An old war story

An old war story

Met an old friend I haven't seen for a long time last night.

We hanged out over a few drinks and mostly talked about our "old war stories".

He is by the way my senior and mentor. A really cool dude, who takes no bullshit from anyone.

He was with me at No8, Jalan Setiamurni, Bukit Damansara when Anwar Ibrahim was arrested that tense night on Sept 20th back in 1998.

I was a Reformasi sympathizer at that time while he was, and still is a pro-BN guy.

At that time, I had wondered why my senior, who knows so much more than me and never compromised on his principles could be so sure that Anwar was not innocent.

I never asked him what were his reasons to take such a stand at that time as I did not want to offend him.

Whenever people asked me why I was sympathetic to Anwar at that time, I always said that the case against him was so poorly handled that it smells a conspiracy from the start.

I was young and rebellious. I was ready to side with anyone who was deemed to be victimized.

The image of Anwar, his soft-mannered wife and young children being victimized really didn't go down well with me.

The funny thing about it all was that I didn't even like Anwar previously. I encountered him several times before he was sacked from his DPM post and find him to be arrogant to those whom he can be arrogant with. His young aides and even his bodyguards were the same. Anwar was at that time at the pinnacle of his power.

But I brushed aside all negetive thoughts about Anwar after I went to his house a day after his sacking. On that day the house was packed with his supporters. But what caught my attention most was the sight of his daughter Nurul Nuha, then 14 crying at one corner and was being consoled by Wan Azizah. That was the turning point for me at that moment.

Now, I'm much older and more objective. I do not let my emotion rules my thinking anymore. Post 2008, I realized that this country is in danger of falling into the hands of hypocrites.

My friend finally told me last night why he was so sure that everything are not right about Anwar.

He was closely involved in the Anwar's case since a year before his arrest. He saw with his own eyes when Anwar abused his power by ordering the police to arrest and harass Umi Hafilda and his driver Azizan to retract their allegations of his sexual misconducts. Anwar was later convicted for that but many, including me at that time believed that it was just part of the conspiracy against him. My friend nonetheless told me how the policemen who had to execute Anwar's orders agonized over what they had to do.

Knowing my friend and what he stands for, I know he was not lying.

"Do you think the same thing will not happened again if that bugger really becomes a PM?" my friend asked.     

Justice then and now (updated 3)

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.

Malaysian courts bias?

Malaysian courts bias?

Back in town. Been busy running around doing necessary nonsense. No time at all to drop by any cybercafe. Did however manage to borrow someone's computer to let go some comments and that' about all. Well, need to earn a living ma.

 Almost a week since my last posting. Lots of things happened. Some good, some not so good.

There was Shahrizat having repeated Press conferences to insist she is still relevant after the NFC thingy. Hmmm...enough la lady. You want to stay relevant so much, go ahead lah. guess Umno have to suffer some fools all the time. Nothing new what.

Then there was the flood in Johor. Not so bad at the moment. I mean not as bad as last time la. Hopefully it would not get worse. Heard the Johor BN machinery who were supposed to go take a short break from their gruelling schedule end of this month had to reverse gear and help in flood relief efforts.  Never mind, people first, politics later. Good also like that.

Hmmm.... then there was that gay Malay-Irish wedding huha....I better not write about it. Well, I am trying to stop using vulgar words in this blog anyway. The best write-up on that one in my opinion was by NST's Chok Suat Ling, my favourite MSM writer. Miss Chok's writing can be quite hilarious sometimes. I like.

Oh, just now heard in the radio that Dr Khir Toyo was found guilty over the purchase of some land when he was Selangor MB. Wah! Umno guy also kena by the courts? I thought lots of people said courts in this country are bias and always find in favour of the evil Umno people. How la this one? Anyone want to say the courts being unfair to Khir Toyo? All those Pakatan bloggers, how? Anyone want to go demo on the streets and demand real justice for Khir Toyo?

 Wonder if they are going to say courts unfair when decision of Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy case come out next month, will there be streets demo if the charming boy is found guilty,,,anyone want to bet?

Never mind lah, I think we all know the answers to all that.

On a more sad note - Cesaria Evora, my favourite Latin singer died the other day. This is her in my favourite of her video clips -