IGP, Home Minister, Umno, EC feel the heat

Yesterday it was the IGP who was on the wrong end of a High Court decision when he, as the then Selangor police chief, was held responsible for the death in custody of A Kugan.

High Court judge V T Singham courageously held that IGP Khalid Abu Bakar was responsible for Kugan’s death in a landmark decision. Calls for Khalid’s removal are gathering momentum, with opposition MPs already calling for him to quit.

Today, it is the turn of the Home Minister Zahid Hamidi to face a legal setback. The Federal Court application has rejected his application to dismiss the assault suit against him which is now in the High Court. The suit was filed by a businessman who suffered a nasal bone fracture and a swollen eye in the alleged assault. Should Zahid continue to remain in office while the case is in progress?

Yesterday, a Terengganu Umno state assembly member passed away, paving the way for a crunch by-election that could determine the fate of the BN-led Terengganu state government. The BN holds 17 seats in Terengganu to Pakatan’s 15. So if Pakatan wins in the by-election, it will be 16-16 – a hung assembly. In which case, the BN may be asked to show if it can command the confidence of the majority in the assembly.

But first, the by-election … While some may see Kuala Besut as an Umno-BN stronghold – Umno won here by 2000-plus majorities in the 2004, 2008 and 2013 general elections – it was not always this way. In 1999, Pas actually won the seat. According to Pas’ Mujahid Yusof Rawa, the Pas candidate failed in 2013, partly due to some issues over her being a woman candidate. So yes, this high stakes by-election will be contested with earnest.

Will we have indelible ink in this by-election? The Election Commission continues to face the heat and widespread ridicule over the ‘indelible’ ink fiasco after it was revealed that food dye was among the ingredients – though the Commission insists silver nitrate was also used.

All this less than a fortnight after top of the Umno Tower in Penang came crashing down, killing two people on the road below and piercing deep into the earth, on 14 June.

-anilnetto