SO, IS IT FITNAH: THE ANWAR IBRAHIM SAGA

WHILE “conjecture is no substitute for truth” says the Holy Quran, some too credible circumstantial evidence makes speculation excusable in this case. If I’m wrong, may God forgive me.

Obviously the man the press labels as de facto leader of PKR, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has little choice but to find redress in the Shariah Courts, especially if he is not guilty. He knows what the alternative court of law is capable of doing, despite his ultimate acquittal. The world, too, knows this!

The correctness of this move by him, however, relies heavily on the assumption that God’s law will not be gerrymandered at the whims and behest of political masters by the faithful. And, an even bigger assumption is that the system is indeed manned by pious Muslims who fears no other but God. But most of all it assumes that his accuser is truly a man of faith and, therefore, God-fearing. Sadly, this last could prove to be a mistake and the ensuing debacle a mockery of Islamic law.

One very important pointer that is indicative of questionable character on the part of the accuser is the man’s willingness to be sodomised. Why I say this is because it is difficult – even near impossible – to see this whole affair as one of rape. He is young compared to Anwar, who is 60. He is a big fellow, bigger than the average as his photograph with Datuk Shahrir Samad makes clear. He is a fit young man compared to Anwar who has had severe injuries inflicted on him by the late former IGP and a horse riding injury to his neck. If Anwar had tried to rape him he could have easily beaten the man to a pulp, had he wished. Don’t you think? No, instead, he allows it to happen and then makes a police report. Why?

I would love to speculate on this, but I have no facts to back my suspicion other than that the young punk can get an appointment to see the DPM at his residence. But even here there can be many legitimate reasons and one of them, as the DPM says, is that he is a rakyat and the DPM is an elected leader of the rakyat. Seeing him, even at what must be short notice, can be plausible. The Lord works in mysterious ways for His own purpose. Lame though this may appear to be it could be true. Wallahu’alam.

Yet, there is one strong assumption I can still make, I feel. I can surmise quite accurately, from the many pictures of him with ministers and those with access to them, that this is an ambitious young man going all out to rub shoulders with the high and mighty. What other reason can there be for this but to climb the ladder of success given the “who-you-know” culture that colours success in our society. Let us also assume that he was hedging his bets when he moved into Anwar’s private office, as assistant no less. When on 8 March 2008 the biggest upset in Malaysian political history occurred, surely he was able to smell the strong whiffs of potential power where he was. And the months following made it even more demonstrable. Nevertheless, he chose to throw the spanner in Anwar’s works at precisely the most important point of the man’s political comeback.

That there was no rape we can almost be certain of. This is a fair conjecture. Why, therefore, complain and make it so public in a police report and open oneself to prosecution when it is consensual sex? Herein is the conundrum. Such intimacy will only make him more favoured by the boss and if he really believed that a comeback by Anwar is highly likely (presumably the reason for his joining the PKR camp) why spoil the show?

One possible answer is that richer, more immediate rewards – measures of success in a materialist society – are forthcoming elsewhere. Speculation, of course, but this is entrapment pure and simple meant to foil the tsunami of Anwar’s comeback that will drown BN into oblivion. The question is whether there is a puppet master somewhere in the murky backstage of Malaysian politics, someone who believed the possibility of Anwar’s return to Parliament as opposition leader, or even PM, to be real. Or was Saiful “fishing in murky waters” so to speak, with the intention of auctioning his sordid services to the highest bidder.

Now, under either of these circumstances, one would have thought that some way would have been found to record the incident, preferably on video. After all, this is premeditated. If someone’s behind this seamy episode this kind of evidence would destroy Anwar once and for all. On the other hand if Saiful is the sole mastermind of the entrapment a truly rich reward would be paid by the highest bidder for any kind of evidence. But there is no evidence, hard or otherwise. Silly ain’t it!
END

MALAYSIA: THE MENTAL EVOLUTION IS ON

IS IT REALLY? Or are Malaysians just peeved: peeved at not being able to get their hands dirtied, as have the politicians and their cronies; peeved at being marginalised because in this last round there has been no need for cronies -- just the wannabe first family will do nicely, thank you (they are reputedly so closed shop that one nominee/crony was quickly christened by critics with the family name) ; and, peeved because this lot dared flaunt their power thinking that they can do it with impunity (You have to give back too mate, not just take: like kept petrol prices down and cooking oil cheap.)!

