In a report in Malaysiakini today, the following extract from the Lingam Royal Commission (RCI) report was reproduced :
‘…the findings have, at the very least, provided the catalyst for further investigations so that, hopefully, there would be complete transparency and full accountability. This is absolutely essential if we are to wipe out, once and for all, the stain of that remark once made by justice NH Chan, in reference to the judiciary, that “something is rotten in the state of Denmark”.
A second Malaysiakini article reports today that the RCI report will be made available to the public.
That second report also has Law Minister Zaid confirming that, as recommended by the Commissioners, Lingam, Dr M, former chief justices Fairuz and Eusoff Chin, Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and Vincent Tan would all be investigated under various provisions of the law arising from various findings by the Commission.
That second report, though, also confirms that AG Gani Patail is to have conduct of these investigations!
If Gani is going to take charge of these investigations, can we just save the public funds that will be expanded in such a wasteful exercise, please.
Just total up the anticipated expenditure, forget the investigations, and give the money to some orphanage.
Remember the cancellation of the use of the indelible ink four days before the 12th GE?
Remember the press conference at which EC chairman Rashid announced this cancellation?
Malaysiakini reports that at this press conference, Rashid had said that this cancellation was made ‘following legal advice and looking at the issue of public order and security…’.
Whose legal advise?
Well, that report confirms that Gani was at that press conference, so you get no prizes for guessing which legal genius Rashid was relying on.
What evidence was that legal eagle relying on when he advised Rashid?
A recent Malaysiakini report of what Syed Hamid Albar had to say in Parliament about the cancellation of the use of the indelible ink is instructive :
“After the police reports were studied and interviews with the complainants and the witnesses, it is found that there was no evidence at all to show the ink was smuggled in from Thailand. This is because no witness has seen the ink. From the witness statements, no individual, syndicate or any particular party was identified to be involved in this (ink smuggling). The complainant and witness’ statement were based on hearsay and no individual was identified positively”.
Advise rendered premised on no evidence!
And what did Gani have to say when the Lingam video first made the news in September last year?
“no criminal offence appears to have been committed” and that Lingam “was in a monologue over his mobile phone and it was unclear who he was talking to”
You can read about this at YB Lim Kit Siang’s blog HERE .
YB Lim categorised Gani’s statement as ‘most outrageous’ and said that the statement raised ‘important questions, viz:
- his understanding of and commitment to judicial independence, integrity and accountability; and
- his fitness to continue as Attorney-General.
YB Lim then asks :
‘How can the chief legal officer of the government try to minimize the gravity of the judicial misconduct exposed by the Lingam Tape and shirk off his responsibility by claiming that Lingam was in a monologue as “There is no clear reference that he was talking to a top judicial officer”, when Anwar Ibrahim’s allegation that Lingam was talking to Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim sometime in 2002 when he was Chief Judge of Malaya was corroborated by the contents of the conversation?’
This chief legal officer of the government, with no evidence, had a hand in denying us the use of indelible ink at the last elections.
This same officer was also seemingly eager to find at the earliest that there was no wrongdoing disclosed in the Lingam video!
He was probably all in favour of a NFA ( no further action )!
And he’s to now investigate Dr M and the others implicated!
Why has he not resigned?
May 16, 2008 at 9:51 pm
And the wayang kulit continues…
May 16, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Malaysia: the land of double-standards…
May 16, 2008 at 10:47 pm
I feel so ashamed. Shame on the people who thought they could get away with this. Because of you, you ruin judiciary and the very court that mean to protect and serve. You ruin us with your greed and power.
The worst and most darkest moments in Malaysian history.
May 16, 2008 at 10:52 pm
The people caused the political tsunami to happen om March 8. No one, not even many of the victorious MPs, believed it could happened before the event. But happened it did!
Now, no one may believe a Judiciary Tsunami may happen. But happen it will, if the rakyat wants it to happen. So, do we want it to happen? Do we want a Judiciary Tsunami here now?
If so, let us work for it. Let each want of us make our desire known. Write, speak, blog, lobby, do whatever you can!!!!
Get your MPs to keep fighting for the Commission’s Recommendations to be implemented
May 16, 2008 at 10:54 pm
For his incompetence and seeming biasness in prejudging the lingam case, and for his many instances of poor judgement, I say he should have the honor to RESIGN.
