YOURSAY | Pardoning Najib sets a terrible precedent

YOURSAY | ‘Zaid will just have to be patient and let due process take place.’

Zaid flays Umno for not ‘selling’ Najib’s pardon bid

BOBBYO: Has former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak ever confessed to his sins and asked for forgiveness, Zaid Ibrahim?  

Has he repented for his crimes? Has he returned what he had stolen, so that the money could be used for the people’s benefit?  

Today he sits in a so-called prison, which only VIPs know of.  

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had to face humiliation, insults, assault, and even being locked away in a cell.

For what? On trumped-up political charges. He spent years in jail before he was given a pardon.  

Here, all the evidence points directly at Najib. Not only SRC International but also the major 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) heist.  

How can you, a senior lawyer whose duties are to uphold the law, even consider approving a pardon for a kleptocrat not even remorseful of his crimes?

What precedent are you setting for our next generation?

That it is ok to steal huge chunks of the nation’s money and get pardoned, just because your appearance on the campaign trail might make a difference to the party.  

Umno did badly at the 15th general election because the 1MDB heist was used to the hilt in the election campaign.

Will pardoning Najib change the mindset of the voters?

Vijay47: One would have thought that Zaid, after receiving universal condemnation and abuse for his suggestion that Anwar pardons Najib on the brilliant argument that RM42 million is “small change”, would have squirmed back to his burrow, licking his wounds.

That he would have realised that despite being belted and flayed like Gunga Din, he is far from being the better man.  

Masochism surely courses deep within your veins because here you are, back again, yearning for double drill and no canteen, made to squat on burning coal.  

Alas, just like the promises Umno made, you offer no grounds or mitigating circumstances on why Najib should be free to return to the ample bosom of kith and kin.

But indeed you have listed examples of traitors elsewhere being pardoned and, surprise surprise!

They are all Western countries! Are you sure you want us to walk in the wake of the US?

PAS certainly would be extremely upset. The US, land of the free, home of the brave, where wolves dance on Wall Street?

Let me count the ways we differ. The US came into being 250 years ago. They amended their Constitution 27 times. Malaysia, 65 years young, may have amended ours about 61 times.

If you take into account the fact that countless Articles of the Constitution were revised on each adventure, the total would come up to about 87,493 changes, give or take.  

But wait, there’s more! America and South Africa take pride in recognising all shades of their citizenry, there’s no discrimination and they can look at rainbows and wear colourful watches without anxiety.

Heck, there’s no New Economic Policy!

Colin Powell, that sunburnt gentleman, was US Secretary of State, while when Tommy Thomas became attorney-general here, all hell broke loose.

Pardon me, Zaid, what happened to the national mantra “Don’t ape the West”?  

Nah, let Najib stay where he is. He can enjoy for free the savoury fragrance of satay. 

Apa pun boleh: Zaid ought to be the last person to pontify to Umno about Najib’s pardon.  

Zaid and Co, more than others, messed up in no uncertain manner the final opportunity Najib had to defend himself in the Federal Court.

The bench was made up of the top judges, including Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat herself, who gave every opportunity for Najib to present his case.

Zaid has yet to answer as to why he took over the case from Shafee if he was not prepared to defend his client.

He knew the date set by the Federal Court for Najib’s final appeal. So why did he take over the case and plead that he needed three to four months to present Najib’s defence?  

Did he take it for granted that the court would grant the postponement he wanted?

Did he not contemplate the consequences if the court turned down his pleading?

Did he not advise his client of the consequences of taking over the case at the last moment?  

What was worse, not only was Najib left in the lurch and bundled off through the back door to Kajang, the bench was demonised publicly as supposedly denying Najib a fair hearing.

These shameful antics are in the public domain. This is the man that sees fit to accuse Umno of neglecting Najib's pardon.

Sweet Caroline: He is just playing politics. As a reasonably astute person and a lawyer, he knows Najib has committed the crimes he is jailed for, and the other indictments coming his way.

If the pardon request is unsuccessful, he will take credit for speaking out as he is doing now.

It's time for Malaysia to bury the 1MDB ghost and step back into the sunshine of welcoming foreign direct investment, which has flowed to Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore since news of the 1MDB scandal broke.

BlueMouse0551: Zaid, why don’t you state the mitigating circumstances and reasons for Najib's pardon?  

Najib has done something very unforgivable and consistently denied his crimes and yet there is plenty of evidence, and his conviction is justified and this is justice for the rakyat.

Surely you, as a lawyer, cannot condone his actions, and being his defence lawyer for a short stint, you could have done a better job.

However, you failed, and now you just keep harping about an unjustifiable pardon.

Proarte: A pardon at this stage is patently premature.  

There are still other cases involving Najib ongoing and the amount purportedly stolen runs into billions, making the amount of RM 42 million stolen in this earlier conviction “small change” in comparison.

It could be that Najib will be jailed for life and the judge recommends that he is not pardoned based on the enormity of his crime involving billions of dollars.

Zaid will just have to be patient and let due process take place. Nobody is above the law.

Pink: When a hypocrite fights to save a thief, the rakyat will feel sick.

This is combined with an unstable government obsessed with power and greed and led by an indecisive leader, the scenario is very worrying indeed.  

The news about Najib, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Zaid are the three topics that I prefer not to read.

They are the three people who could topple this weak government. Maybe life is easier for religious fanatics.

JBond: The looting is only partially exposed without fugitive financier Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) being caught.

Banduanku did not even offer to help to catch that fellow, indicating there is a lot more to it than what was exposed in court.

Pardoning a crime of this magnitude is telling the whole world that Malaysia can tolerate criminals who are well-connected with public appeal.

Is this the message we want to give to generations to come?

Lizard: Thanks Zaid for reminding the rakyat.

First, the rakyat is convinced that you didn’t perform up to expectations when “Bossku” engaged you as his final appeal lawyer on his conviction of RM42 million.

Second, the rakyat is convinced that a criminal of any crime must pay his due, in jail time and fines.

Third, the rakyat is convinced that if “Bossku” is released and freed of all charges, one day he shall be back in power and more stealing and corruption will happen. 

Rumtfanms: During the 14th general election you were campaigning strongly alongside former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to remove Najib from office.

Post the 14th general election, Najib was convicted and sentenced to jail.

You are now calling for the same person who brought the country to its knees by conniving and scheming billions of dollars for his benefit.

What’s your motive? Will you be duly rewarded if Najib is freed? How can people place their trust in people like you? - Mkini