Life: The Journey Continues…

Updated on the 30th of September, 2007

      Have you signed the petition yet? The "proper" version of the petition is out now. By proper, I mean the version in Bahasa Malaysia, which has been written according to protocol, i.e. the version which is actually going to be read by His Majesty the Yang DiPertuan Agung. You can read it here. The English version of the draft for the petition can be read at the link I’ve provided below, in the original part of this post. The e-mail address you should send your names and IC numbers to has also been given below.

      Please, if you feel as I do, that something needs to be done, sign without delay.

      On a related note, you’ve all probably heard about the "March of the Lawyers" as it’s been called by some. That’s what the video above shows. On Wednesday, the 26th of September, 2007, lawyers and other concerned citizens, somewhere between 2000 to 3000 strong in all, held a "Walk for Justice". This walk was proposed and organised by the Malaysian Bar Council (kudos to them). The purpose of this peaceful walk was to demand a Royal Commission of Inquiry (the same purpose of the petition) into the video below in particular, and into the judiciary as a whole. At the end of the walk, a memorandum with these demands was handed over to the Prime Minister’s office in Putrajaya.

      Check out the coverage of the issue by the International Herald Tribune, Rocky’s Bru, The People’s Parliament, and Ghostline.

      Kudos to everyone who took the effort and initiative to attend the march. As I said, if you feel something needs to be done, you can pitch in and sign the petition.

Original Post

      I’ve been extremely busy lately, and so haven’t been able to devote any time whatsoever to finishing the series on religion, secularism, and freedom in Malaysia. But something has come up that I felt I had to post about.

      I don’t know how many of you are aware of the scandal involving the lawyer, VK Lingam, and the current Chief Justice of Malaysia, Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim. And as much as I wish to, I don’t have time to write about it here. For those who are in the dark on what’s been happening, I would suggest you watch the following:

      Read The Star’s coverage of the issue here, here, here, here, here, and here. While you’re at it, check out Ghostline’s semi-humourous take on the whole thing here. Also look at what Malik Imtiaz, Jeff Ooi, and Elizabeth Wong have to say.

      The problem with the judiciary goes far beyond the tape. The problem began decades ago. The start of the problem was arguably the sacking of Tun Salleh Abbas from the post of Chief Justice. For a long time there has been a rot in the judiciary that needs to be dealt with.

      His Majesty the Yang DiPertuan Agung recently rejected our Prime Minister’s appointees to the second and third top posts in our judiciary, on grounds that the PM’s candidates lacked experience. Basically His Majesty has shown concern for the state of affairs of the judiciary, and how as a whole, it lacks adequate separation from the rest of the government.

      Haris Ibrahim of The People’s Parliament has drafted a petition to His Majesty to establish a Royal Commission to enquire into the whole thing. Read the full text of the draft here.

      If you feel something needs to be done, show your support for the petition by e-mailing savethejudiciary@gmail.com. Ask that your name be added to the petition. Whether it succeeds or not, there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain by signing it.