If not, he should be replaced and not given the task of investigating something in which he had already shown clear bias and conflict of interests. lets not kill a good report from the Commission with a poor and bad assignment to an incompetent official.
May 16, 2008 at 10:55 pm
And of course Gani will be assisted by none other than the Anti Corruption Agency, the Agency that is credited with exonerating more people that it investigates than it does prosecute. Has any MP so far asked that question of the ACA? How many investigations they have done. How many exonerated. How many prosecuted and How many KIV!!
May 16, 2008 at 11:08 pm
.
This moron should be fired in the first ever opportunity a sane leader gets.
A completely incompetent idiot who does not possess any conscience in regards law and justices in the position he is holding.
.
May 16, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Sekadar untuk membuktikan ketelusan kerajaan dan diakhiri dengan ‘tiada kes’. Sekurang kurangnya dapat memburukkan beberapa nama dan dalam masa yang sama menyelamatkan beberapa nama, supaya orang yang disebut tidak perlu meletak jawatan SU setelah dimaklumkan ‘tiada kes’.
Mereka bersih dan suci dalam debu..
May 16, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Not only that. When it was mentioned by Param Kumaraswamy that Mahathir should be investigated based on statement of former ACA boss, our AG stood was quick to brush that aside stating that the case was closed. I don’t think public have any confidence on our present AG.
The best solution would be to subscribe to Mahathir’s idea that is appointing foreign agencies to conduct a thorough investigation. In this way we could also be fair to Dr.M.
May 17, 2008 at 12:15 am
Ah yes… Gani “No Case” Patail.. the absolute WORST AG this country’s ever had, in recent memory.
What better way for needless expenditure on a foregone conclusion that after all the investigations, he will find that there’s no evidence to do anything…
And yeah.. I agree with you – just give the damn money to charity.
May 17, 2008 at 12:33 am
you are to the dot. save the money for a better cause. there’s so much credibility left in the AG office.
Do you all remember the damning allegations by RPK against this AG?
May 17, 2008 at 12:37 am
I am no lawyer but just wonder, if the AG is not competent and not able to discharge his duties faithfully or even seen to be manipulative, can a police report be launch against him. Or is he immune or protected under the law.
Anyway been an AG he should know the winds of change TAKING PLACE IN THE COUNTRY. With the election tsunami and probably with the cross over he should be able to gauge the feelings of the raayat and also as to how he should carry himself. Already he has a negative outlook and I am sure DSAI will not have him there should the cross over takes place. This is the only chance he has to prove himself that he can deliver.
On the other hand from his proven record we might as well donate the money to some orphanage. Agree with you.
May 17, 2008 at 12:50 am
Reminds me of the story about two men traveling in a train. They look out the window and see some sheep grazing in the hill side. One man said “The sheep have been sheared already”. The other man said,” Well, at least on this side anyway.”
Gani’s view of the video is just like the skeptic in this story. Lingam appears to be talking to himself. And the moon is a big balloon in the sky, and stars are light bulbs put up by Hollywood special effects. When a person wants to protect someone, they sure can come up with some humdingers!
May 17, 2008 at 1:02 am
Of all the people,Gani? My goodness. Sandiwara for whom? Bunch of Monkeys and Orang Utans? it’s high time this country forms another Royal Commission to probe the AG Department, and make the report public. By the way, Pak Lah, Royal Commission report on IPCMC must be made public also. Don’t forget your pledge, we are watching you.
May 17, 2008 at 1:02 am
And the show will end with mr. guni petai trumpeting
`No wrong doing has been found and so the case will be closed. All we found are only `kotek,kotek,kotek`(balls)
And so ends another chapter in the history of bolehland.
May 17, 2008 at 1:43 am
Do you Abdul Ghani Patail was the leading govt proscutor in Anwar’s case and he was the one who refused to produce evidence when Karpal and others for Anwar demanded and it was through this day light fraud that Anwar was sent tojail for 15 years. Now, you expect that man who was appointed by the same system within the same apparatus and men (Fairuz etc) to clear the air about their rape. You are joking. May be we need to wait for PR to take over the federal govt and move from there. Any other story is cheap. Mark my words.
May 17, 2008 at 2:38 am
Show to be continued or they will be out of jobs!
When such topics should be investigated at least by the Police, ACA and Bar Council, where are their reports?
With this so called RCI, it boiled down to AG!
What a joke!
Especially when AG has long been a BIG QUESTION MARK OF JUSTICE!!
