Sunday 5 February 2012

Innocent until proven guilty


When I was younger, I had always wanted to be a lawyer.

At that time, I had this idea that lawyers are a heroic bunch of people. Even wasted several years of my life in law school, trying to be one of them. Guess I watched too much court room drama movies la back then.

Anyway, while studying the law, I developed this habit of trying to understand people accused of wrongdoing. That's probably, because I had then wanted to be a barrister and go to court defending innocent people. Sounds so noble, unlike those glorified clerks whom they called conveyancing lawyers. Silly me....

Nonetheless, this habit of mine somehow had stuck till today. That is why one may find all these weird postings in this blog where I seemingly side with rather unpopular characters.

This was my second posting right after starting this blog about four months ago -
Is she really a crook?
It was about that lady, everyone seems to dislike - Zarinah Anwar of SC.
At the moment I wrote that posting, Zarinah was the punching bag of the day among the bloggers.



I read all those negative things about her and decided to try to know the woman. I mean the personal side of her.
I actually never met Zarinah.
What I found was that she is from a good family and her upbringing seems to be excellent. Her track records before she joined SC was similarly impeccable. In fact, after she joined SC, she was still doing well until those controversies hit her.

OK, the husband seems to be a bit of a shady character, but I kinda like Zarinah as a person. That is at least from what I found out about her.

I also think she is quite an elegant looking lady. In fact, when I am older, I hope I can look a bit like her.

I had not actually so much wanted to dispute the allegations against Zarinah, but merely feels that it was rather unfair to accuse her of this and that without knowing the human side of the lady. More importantly, I just don't want to swallow just any negative information about anyone without knowing a bit more about the person.

BTW, for the record, I personally think that Zarinah and her SC team did contribute to the fact that the country's capital market grew from a sheer water drop to over RM2 trillion in 2010.  Can't be all too bad, I think.

Then there were those postings about Johor MB Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.
So many seems to prefer him to be replaced from his current post which got me a bit exasperated.

I know Ghani rather well, despite not being qualified to claim myself his friend. The man is good. I got no other simple word to describe him.

Ok, so he has been the MB for a long time, but does Johor really have a suitable candidate to replace him at the moment? I know, now I sound like a broken record.

Never mind, I now honestly hope that he retires or at least go to a Federal position after the coming general election. I think he doesn't have to continue to endure the bullshit that goes along with his current position. Nonetheless I really don't envy the person who is going to replace him as Johor MB. The job is simply not easy, that is, if it is to be done properly.

Fine, enough about Ghani. After all, I think I already wrote too much about him in previous postings.

I had also posted several other write-ups on persons and institutions not seems to be well liked such as Arlida Ariff and her IIB staff, the Chinese schools, and the latest, businessman Lim Kang Hoo and terror suspect Zulkifli Abdul Khir.

Whatever I wrote about them are my personal opinion based on whatever info I could find about them.

It amused me when some of the commentators accused me of being on the take for writing something neutral or a bit sympathetic about these people. Does it ever occurred to them that there are actually people who simply write because they like to write about a certain kind of subject?  That maybe they are not motivated by material gains?  That writing could possibly be a hobby for them, a creative and intellectually stimulating outlet for the curious mind?

Why must it always be that just because a person does not have any honour with a soul being corrupted with greed and envy that this person assumed everyone else is the same way?

22 comments:

  1. writing is fun and interesting. posting something bad about other people is also the domain of some bloggers. its their prerogative rights.

    but in journalism, it should be fair. if we keep on meeting with people who oppose to a leader or an organisation, of course we will get 'that kind' of adverse story we always want.

    unless we take extra efforts to meet sources from both side of the subject, then we would be able to do some check and balance.

    what u wrote is fair... very fair.

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  2. Zarinah Anwar is a person that I have admired for a long time. I continue to admire her competence, her work at SC, her personality. So it also buggers me that so many others seem to hate her. ... I am lost.

