THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
On 18th March 2011, we ran a story called The Unholy Trinity Revisited. (You can read that story here: http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/38872-the-unholy-trinity-revisited)
On 7th April 2011, the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs replied to the 17th March 2011 letter from the Member of Parliament for Bakri, Er Teck Hwa.
You can read a copy of the letter below.
The matter raised in the 17th March 2011 letter from MP Teck Hwa was something that happened back in 2007. That was four years ago.
What happened was this.
Seven police officers (one of them, ASP Noor Azizul Rahim Bin Taharim, was the ADC to the IGP, Musa Hassan) plus two Chinese underworld figures (total nine people) signed Affidavits alleging that the IGP was not only involved but was behind the Chinese prostitution, gambling, drugs and money laundering syndicate.
These Affidavits were published in Malaysia Today and which resulted in a host of legal problems for me when the police raided my house, confiscated my computers and various documents, and charged me for all sorts of crimes (plus detained me without trial under the Internal Security Act).
I knew my so-called crimes were partly related to these Affidavits (although they did not actually charge me for this) because during my eight-hour interrogation (for the so-called crime of sedition) the police asked me about these Affidavits. They, in fact, asked me how come I am so opposed to the IGP.
I knew then that this was the real issue although they said it was for a totally different issue that they are interrogating me. (Remember the Muhammad son of Muhammad story?)
My question is: according to the Deputy Minister’s letter, the matter is still under investigation, four years later. However, when it came to my issues, they could wrap up their investigation within just one week and drag me to court to be charged the very next day.
When it comes to those perceived as anti-government, they only need a week to wrap up the investigation and press charges. Anwar Ibrahim, the one-time Director of the CCID, Ramli Yussuf, lawyer Rosli Dahlan, and many more are examples of how the police need only days or weeks to wrap up their investigation and press charges.
But when it comes to those who walk in the corridors of power or those who serve those who walk in the corridors of power, four years on and they are still investigating the matter.
What happened to P.I. Balasubramaniam’s case? The MACC has taken his statement through his lawyer, Americk Sidhu. Bala replied to the MACC’s questions and signed an Affidavit, which was submitted to the MACC in July last year. Since then nothing has been heard about the matter.
This is an example of what we would call selective prosecution. Another word for selective prosecution would probably be persecution. Some people receive immunity even for the foulest of crimes while others are brought to book even when no crime has been committed and on totally fabricated charges.
Take my two charges as an example. I was charged for sedition for allegedly ‘insulting’ the Deputy Prime Minister’s wife when she has no official status in the government. I was further charged for criminal defamation.
The fact that these laws do not apply to a wife of someone in power was of no consequence to those who walk in the corridors of power. If I had insulted the King (Agong) then that would have been another matter because the Agong is mentioned in the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. The Deputy Prime Minister’s wife is not, so she does not exist in that sense of the word.
In fact, to carry this argument further, the Constitution makes no mention of the Deputy Prime Minister. It only mentions the Prime Minister. So the Agong, the Raja Permaisuri Agong, and the Prime Minister are official posts, according to the Constitution. There is no Deputy Prime Minister, according to the Constitution.
If the Deputy Prime Minister is not ‘recognised’ by the Constitution how can the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister be an official post? And, therefore, how can I be charged for sedition and criminal defamation even if I did insult the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister?
That is the crux to the whole matter.
Something that is not a crime is made into a crime. And four years later they are still investigating nine Affidavits signed by seven police officers and two underworld figures against the IGP.
That is what we call Malaysia Boleh.
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