COMMENT The judiciary did it!

The Court of Appeal did not disappoint sceptical Malaysians who have always viewed the judiciary with suspicion. This guilty verdict was predicted even before the case appeared in the Court of Appeal.

Umno would be happy that Anwar was finally stopped from contesting in the Kajang by-election. What they could not achieve politically has now been realised through the judiciary.

The guilty verdict was delivered late and Anwar was sentenced to five years jail; nevertheless, a stay of execution was granted pending appeal with bail of RM10,000.

This may rule out Anwar from filing his nomination papers on Tuesday. But if Anwar presents the nomination papers on the day, which he is entitled to under the constitution, the Election Commission may not exercise its judicial discretion to allow him to contest.

The majority of Malaysians will have to endure this unjust and unfair outcome, which would kill off Anwar’s political career. But they must never, ever lose hope that perhaps this is what we needed to finally convince us that it is truly time to get rid of this corruption-ridden BN that has destroyed all that we value and love.

This burden of responsibility will begin in Kajang when polling takes place on March 23. Malaysian citizens in Kajang must reflect the abhorrence felt to the BN rule by overwhelmingly voting for the Opposition candidate whoever that may be.

Let this by-election be a referendum on Najib’s leadership and a public censure against BN’s policies. Let’s make it abundantly clear that we are opposed to the BN’s leadership and its divide-and-rule policies.

Napoleon remarked, “To be just is not simply doing right, the governed must be convinced that it is right”.

As far as caring Malaysians are concerned, what was done was not right and we are not convinced that it was so.
 

P RAMAKRISHNAN is an Aliran executive member.