Justice then and now (updated 3)

UPDATED 3

The three explosions which injure five people outside the KL High Court today marked another notch in the increasingly volatile political landscape of our country.

It was often argued that we Malaysians are mature enough to handle all those freedom of these and that. Cautions of dangers posed by extremists among us were often dismissed as government's attempt to silence its critics and deny the people of those freedom.

Apparently, it's proven today that those dangers are real. Next time it could be even worse.

With the most crucial general election in this country's history to take place within the coming few months, lets pray that this is not going to be the year of living dangerously in Malaysia.

Now, it is up for our much maligned "anjing kerajaan" police force to handle the situation and ensure our safety.

Who had maligned our police force?

Easy la that one. They are none other than those who have been bad mouthing our justice system and the judiciary as well as other government institutions. Don't tell me you don't know. who they are. 

UPDATED 2

Come to think of it, here is an excerpt of Anwar's statement from the dock during the trial, where he made it clear to the world what he thinks of the court which set him free today

"I say it because as I’ve stated earlier, the court’s integrity has been completely compromised and bears all the classic symptoms of a show trial where the script has been effectively written and the outcome a foregone conclusion. I say it because as a presiding judge you have demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt your complete lack of impartiality. I say it because you have consistently refused to recuse yourself even in the face of mounting evidence of your bias against me. I say it too because you have persistently turned a blind eye to the gross violations of protocol and procedure committed by the prosecution while at the same remaining impervious to my protestations about these blatant irregularities that would have without more alerted any impartial judge as to the malice and bad faith of the prosecution."


UPDATED

 This is just in from NST SMS alert
NST 09/01: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim acquitted of sodomy charge.

True enough, the court had acted professionally and all quarters must respect its decision.

Does the Pakatan crowd outside the court influenced the decision? I don't think so. Our judiciary make their decisions based on facts....nothing more, nothing less, ok?

I am personally glad for Anwar's family. It would probably be too much for them to bear if he was found guilty again.

However, as it was back in 1998, I do not think the court's decision really matter in shaping the perception of the public.

Anwar was found guilty back then, yet it did not stop BN from suffering quite huge losses in the 1999 general election.

This time around, he was found to be innocent, but would that mean anything to the electorates?

Will it turn thousands to the Pakatan cause?

I don't think so.

This case is after all just a criminal case involving a man who allegedly had sodomized another man. Both sides presented their case and one of them wins. Ya, it's a bit more juicy as Anwar was again involved. But does it has anything to do with anything more than that? I really don't think so.

By the way, will the Pakatan people continue to accuse our judiciary of being influenced by the evil Umno/BN after this?

My answer to that is yes and no.

Yes, if a court's decision doesn't favors them, and no if a court's decision goes their way.

Well, nothing much you can do with hypocrites, eh?


ORIGINAL POSTING

Tomorrow is going to be Anwar Ibrahim's big day.

I wonder what is in his mind today.

I wonder what his wife and children think. Are they very sure of his innocence?

My mind wanders back to those restless September days of 1998.

It seems as if all that happened those days were just yesterday.

I can remember clearly sitting on the stone bench at the lawn of Anwar's house at Jalan Setiamurni, Damansara. I spent many days there , observing the whole thing unravelling before my eyes.

I was even there the night Anwar was arrested. 

Nurul Izzah was just 18 years-old, and my favorite of Anwar's daughters at that time, Nurul Nuha was 14. I can't remember the name or age of the other children.

.

Honestly, I was sympathetic towards them.

My personal opinion at that time was that Anwar's case was poorly handled by the government and that was what convinced me that he was innocent.

Fast forward to now,  the trial of Saiful Bukhari's case took three and a half years to complete.

It was postponed about 60 times. All upon the request of the defense team, who also tried twice to recuse the presiding judge.

Then there was that political sermon by Anwar as he refused to give a sworn statement to the court.

I was actually looking forward to that sworn statement by him as it would have been the only way to see him swearing his innocence while holding the Quran. Apparently he wouldn't do that even in court.

I also find that the current Anwar's defense team being clearly of lower quality compared to the one who defended him back during the reformasi days of the late 1990s.

The government have on its part clearly stayed away from the trial and went out of their way so as not to be accused of trying to influence the judiciary.

They even allowed tomorrow's gathering outside the court by Anwar's supporters, which to me is unprecedented indeed.

It makes me wonder, what if some other groups had also requested for them to be allowed to gather there, to demand for Anwar to be thrown in jail. Would they also be allowed to gather there?

Anyway, as far as I am concerned, the court had acted in the most professional manner throughout the trial and I believe it will do so again tomorrow.

Clearly, any right thinking person could see that  the perception of those who have inappropriately tried to influence the court have changed this time around.