Where is wasatiyyah in Anwar’s case?

Kit Siang is outraged by reports that the prosecution is seeking a longer jail term for the Opposition Leader.

KOTA KINABALU: DAP Parliamentary Leader Lim Kit Siang has registered outrage over the government’s intention to punish Anwar Ibrahim with a heavy jail term, saying it negates Prime Minister Najib Razak’s preaching of wasatiyyah.

He reminded Najib of the elements of wasatiyyah, which are justice, balance and excellence.

“Is Najib so cruel, callous and heartless as to want Anwar to be jailed for 20 years and not released until he is an octogenarian?” Lim said in reaction to reports that the Attorney-General would appeal against the Appeal Court’s five-year jail sentence on Anwar when the Federal Court sits this Tuesday to hear the opposition leader’s appeal against his March 7 conviction on a charge of sodomy.

He alleged that the prosecution’s only motive was to serve the “ulterior political objective of the powers-that-be to kill off” Anwar’s political career.

Lim was addressing members of Sabah DAP at a dinner here. He has posted the speech as his latest blog entry.

As he has done in recent days, the DAP leader drew a comparison between the Malaysian and Indonesian political cultures.

“We see another glaring difference in political ethos and culture between Malaysia and Indonesia,” he said.

“In Indonesia, it has become commonplace for the movers and shakers of the political elite, including ministers, to be convicted and sent behind bars, not for the most far-fetched of offences, but for clear and specific violations of the law, such as corrupt practices.”

He gave a few examples, including last month’s sentencing of Democratic Party Chairman Anas Urbaningrum to eight years in jail for corruption and money laundering.

“KPK (Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission) has challenged and appealed against the eight-year jail sentence of Anas as being too lenient,” he said.

“Malaysians and Indonesians can understand the Indonesian authorities’ appealing against Anas’ sentence.

“But what could be the public interest in the Malaysian prosecution’s appeal against Anwar’s five-year jail sentence, apart from serving the ulterior political objective of the powers-that-be to kill off the Parliamentary Opposition Leader?”