As a result, the general elections of 8 March 2008, with a definitive tug, pulled the rug from under the feet of the Barisan Nasional (BN), a coalition party that has ruled the country, in one guise or another, since independence. Ministers, deputy ministers, other self-important office-holders and unofficial official holders fell and some were alleged to have fallen but rescued by foul means. This latter only the courts can verify. We, the people, having done what we set out to do, will have to wait and see whether we truly got it right. Was the last Government genuinely so disinterested in us and absolutely corrupt or are we victims of the blogs that have no business publishing rumours passed off as "news". My bet is that the truth lies somewhere in between.

Robbing BN of its two-thirds majority and putting in alternative governments in 4 states with economies instrumental to maintaining the national economic health and restoring the overwhelming majority of the PanIslamic Malaysian Party (PAS) Government in the east coast peninsular state of Kelantan, the people have made it impossible for indifference to economic policies. Now the federal government must indeed be innovative and ingenuous to merely sustain the already lacklustre growth that even now is under threat from a global financial meltdown.

Remember the 1997 regional financial meltdown? It took spunk to keep the people happy. The good doctor kept us, the people, in work. But that we take for granted because it is indeed the function of governments TO LOOK AFTER THE PEOPLE'S WELFARE. Governing is about TRUST. Those voted into office is entrusted with the overall well-being of those who voted them into office, a necessary consequence of the social contract. If they did not, why would be allowing them to make policies that will definitely impact on our lives, for better or worse???

Unfortunately, while that bit of the bargain was then kept, there was another, equally important, that was ignored! TRUST meant that things would be kept above board. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY should have meant only that and not massaged to mean something else under the pretext of Malay special privileges. The cronies that the system spawned under the good doctor helped make the wannabe first family and create the climate that so disgusted the electorate, which culminated in the humiliation of the prime minister, especially, and the BN in general. (Why are the BN component parties silent in the face of such a debacle? Is this an admission of joint liability?)

Malaysia is peculiar in that a convention makes the New United Malay National Organisation (UMNO Baru) -- lest we forget, that is what the current UMNO is -- supremely important. Not unlike the importance of the American presidential elections is to the world, the election of the UMNO president is pivotal to the country. Whoever is the UMNO president will be the prime minister of any BN federal government. And, whoever is the deputy president will step in if anything happened to the incumbent. This is why it is imperative that the top party posts be fought for democratically to ensure that indeed, the best person will win.

With this, another of the good doctors errors was made. In transforming the party from a democracy to an oligarchy, for the simple purpose of holding on to power, UMNO was left with an anointed deputy president and, therefore, Malaysia a prime minister, whose honeymoon period with the nation is not only over but a divorce petition is most definitely already issued.

Under these circumstances, with the exception of the incumbent prime minister and his deputy, intransigence is unacceptable behaviour. UMNO must indulge in navel gazing and figure out how to restore its prestige. Naturally, the most immediate move is to find a new leader from among its MPs. One veteran politician of many decades and a former finance minister has offered himself.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is the only UMNO sitting MP with the stature to hold the country's economy together given the pressure the new Government faces. On the one hand, an impending global economic slowdown, if not recession. On the other, the need to work with the State governments of Selangor, Perak, Pulau Pinang and Kedah to ensure that economic growth is sustained. When it was just Kelantan in opposition hands the strategy of strangling its economy was of little consequence to the national equation. Now, however, the industrialised states and the country's rice bowl are in the hands of parties of the parliamentary opposition. Strangling their economy would only damage the nation.