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  3. Ms BigCat,
    It' s all about perception and being prejudgemental.
    When I say, J Lo is damn sexy, that's not being prejudgemental, but a statement of fact.
    But when I think that she's so vain or she's not great at all in bed, these can draw further discussion or argument.

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    Replies
    1. At her age, its a waste of time discussing whether she is good in bed... The fact is already there

      Delete
  4. Sorry Bigcat whoever you are, this is not about a cute person it is about being given a responsibility and a position of trust and to stay true to it, she should have advised her husband, the same way as Shahrizat should have done the same to her husband, personally I would like to see these two to go if the government wants respect and to keep on governing! My thought on these issues!

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    1. Dear Pasquale,
      The difference between Zarinah and Shahrizat is that Zarinah didn't make it worse for the government by trying to drag everyone into her personal problem. I am quite sure she will go when her contract expires not long from now. I think we should let her go with some dignity. After all, I think she had done some good for the country too. Too bad that she is married to that not very nice character. Well, Shahrizat, on the other hand will drag Umno through the mud in order to stay on. She is putting Najib in a very difficult situation with the election just around the corner. I've totally lost my respect for her.

      Delete
  5. Sdr,

    Kita kena ada fakta yang tepat dan jelas bukan sekadar cakap-cakap dengan fakta kabur lebih-lebih lagi apabila kita komen pasal seseorang atau cuba menyampaikan pesanan dan nasihat mengenai sesuatu perkara. Was-was dalam membuat sesuatu perkara termasuk dalam memberikan pandangan, hasilnya tidak baik.

    Kesannya terhadap individu berkenaan dan juga terhadap diri kita juga menjadi tidak baik. Begitu juga komen menerusi apa juga medium perlu dibuat secara adil dan mempunyai fakta jelas dan tepat.

    Akhir zaman ini, kita banyak dikelirukan oleh begitu banyak sumber maklumat yang mana kita sendiri tidak begitu faham, mahir dan tidak begitu meyakininya.

    Sumber makluman dan rujukan yang paling tepat dan jelas ialah AS SUNNAH RASULULLAH SAW dan KITAB ALLAH, Al QURAN. Cuma kita saja tidak cuba membaca, memahami dan menghayati sehinggakan diambil kesempatan oleh golongan kafir dan musyrik untuk menyesatkan kita.

    Sebagai seorang yang berpegah teguh kepada ajaran Islam, kita sering diperingatkan, kalau kita berbantah-bantah sesama kita dalam sesuatu perkara, maka kembali kepada sumber rujukan kita iaitu AS SUNNAH dan KITAB ALLAH, AL QURAN.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sdr,
      Terimakasih kerana memberikan nasihat dan teguran. Sebenarnya, pada stiap posting mengenai individu terbabit, saya sentiasa mengingatkan pembaca tentang samaada saya benar-benar mengenali individu terbabit atau pun tidak dan sedalam mana penyelidikan saya mengenai sesuatu subjek. Terpulang kepada pembaca untuk menilai samaada apa yang saya tulis itu boleh dipercayai atau pun tidak. Terima kasih.

      Delete
  6. BC like you write but I think the way you wrote, you actually did not come to know her. I agree very much with Pasquale. The country had enough of these people. Anonymous 05:38 all your religious matter discussions should make one insaf and let go of the job, if they have some keinsafan..

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  7. aku harap Ghani bukan sahaja berambus dari menarajui negeri Johor .tetapi terus dimatikan karier poltiknya..pencen terus dok di Sg Mati.

    apa ke halny anak baw amamat ni ke parlimen lagi..udah udah ler tu..

    muo mari

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    1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  8. "Ok, so he has been the MB for a long time, but does Johor really have a suitable candidate to replace him at the moment?"

    No one's indidpensable. 2 terms should be enough.

    And instead of investigating alleged massive insider trading involving her hubby and others, ZA only looked at whether SD should have made a GO (which was recommended by her investigating committee and rejected by higher ups). Not very inspiring.

    dpp
    we are all of 1 Race, the Human Race

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  9. Muo mari,

    Bilo ko kentut busuk, bila ghani kentut pon busuk. Kesudahannya, bila korang sama jadi mayat sok, busok jugak... Ingat la dan berkata biar berpada-pada... Kelak anu tumbuh dikepala!