May 17, 2008 at 3:50 am
What in the world is Pak Lah trying to defend here? He is clearly not implicated. Here is an opportunity for him to show leadership and use this to clean house. He doesn’t need to fight his detractors. Clean up the Judiciary and earn the respect of the nation which will give him the eligibility to continue as the PM. All his critics will just have to kow tow to him.
May 17, 2008 at 5:44 am
Gunny says not enough evidence. No case. Everyone happy except the rakyat and those victims of unfair judgements. Lingam says korek korek korek.
May 17, 2008 at 7:59 am
Gani is probably the greatest UMNO ball-licker of all times. His biased roles in Altantuya, Indelible ink, charging of Hindraf innocents for murder lends credence that he is a stooge of the highest order. His performance within his department is one of arrogance, bigotry and without merit.
May 17, 2008 at 8:02 am
Ya-lah. He’ll put up a show, keeping himself busy, opening up files on this datuk and that datuk, months later the newspaper headlines would be “Not enough evidence to prosecute”.
Case closed.
May 17, 2008 at 8:40 am
Shouldn’t the Royal Commission have included the Attorney General’s office [lock stock and barrel] in its finding?
what a shame .
if it pleases the UMNO Prime Minister, can we not simple transfer the current AG to a desk job at the Prime Minister’s Office as Special Adviser to Minister Zaid Ibrahim?
And why not appoint a new AG from even the Senior Litigation Lawyers [with the rank equivalent to QCs ]?
May 17, 2008 at 9:00 am
We have watched and listened to Gani’s public statements over a reasonable period of time to conclude that this moron’s brain is “legally twisted”. He is damn good in twisting the “law” and “facts”.
Before the commencement of Altantuya’s murder case in the court, he boldly declared that only 3 suspects would be charged. Here, he twisted “justice” by pronouncing the “final verdict” as to who should be charged.
He changed the prosecution team at the 11th hour by giving some cock and bull nonsense.
One minute he wants to charge some HINDRAF supporters in Batu Caves for attempted murder, the next moment he withdraws. How could we allow this moron to manipulate people’s lives based on his whims and fancies?
While we all lament that the “injustices” we face is because we do not have an ” Independent Judiciary”, we fail to recognise that having an immoral and unethical AG is more detrimental. The Executive’s stranglehold on the Judiciary is also exercised through the AG Dept.
The first step in the administration of justice is the decision as to whether an unlawful or criminal act have been committed. The next step is to do a thorough and exhaustive investigation to determine whether there is sufficient to press for prosecution. The court only decides on the facts presented, and the AG is in total control over the facts to be presented in court. So how could we blame the judges for not convicting the accused when the sloppy investigations do not provide the standard of proof as required by the Evidence Act.
Gani may appear very bold in public to cow the Rakyat. We all know that he shudders when TDM sits opposite him. So how could he “investigate” TDM?
Haris is right, let us forget about all these and donate that bugetted expense to an orphanage.
May 17, 2008 at 9:03 am
Just when you think they got something right, they go on to make it wrong again.
Gani can’t be put in charge of the investigations, especially since he made such comments back then. If anything, they should be looking at people who have had nothing to do with this case to carry out the investigation, and not someone who has “pre-assumptions” on the case.
Does the government need to be taught how to do things properly?
May 17, 2008 at 9:12 am
[...] has to investigate the matter) ? Lawyer Haris Ibrahim echoed my exact sentiments when he said…“Good Lord, no!” – coz it’s the notorious Abdul Gani Patail ! This chief legal officer of the government, with [...]
May 17, 2008 at 9:33 am
I read this in The Star today (online version,o.k.) “Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye described the decision as a step in the right direction to restore the people’s faith in the judiciary.”
Now if I had been confined in a bunker all my life and was only fed news of Lee Lam Thye and all that he has said and was reported in the past, I will be wondering what the hell he was talking about.
I would be wondering “oh, when, did the judiciary lose the people’s faith that it now requires restoration?”
Like Lee there are so many others who MSM like to quote. And really it stupifies me with the kind fo responses they permit themselves to make.
Obviously there are so many others, UMNO worshippers, and BN followers who only relied on MSM for their news, I am certain some of them too will be wondering what went wrong and when did it all go wrong. And at the end of the day, it is this majority whose opinions and votes that seem to matter. This is why I hate the idea of giving weight to uninformed opinions and uninformed positions taken. Like that of the wife of a colleague of mien who swore that only BN could rule and never knew of all the shenanigans that was widely known to the rest of us.
