it came too late......
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Originally posted by hloc:
Ok...... if the ex gratia payment is not a form of apology.... then what iszit
A bribe ..... some money to 'Buy' your slient..... till Abdullah could resist the called to stepdown What Well..... at least one guy is happy of the outcome......
While another thinks it came too late......
Ok...... if the ex gratia payment is not a form of apology.... then what iszit
A bribe ..... some money to 'Buy' your slient..... till Abdullah could resist the called to stepdown What .
''what iszit'' ?
It is an ACT of CONTRITION .... and the meaning of the word ''CONTRITION'' is as follows:
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Thesaurus: CONTRITION noun -
A feeling of regret for one's sins or misdeeds: compunction, contriteness, penitence, penitency, remorse, remorsefulness, repentance, rue. See regret / impenitence.
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If you are looking for an outright apology - [as in ''The Malaysian Government would like to say 'SORRY' to the 6 judges sacked in 1988] - there is NONE to be expected nor will it be heard.
The Malaysian Government - PM Badawi has already said that they are not apologising but will make something more meaningful to redeem and restore the six judges sacked by ex-PM Mahathir during the 1988 UMNO political crisis.
However, if you are looking for a 'physical act of an apology' - in the manner of an Act of Contrition - then it will be seen in the acts of an apology as proposed by PM Badawi - who had said that the amount offered is a mere token to correct the wrongs done to the six judges sacked by Mahathir.
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What is the meaning of a stated 'APOLOGY' if performed by the Badawi Government, when it had no part to play in the sacking of the six judges in 1988 ?
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Thesaurus: APOLOGY noun -
1. An acknowledgement expressing regret or asking pardon for a fault or offense
2.a. A formal jusitication or defense
2. b. An explanation or excuse: ''The consequence of those measures will be the best apology for my conduct''.
3. An inferior substitute: 'the sagging cot was a poor apology for a bed.
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With the definition of the word 'APOLOGY' - should the Badawi Government make the apology to the six judges ?
The Malaysians do not expect this Badawi Government to humble themselves as the main perpetrator of the offense and apologise to the six judges.
Certainly no further apoligies are expected especially after Badawi's unsolicited 'Acts of Contrition' - which itself is already an indication of the remorse felt by his Government for the injustices ?
Even a leading Malaysian Opposition Personality - who also is a senior lawyer - had stated that ''it is Dr Mahathir who should apologise'' to the sacked judges.
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Tuesday March 25, 2008
Karpal: It’s Dr M who must apologise
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should apologise to the judges implicated in the 1988 judicial crisis, said DAP national chairman Karpal Singh.
He said that calling for the present government under Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to apologise was not a step in the right direction.
“It is not the present administration which convened those tribunals.
“The two tribunals in 1988 were initiated by Dr Mahathir. So he should apologise,” said the Bukit Gelugor MP.
Karpal Singh also called for the setting up of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the judicial crisis.
“The commission should also establish whether there was any misconduct on the part of Dr Mahathir in abusing Article 125(3) of the Federal Constitution.
“It should look into the integrity of the two tribunals involved in the dismissal of the then Lord President Tun Salleh Abas and Supreme Court judges Tan Sri Wan Sulaiman Pawanteh and Datuk George Seah, he said.
“The first tribunal found Tun Salleh guilty of misconduct, while the second tribunal found the two judges guilty of misconduct,” he told a press conference at Jalan Duta court complex yesterday.
Karpal Singh said Dr Mahathir should apologise to the family of the late Wan Sulaiman. In the case of Wan Sulaiman and George Seah, he added, all benefits due to them should also be reinstated.
Karpal Singh was responding to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim’s proposal that the Federal Government apologise to the victims of the 1988 judicial crisis.
Zaid was also quoted as saying that although the crisis was 20 years ago, an apology was needed as it was wrongly handled and that the then Lord President’s sacking was inappropriate.
He said the DAP also called on the Prime Minister to announce whether the Government was prepared to move an amendment to the Federal Constitution to outlaw party hopping.