Now, too, the BN Government has lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority. No more riding rough-shod over the opposition. Bills will have to be debated and the government benches cannot afford a split. Without access to lucrative government contracts UMNO members have to be kept in line by appealing to their better nature of national duty and ethical conduct. A leadership tainted with allegations of corruption and incompetence cannot hope to unite an unhappy party.

UMNO must give the nation a new leadership lineup comprising of able and honest men and women, a leadership that can impress the electorate the next time around. Unfortunately, a much harder task than usual because the competition now has the wherewithal to prove themselves to the public. Having been out of the political leadership lineup now for more than two decades, nobody can point a finger at Tengku Razaleigh and accuse him of corruption. His track record speaks for itself: he is the architect of the Bumiputra economy, not an easy feat because Malaysia then, when he set up Petronas and later was finance minister, was a fledgling nation. Not a stranger to opposition politics the prince from Kelantan may be well placed to appeal to the opposition on the basis of national interests. And, in the face of the mishandling of the Terengganu palace by the incumbent, he is the salve to heal that wound.

Tengku Razaleigh and his UMNO Supreme Council members will be very conscious of the need to overhaul UMNO and BN's image, both nationally and internationally. He will not resuscitate the "dead" by appointing them to his Cabinet, as has the incumbent who has left the people appalled at his sheer audacity. No one sitting UMNO MP can hope to challenge his credentials and his credibility in the face of a newly restless electorate that have drawn "blood" by asserting their democratic rights. If UMNO is not to be relegated to the pages of history its members must act to placate the public NOW!!!
END

POLYGAMY AWARD

LAST WEEK there was a bit of a brouhaha over a suggestion that men should be awarded for being polygamous. How about that?! The gall of him who had the cheek to suggest it.

Strange the way Malaysian men of the Malay-Muslim species try to make their lustful nature admirable. According to this suggestion a man who is willing to take a single mother as a second, third or fourth wife should be given an award, presumably meaning that there is a measure of sacrifice on the man's part. All well and good but....

Firstly, in this day and age it should be the function of the state to provide for the welfare of single mothers and their children. These women and their children cannot be left to the whims and fancies of men. Yes, the Holy Qur'an makes mention of widows and orphans in the context of polygamy but it is uncompromising in its demand for fair and equitable treatment. If a man cannot be fair then polygamy is forbidden to him. Fairness here is not mere material. Here the Muslim man is expected to be fair in all respects: material, emotional, sexual, spiritual and whatever else that might surface in a marriage.

The question here is whether it is humanly possible for a man, or anyone for that matter, to be absolutely fair? For this is what the Book commands. Otherwise, marry only one. God here is so explicit and yet men can persist in misinterpreting His commandments. Why is this?

Malaysian Muslim males are quite unembarrassed about their rampant lust. Of course, there are the exceptional ones who are content with monogamy, but even the Islamic establishment, which is undeniably male-dominated, cites the unbridled male lust as reason for polygamy. Shame on them for assuming that all men are like them and, too, that God should want to pander to such animal behaviour. In fact, this is an insult to the animals. Take the beautiful swans, for example, they are monogamous. If the argument for lust is made then why on earth did the revelation not encourage the poor man to marry and instead enjoin them to chastity until such time as they can afford to keep a wife and family.

Paramount to the spirit of the Qur'an, therefore, is welfare; in this instance the welfare of widows and orphans in the aftermath of war. And, much as God would want them to be taken care of, He is willing only if the arrangement is in no way detrimental to the well-being of these the already unfortunate. If to be widowed and orphaned is already a god forsaken fate would it not be a double whammy to allow for their further suffering under the care of a man whose concerns are first and foremost driven by lust? Please, all, never for a moment forget that Allah is unequivocally merciful, magnanimous and infinitely kind. Just look at the Qur'an, all but one surah starts with "In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful."