May 17, 2008 at 10:45 am
Haris,
You are a lawyer and I am not yet I have asked three relevant questions in my blg. Wonder if other will add some more to mine.
I can see what is coming. With Gani given the task to prosecute I am sure it will be NFA, file closed.
Remember how he closed the corruption file against the IGP and the ACA chief. He asked them if they were corrupted and they replied ‘No’ NFA.
Now he will ask the six if they were involved in judge fixing. They will reply ‘No’ and the files will be closed.
The only way to move forward is the get a new AG.
Mr Smith,
Bingo!
May 17, 2008 at 10:57 am
[...] has to investigate the matter) ? Lawyer Haris Ibrahim echoed my exact sentiments when he said…“Good Lord, no!” – coz it’s the notorious Abdul Gani Patail ! This chief legal officer of the government, with no [...]
May 17, 2008 at 11:01 am
correct, correct, correct, save the money and distribute it to the poor.
May 17, 2008 at 11:13 am
Susan Loone has an expose on the evil Gunni Petai.
http://sloone.wordpress.com/2008/05/17/gani-to-investigate-mahathir-et-al-come-on/#comment-50595
May 17, 2008 at 12:16 pm
GP’s waterloo may be sooner than expected.
The Pulau Batu Putih verdict by the ICJ will be out by next week.
Lose the island and this goose is in for a roasting.
Win it and he’ll score some brownie points. For a while, at least.
May 17, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Read Jeff Ooi’s article here:
To claim Batu Puteh, this Gani Niabo took his son on a picnic to the Hague and argued plagiarised photograph and got a trashing from the Singapore legal counterparts!
What anarchy?
http://www.jeffooi.com/2007/11/malaysia_uses_plagiarists_blog.php
May 17, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Here’s a jist of what’s gonna happen if AG takes the
‘Famous Five’ to court:
The Famous Five goes to court. Abdul Gani Patail and team prosecutes. Case gets delayed for another three years as DR.M suffer two more heart attacks and is advised to take rest. Finally case proceeds and on judgement day the honorable judge reads the verdict: “Based on all evidence produced by both the prosecution and defendants, it is very apparent that it did sound like them, it did look like them but,…the prosecution has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that it was them. I hereby find the defendants not guilty on all counts and charges.”. And they all lived happily ever after.
The End.
Cheers
May 17, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Continue to play tai chi… and having amnesia…
May 20, 2008 at 8:37 pm
haris,
rather ask gani to investigate better we set up the kanggaroooooo court for all of them.
higher some people who dont know anything about law but got good sense of wisdom and judgement.Then we might get the real court of justice and judgement.
not mr.correct3 court.
rajraman666.power is corrupt but $ not corrupt.$ will be only corrupt if the people in power accept $ as corruption.
May 20, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Gani is the worst AG in Malaysian history,how this incompetent man is allowed to be the AG for so long is a no wonder in Bolehland.This AG has been a hindrance towards justices in Malaysia , the government’s force shield and biggest ball sucker of the BN regime.What Haris says is correct,save all the sandiwara and just donate the money to the orphanage’s, the money will be in better use.There is practically no honour in him in discharging his job,just like the IGP and the EC chief and a whole lot of BN leaders.He should be the first person to be arrested under ISA ,if Pakatan Rakyat comes to power.
May 20, 2008 at 10:00 pm
For goodness sake, don’t even mention that name. With people like that, the world becomes definitely more unhealthy.
May 20, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Just ask former AGs i.e. Tan Sri Abu Talib Osman and Tan Sri Ainum , what they think of Gani P and why they never promote him than what he’s worth , then you’ll know how ‘knowledgeable’ Gani is .
BTW , maybe the former KSN i.e.Samsuddin Osman , Gani’s bosom buddy could tell what Gani did in Sabah to make some people so mad that they even tried to burnt down Gani’s house several years back .
hen he
May 22, 2008 at 9:32 pm
With an AG like Gani Patail whom the reformed ACA will report to and has the final say on prosecution, what is the point of going through the charade of reforming the ACA?
I don’t believe the BN govt is committed to real reforms. The only “reforms” allowed will be those which are in congruent with Umno. Real reforms will come only when Pakatan Rakyat takes over.