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  10. Of course you can give her the benefit of the doubt. But she is holding a position of responsibility and cannot be forgiven for having compromised the position of the institution that she is helming.

    Unfortunately ..... a promising start, fantastic development over the years ..... BUT all destroyed by something she could have easily alleviated. Maybe the lure was too strong!!

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  11. Well her husband had a choice before, he could have just resign and not be involve in any corporate dealings after she was appointed SC Chairperson.
    She after all is legally qualified and should be well versed on conflict position.
    She cannot now plead she is above in all his dealings.

    I dont think people hate her personally but when her and her husbands actions that totally disregard the rule of law that compromised the institution.

    I suppose money and love conquers all!

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  12. Muo mari,

    Kasarnya bahasa. From Muar mehh??? Dah la tak de substance, jaga la adab menulis. Walau dia x bagus pun ada jg jasa dia kat Johor ni. Sampai time dia turun la tak payah halau.

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  13. Cukup lah bodek ghani. Time untuk ghani duduk surau pula bertaubat. Bila masanya ghani ni bersih mcm kain putih. EDL pun dengarnya ada share. Senai desaru highway pun ada share . Tak lama baru ni auditor general l ada sebut pasal kerajaan tanah dgn harga mahal utk hiway crossing kedua. Siapa yg buat duit kalau bukan GO. Tolong lah . Rakyat bukan bodoh now. Cukuplah.Johor perlukan pemimpin bersih. Tak kan ghani sorang dlm johor layak jadi mb. Pak ngah aku pun layak dgn syarat dia tak songlap duit rakyat.

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  14. Tentang Ghani, biasa la dalam dunia ni, kita cukup bimbang tentang calon pengganti. Bila sesiapa naik ganti, dengan sokongan semua pihak, Johor akan kekal maju kedepan.

    Tentang Shahrizat dan Zarinah, nak buat macam mana, dah suami masing-masing berniaga besar. Hal Zarinah sedikit berat, kerana suami terlibat dengan sesuatu yang jadi tanggungjawab kerjaya Zarinah.

    Shahrizat lain sikit, dia ahli politik, bukan dia yang akan heret UMNo untuk pertahankan diri, tetapi UMNO akan cuba defend setakat terdaya. Kalau dah memang salah, dan perlu pergi nak buat macam mana.

    Memang jika kita rapat dengan seorang, mengenali lebih dalam, persepsi kita agak berbeda.

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  15. Kiton Al Kubra,

    I was a Ghani skeptic, even a critic at one point of time.

    Then I started to ponder. Talk to people. Look at all the options. Weigh all the variables. JCS, JCorp, corporations all over Johor, Iskandar Malaysia, Khazanah, Iskandar Investment, IRDA, SAJ, MMC, PTP, Johor Port, RAPID, Singapore and last but not least, Johor politics as a whole. There's even a tinge of Anti Federalism.

    I am afraid you are right. Johor still need someone like Ghani Othman, to balance all the variables which are pressing on.

    Ghani is almost like Taib Mahmud of Sarawak. A lot of dislikes and even haters. But when push comes to shove, he is still the best man for the job.

    If you can get the message through, pls impress Ghani to present the 'Johor Report Card'. So many things he did and on the plate but very few people know all of these effort to keep Johor going. As the saying goes, "Tak kenal make tak cinta".

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  16. plse ask Ghani who is behind the lorries sending sand or shall we say silica to Spore...if silica why not have it processed and graded here?
    Also ask Ghani whether its true that all adverts and hoardings businessfor whole of JB, Skudai, Kulai and all of Johor and also revenue, kena sebat, must be given or through this company owned by one Tengku...

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    1. Why don't you ask him yourself? Rather that using anon, dares BC to ask Ghani and at the same time, wash your hand aaa? Manyak cantik muko ko?

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