“If the Prime Minister is not prepared to amend the Constitution, then I will propose a private members bill to outlaw party switching,” he added.. -
From an ordinary Malaysian blog : http://sloone.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/mahathir-should-apologise-for-judicial-crisis/
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Mahathir MUST apologise (update)
Mahathir bin Mohamad
A Detailed Biography
41 Pages of Biographical Content
BookRags.com
Accomplished Singapore Law Practice
Corporate Restructuring. 6324 0002.
www.aajpLaw.com“Ask the tribunal to apologise.” (Mahathir Mohammad, on 28 March 200
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He said the dismissal of former Lord President Mohd Salleh Abbas and Supreme Court judges Wan Sulaiman Pawanteh and George Seah were not his doing. He, therefore, feels no obligation to apologise. If any party were to apologise, it should be the members of the tribunal led by Hamid Omar which sacked Salleh.
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I can’t believe those who would absolve former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from this absolute crisis and criminal act - the 1988 judicial crisis, which started the rot in the very institution that seeks justice. The decline in its credibility is impossible to reverse now, until we sack all those in the palace of (in) justice.
Blind loyalty to the man (for many, including many prominent bloggers)has blinded even one’s sense of justice of what is wrong or right. How can you trust such creatures, ever.
For these kind of people, justice can be compromised, negotiated, perhaps even bought and sold.
How can you let someone off, just because he has stepped down? Then we may as well shut down the International Criminal Courts which prosecute crimes against humanity. Only those who stand to lose like China, India and USA are critical of it. And you can guess why.
We cannot move on to carve a bright future, without dealing with the past. We cannot forget the rights of victims without making the past accountable for its wrongs. This is compassion. This is justice.
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As always, DAP Karpal Singh has his mind in the right place. He said that calling the present government and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to apologise for it was a wrong step. It is Mahathir who should say “sorry” and be held accountable (STAR).
“It is not the present administration which convened those tribunals. The two tribunals in 1988 were initiated by Dr Mahathir. So he should apologise,” said the Bukit Gelugor MP.
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He was not alone in his thoughts.
Param Cumaraswamy, a former Malaysian Bar president, named Mahathir, Attorney-General Abu Talib Othman (currently chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia) and Chief Justice Hamid Omar as those deemed accountable. (Malaysiakini)
“There were other personalities who carried out what in military terms is called ‘superior orders’ for fear of being dismissed from their positions,” said Param, who was also former United Nations special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.
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This is the history, lest Malaysians forget:
In 1988, Mahathir had convened a special tribunal to try Lord President Salleh Abas (photo) on charges of misconduct and for questioning constitutional amendments that seriously eroded the powers of the judiciary. Salleh was subsequently sacked.
Supreme Court judges George Seah and Wan Sulaiman - who had ruled that the tribunal was convened unconstitutionally - were also sacked after being found guilty of misconduct by another tribunal.
Three other judges - Azmi Kamaruddin, Eusoffe Abdoolcader and Wan Hamzah Mohamed Salleh were suspended. Some have described the dismissal of the top judges from the Supreme Court - then the highest court, now renamed the Federal Court - as Malaysia’s darkest hours in its judicial history.
To me, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim’s proposal that the Federal Government apologise to the victims of the 1988 judicial crisis is really naive. Doesn’t he know history? Please think again.
Zaid was also quoted as saying that although the crisis was 20 years ago, an apology was needed as it was wrongly handled and that the then Lord President’s sacking was inappropriate.
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Everyone knows this, what we want is an end to impunity, and the ones responsible be accountable and made to pay for it !!!!
This is the only credible manner in which to set an example for all future wrong doers. If we allow the past to remain ‘past tense’, we are merely allowing the present or the future to have a precedent.
I hope those who think that they are doing the world a favour by allowing the past to escape justice, will not regret when their future generation turns around and ask them: Why didn’t you say anything when you had a chance to?”
In short, sorry no cure. Punishment is.
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