Secondly, how many men will marry widows and divorcees who are not pretty and attractive? If there are polygamous men who do honestly take a widow or a divorcee for reasons of welfare alone, this person ought indeed to be rewarded. Honestly, can we name any man we know who will take a tired-looking hag with eight little children as another wife? Ample empirical evidence exist to suggest that polygamy equals lust equals good-looking women, especially when they have been married before and poor.

That in the same week just across the Straits of Melaka the Indonesian president is trying to fly his idea of banning polygamy altogether, is indeed ironic and utterly shameful for Malaysians. For, the man who suggested the "polygamy award" for Terengganu is also a public figure, much lesser no doubt, but one nonetheless.

Note: Got to http://islaminmodernity.blogspot.com for the related news reports.

BODY-SNATCHERS: EPILOGUE

GOOD SENSE has prevailed. Thank God. MAIS, the Selangor Islamic Council, has withdrawn claims over the remains of the late Rayappan Anthony and his burial will be held by his family according to Christian rites. In the end, they accepted the fact that Anthony was no longer a Muslim at the point of his death, after exhaustive investigations to prove otherwise.

What this means is that a Muslim may leave the religion, after all. Well, at least for the convert. The late Rayappan Anthony’s final contribution to his fellow citizens is thus an important one. No longer do Malaysian converts to Islam who changed their minds about being Muslim need feel that they have to flee this country to die just so they can rest in peace. For, this is exactly what I hear on the grapevine. Now all they have to do is make absolutely certain that the evidence of their renouncing Islam is beyond doubt.

As a Muslim I feel much saddened by the whole sorry episode.

Firstly, it embarrasses me that the procedures, vis-à-vis religious matters, which have huge legal implications, are left uncertain. On the one hand, the non-Muslims operate under a secular system. Their religion is a private affair, pursued in their own time and on their own terms with the religious establishment of their choice. On the other hand, Muslims like me live very much under a strong Islamic state apparatus, which would like to be even stronger than it already is.

Secondly, I am saddened by Islam’s failure to hold on to its converts. All Muslims know that the converts, mualaf, are special. Provisions for the way they are to be received by Muslims exist in the Qur’an. They are to be treated with great care: “Alms shall be used for the advancement of Allah’s cause…and those that are converted to the faith.” [9;60] And yet, cases such as Rayappan are not uncommon. It reflects badly on the Muslim community; a situation made worse because the state provides for the administration of the religion and the zakat, the wealth tax, should enable a perfectly good welfare system. Instead, we hear talk of those who are supposed to be looking after our soul wanting a slice of the commercial action.

Maybe what the government ought to do is impose on those entrusted with the administration of the religion a kind of internship, the way doctors do, before they are allowed to even come near a Muslim, dead or alive. Why is it Muslims think little of their soul when its impact upon society is so great? Is it any wonder then that converts do not stay and those born into the religion have to be forcibly restrained from leaving? A crying shame really!

RETURN OF THE "BODY-SNATCHERS"

