Zaid raps those afraid to offend 'potential PM'

A former law minister has nothing but scorn for those who choose to bite their lip in fear of offending the potential prime minister in waiting Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, despite knowing that the latter’s arguments are flawed. 

"No one offends the rising star. The fact that the country is now perilously close to becoming a police state is of no concern to them," said Zaid Ibrahim.

In a strongly-worded statement, he called on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to rein in ministers who made "foolish, wayward and yet dangerous" statements.

Malaysian leaders, he pointed out, must represent the entire country and all her people, not just themselves and their "friends".

"It is not enough to wear Ferragamo shoes and Brioni suits to impress the international media and the world community. The world is also watching closely what our leaders say and do. 

"It is incomprehensible that we should spend millions on PR consultants so we can look good and progressive in America and Europe, and yet the rubbish coming out of our leaders' mouths remains so utterly frightening to any civilised human being," he added.

Zaid, who once helmed the nation's biggest law firm, was responding to the ongoing saga concerning the home minister's "shoot first" remark.

While the nation was "worried sick" about the extrajudicial killing policy, the former law minister said Zahid "true to character, remained defiant and totally unconcerned about the issues raised by his critics."

Zaid noted that the home minister, in his tweet, expressed bewilderment at how "these defenders of human rights" were only concerned about the rights of criminals and not the victims. 

"This is not the first time that we have been given a briefing on the theory of justice and human rights by an Umno leader. 

"Nonetheless, it deserves a response if only to remind the people how bad our education system must be if a senior minister is apparently unable to grasp simple concepts like justice, human rights and the rule of law," he said.

"In a democracy and in a modern country, justice requires due and transparent processes exercised by and through an independent arm of the government—that is, the judiciary, where the accused has the right to be heard and to argue his or her innocence. 

"If 'justice' is to be determined solely by the police and the minister, who will shoot first and ask no questions later, then we do not need the courts and the rule of law," he added.