MESTI BACA (DWI BAHASA) : WHEN MORAL VALUES ARE BELOW THE LAW OF THE LAND / BILA NILAI MORAL LEBIH RENDAH DARIPADA UNDANG-UNDANG NEGARA

 First lets look at yet another confusing statement about rasuah by outdated and dinosaur age fossil Hadi Awang  the president of Pas.

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Takrif rasuah perlu dikaji dari sudut pandangan yang sebenar, kata Presiden PAS, Abdul Hadi Awang.

Beliau berkata, sumbangan kepada pihak yang memerlukan dan bukan atas tujuan peribadi sama ada individu atau masyarakat umum, tidak harus dimasukkan dalam makna rasuah.

"Maka, tiada orang akan menjadi mangsa akibat kesalahan daripada tindakan undang-undang yang dizalimi . . .

"Pada masa sama, ia perlu diambil kira dari segi ekonomi pendapatan atau gaji yang cukup bagi keperluan diri dan keluarga," katanya dalam kenyataan Minda Presiden PAS melalui akaun Facebook rasmi beliau, hari ini.

My Comments :

• sumbangan kepada pihak yang memerlukan
• perlu diambil kira dari segi ekonomi pendapatan atau gaji yang cukup bagi keperluan diri dan keluarga
  
• Maka, tiada orang akan menjadi mangsa akibat kesalahan daripada tindakan undang-undang 
  

Nauzubillah! Hebatnya Hadi Awang.

Maksudnya jika "ada pihak yang memerlukan, jika gaji dia tidak cukup bagi keperluan   diri dan keluarga maka jangan lah dia dimangsakan daripada tindakan undang-undang" !!

Di sini elok kita rujuk ayat al Quran yang sangat jelas mengharamkan amalan rasuah:

Surah 2:188 (al Baqarah 188) :  وَلَا تَأْكُلُوٓا۟ أَمْوَٰلَكُم بَيْنَكُم بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ وَتُدْلُوا۟ بِهَآ إِلَى ٱلْحُكَّامِ لِتَأْكُلُوا۟ فَرِيقًۭا مِّنْ أَمْوَٰلِ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْإِثْمِ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ١٨٨

"Dan janganlah kamu makan harta di antara kamu dengan jalan yang salah, dan jangan pula kamu menghulurkan harta kamu (memberi rasuah) kepada hakim-hakim kerana hendak memakan sebahagian dari harta manusia dengan berdosa, padahal kamu mengetahui". 

Sila teliti yang berikut :

"dan jangan pula kamu menghulurkan harta kamu (memberi rasuah) kepada hakim-hakim kerana hendak memakan sebahagian dari harta manusia dengan berdosa"

Sekarang kita rujuk kenyataan auta hadi Awang.  Katakanlah ada seorang hakim yang memang :

• dalam keadaan yang memerlukan
• gaji dia tak cukup bagi keperluan diri dan keluarga
  
• dia tidak mahu menjadi mangsa akibat kesalahan undang-undang
  

jadi ikut takrif Hadi Awang its OK lah kalau setiap bulan hakim itu "bagi lepas" satu atau dua kes mahkamah jika ada OKT (Orang Kena Tuduh) sanggup bayar dia wang untuk membantu hakim itu mengatasi keadaan dia yang memerlukan, sebab gaji dia tidak cukup bagi keperluan diri dan keluarga dan untuk dia tidak dikenakan tindakan undang-undang.

Hebat sungguh takrif baru presiden parti lebai kita, yang jelas bercanggah dan bertembung dengan lisan dan maksud ayat al Baqarah 188 ini.

Orang Islam mesti menegakkan keadilan (qaaiman bil qist - stand up for justice). Tetapi kalaulah para hakim boleh kautim kes mahkamah, keadilan Islam akan ke laut. 

Mangsa jenayah, mangsa penipuan, mangsa kezaliman, mangsa rogol  akan kalah kepada konsep 'takrif semula rasuah' oleh Hadi Awang. Sebab hakim tidak cukup duit gaji untuk menampong keperluan hidupnya (rumah batu, kereta impot, bercuti dengan anak bini, mungkin kahwin dua atau tiga dsbnya). 

Ok sekarang saya beralih ke bahasa Inggeris.  

When at university in the US, I recall my law lecturer Prof Forrest Frueh (Freeh) explaining that the highest law in any society are its moral values. If a society has high moral values then the society will make laws which are born out of its moral values. They will be good laws.

But if a society has low moral values (for example if the society feels that corruption should not be a crime) then of course it will make laws that reflect that society's low moral values. For example rasuah or corruption may not be a crime. 

In many Third World countries like ours our legal systems are imported. In Malaysia our entire legal system is based on the English legal system. The English legal system has long established itself as being a very fair and transparent legal system and is the most popular legal system in many parts of the world. Until today international agreements often stipulate that in the event of legal disputes 'the Laws of England shall apply'.  People have faith in the laws of England.

Of course the Laws of England were made in England. The English society has evolved over time to hold moral values which have made their society very successful in almost every area of human endeavour. They were not without fault. They invented modern African slavery and later they abandoned it and made slavery illegal. They colonised the world but now they want to give New Zealand back to the Maori people. (Its getting there). They plundered India but now an Indian is their prime minister. So their morality as a society has also evolved.

The English and the West are quite dead set against corruption. Their society really cannot tolerate corruption. There are always corrupt people everywhere but you will not hear their church leaders saying that 'its ok if the judge is corrupt to meet his monthly expenses if they exceed his monthly income". 

So its a TWO STEP process. Their society evolved higher or better moral values. And from these moral values they crafted their system of laws - the English legal system, which even Malaysia follows until today.

The problem is many (or ALL) Third World societies do not yet have the same level of moral fortitude or moral values  as the British (or the West). 

• Freedom of speech? It is non existent in the Third World. 
• Freedom  of religion? What is that? In Malaysia Muslims can go to jail if you apostate or follow any sect other than the orthodoxy.
• Human rights? What human rights? Racial quotas take precedence (as an example).
  
• Women's rights? Hmm.
• Now Hadi says rasuah has to be takrif semula!!

Certainly the moral values in our society are at very different levels.  

So the English legal systen that we have acquired will suffer. 

English Law says corruption is a crime. 

The Quran says do not bribe the judges.

al Baqarah 188 :     "dan jangan pula kamu menghulurkan harta kamu (memberi rasuah) kepada hakim-hakim kerana hendak memakan sebahagian dari harta manusia dengan berdosa"

But Hadi Awang says he wants to redefine (definisi semula) 'rasuah'.

It is not just a question of regard for the law. It is a question of moral values. What are your moral values?

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.