NON-MUSLIMS should no longer play fast and loose with their faith, whatever it may be, if they know what’s good for them.
If they do not like what happened to the late Everest climber, Moorthy, and what is happening to the recently departed Rayappan Anthony then do not even consider becoming a Muslim: not for love, not for money and definitely not for fun!
For be warned, there is not a single escape clause in this unspoken, indeterminate contract. Even marriage vows, for instance, promises release upon death, but not this. It insists on binding you to it for all eternity. And after you are in it, you will feel most bonded to it when you least want it. Choice, by the way, you would have given up at the point of entry.
It is like choosing to live in a dictatorship. Why would you, whose every act, every move and every decision can be a conscious choice reaffirming your human agency, choose to give up choice only to live within strict taboos, a rigid regimentation and perpetual supervision? Okay, it is highly probable that you may feel suitably cleansed by the taboos, but can you stomach the regimentation? Possibly too, if you are the sort invigorated when regimented, but can you take the feeling of being constantly interfered with? Maybe yes, because you find comfort in being part of the majority.
This is what it means to be Muslim in Malaysia and surely this requires the kind of commitment that only passion can lend. Are you then passionate about becoming a Muslim or are you driven to it by passion? This question you must contemplate over and over and when you are done contemplating meditate on it, over and over. And if after all of that you remain determined then, by all means, go for it.
But why has it come to this? The Moorthy case hints at the problem.
His conversion to Islam is almost hearsay. It was purported to have happened on his sickbed with no hard evidence that it ever took place. If he had really converted, Moorthy, according to his widow, never talked to the family about it and given the importance of such a decision to people of faith, this is incredible. One would have thought if he had embraced Islam with all its consequences it would be unlikely for him not to let his family know, if for nothing other than to ensure that when he does go his soul would be suitably attended to. Why convert to Islam when you do not particularly care what happens to you in the after-life, especially given the stark contrast of this, most final rites of passage between those of Islam and Hinduism?
In this instance would it not have been wiser if the officers of the Religious Department involved had based their actions on documented evidence? Was his conversion card ever produced? In short, did he or did he not embrace Islam?
The current controversy regarding burial rites revolves around one Rayappan Anthony (alias Mohammad Rayappan). Here there is indeed evidence, both documented and otherwise. His conversion is not disputed. He took the faith and consequently a Muslim name when he left his Christian family and identity to marry a Mulim woman. However, there is every proof of him having renounced Islam and returning to Christianity. According to newspaper reports, his MyKad states that he was a Christian. And yet JAIS had little compunction about distressing his bereaved family. After the “body-snatching” they tried to subpoena Christians to appear before what is an exclusively Muslim court.
There are two issues here. First, the assumption is that to JAIS, once a Muslim always a Muslim. As soon as one embraces Islam one forfeits one’s constitutional right to freedom of religion. (By the way, for those born into the religion this is the given condition as the Lina Joy and the four elderly Kelantanese cases, to name but two, demonstrate.)
And second, it is obvious that the Islamic establishment, in over-stepping the boundaries of its jurisdiction – the issuing of subpoenas to Anthony’s three daughters who are Christians – is intent on creating a dangerous legal precedent. Let us, for argument’s sake, accept that it may have some claim over Rayappan Anthony, but does that give it any semblance of a right to even attempt to invoke its powers over the non-Muslim daughters? Now that the sisters are going to the civil court for redress what will the judgment be? In the Moorthy case the judge felt quite unable to sit in judgment of an Islamic issue as everything to do with Islam is the purview of the parallel Shariah Court system.

As this matter is now before the courts it would be skating on thin ice to speculate, but let us hope that the 'integrity' of our legal system, dualistic as it is, is preserved. We may not be able to turn the clock back to before 1988, but at least we would have put arrogance firmly in its place: checked, if not checkmated.

WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE LAH

SIASAH, in its current edition, asks the provocative question, “Is Ku Li willing to challenge Pak Lah?” The paper is, of course, referring to Malaysia’s former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who once took on Dr. Mahathir Mohammad. That was way back in 1987, some twenty or so years ago.

Strange that a generation later the possible challenger has not changed, but the prime minister has, albeit after 22 long years. Is this a reflection on UMNO’s inability to cultivate a new crop of leaders?

That the question of a challenge against the president of the party is being bandied about comes as no surprise given the recent open hostility towards Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s premiership by Dr. Mahathir, the man single-handedly responsible for putting him there in the first place. Given the intensity of each passing shot by the latter one is forgiven for believing that the prime minister’s days in office are numbered because if it had instead been a live round of bullets the country would have had a state funeral. The accusations leveled were so unapologetically vicious.

But survived it he did. If Dr. Mahathir had intended to unseat Abdullah he must be sorely disappointed. Didn’t anyone bother to tell him that it is near impossible to topple an incumbent? He, more than anyone, should know this. Two former prime ministers did their utmost to get him out of office and both failed miserably. These scenarios are text book perfect.

