INDELIBLE INK: Ridiculous to court-martial RMAF officer when it's the EC which must be punished - Anwar

Royal Malaysian Air Force fighter pilot Major Zaidi Ahmad, who lodged a police report over the failure of the indelible ink used to daub the fingers of voters, should not be court-martialed for standing up for what is right, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.

The opposition leader said the police report lodged by Zaidi only proved his integrity and discipline as a military officer.

"Major Zaidi has been trained to be disciplined and to have integrity as an officer. That is why he lodged the police report," Anwar said in his speech at the 2nd annual general meeting of Pertubuhan Prihatin Anggota Keselamatan Malaysia (PAHLAWAN).

Anwar told the servicemen that the action against the RMAF squadron leader was unnecessary as he did not commit any crime.

"It is a different story if he committed a breach of trust, but Major Zaidi has been probed for being a responsible officer.

"He discovered that the ink was not indelible, so he lodged a police report," said Anwar.

Anwar said the move to charge Zaidi was a disastrous one on Putrajaya’s part.

"If anyone is to be charged for the indelible ink, it should be the Election Commission for cheating but it is Major Zaidi who is being punished now,” he said.

Zaidi has been suspended from flying and was charged in the Military Court on February 7. He has claimed trial.

He was charged on seven counts at the Military Court, the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base in Kuala Lumpur last Friday.

Five of the charges are under Section 50(2) of the Armed Forces Act 1972, while the other two involves Section 51 of the same act.

Section 50(2) is an offence of non-compliance to an order from a superior and may carry a sentence of not more than two years, while Section 1 does not submit to the standing order and may carry a sentence of not over two years or a lighter sentence.

The former co-chairman of Bersih 2.0, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, had described Zaidi as a Malaysian hero.

“He has been charged with seven counts of filing complaints on the indelible ink used during the GE13. This man is being punished for speaking the truth and we must stand by him for he is a Malaysian hero.

“This is the how we must be. When they lie, we must fight them with the truth. This 'tribute’ is for Major Zaidi, and without a doubt, please cancel the charges against him,” Ambiga said at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Legacy Forum to commemorate the 111th birthday of Malaysia's first prime minister recently. - TMI