Malaysia inherited the British system of government where the prime minister is primus inter pares, first amongst equals. He holds all levers, not only to power, but also the fate of party aspirants in his hands. And, in today’s flourishing crony capitalism, the long arm of the prime minister reaches beyond government and politics. In this country, at least, he is all powerful – if he chooses to be. It is obvious that Abdullah Badawi has chosen to be!

So why even entertain the notion that there might be a change at the top, so soon?

It is the nature of politics. If for the ordinary mortal the pursuit of happiness is vague, the same cannot be said for the politician. As he lives and breathes his one pleasure is the pursuit of power. Now that Abdullah Badawi has power he does not see any reason for relinquishing it. Natural that. Unfortunately, this is not a one-horse race. Every politician worth his salt relishes the thought that he might be next in line and since Dr. Mahathir has stirred the hornet’s nest there will be those willing to exploit the breach.

The point is why Ku Li, why him as a possible candidate to slip through that crack? Why not others? Okay, Anwar Ibrahim is probably not the right man. Fresh from prison, his credentials as former finance minister will cut no ice in the face of aggressive competition from others, like another former finance minister, Daim Zainudin. Why not Daim if what we want is experience at the economic helm. After all, his departure from office is more recent.

Maybe it is because he too was handpicked by Dr. Mahathir plucked out of the blue and deposited into office. A one-portfolio minister, formerly a businessman, Daim is not charismatic. To make matters worse he was far too aloof for a politician. His achievements notwithstanding, the UMNO grassroots is more impressed by accessibility then performance.

For to them, a job well done is no big deal. Was not Dr. Mahathir never a finance minister? And yet he was able to put the economy into overdrive in just a few short years. Furthermore, ministers move from one portfolio to another so that, should they ever become number 1, they would have had a feel of what it takes to find the balance necessary for good governance of the country.

Then again, if this is the case, why not ask a sitting cabinet minister with many years of service, one who is Dr. Mahathir’s legacy. Unfortunately, serving under the former prime minister does little for a minister’s image. None could outperform Dr. Mahathir. Nobody could outthink him. And, no one could out boss the boss. Whether intentionally or otherwise, Dr. Mahathir’s cabinet ministers were never made to appear as convincing prime minister material.

Is it any wonder then that we appear to be caught in a time warp?

Not that Tengku Razaleigh is not a legitimate contender. His credentials are neither tarnished by insinuations of corruption nor blemished by the rabid racism of UMNO’s recent General Assembly. He was the first Malay finance minister and a successful one at that, having laid the foundation for the Bumiputra economy. Remember, too, he came close to defeating Dr. Mahathir that time. But, like he says, he is an old man. Then again Dr. Mahathir was 78 before he threw in the towel.

However and most pertinent to the issue is that all this talk of challenge will probably be stillborn. For, UMNO has never properly understood that in a democracy, democratic practices should be all pervasive, especially in the party that spearheads the ruling coalition.

MURDER MOST FOUL

WAS IT A SHOCK? Most certainly and more. The news that an acquaintance is implicated in a horrifyingly gruesome murder of the most cynical calibre, the type seen mostly in horror movies, sent shivers down my spine and made my stomach turn. And, with former prime minister, Tun Mahathir, publicly lambasting the performance of his chosen successor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, it lent the troubled political climate an ominous twist. I feared for my country and probably so did the Tun who suffered a mild heart attack .

When last week, charged with aiding and abetting in the murder of a beautiful Mongolian model (for details go to http://the-malaysian.blogspot.com/2006/11/is-abdul-razak-baginda-political.html ) he was released on bail on medical grounds, one hoped that his state of health did really warrant such an act of mercy. But then again, a charged man is innocent until proven guilty and the onus is on the prosecution to prove his guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt. Not vice-versa. All the accused has to do under these circumstances is to produce a bond to the court the worth of which should be debilitating enough to discourage any thought of absconding. This, Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda together with the support of his siblings, fulfilled to the satisfaction of the court.

No doubt this is a high profile case and public appetite is indeed whetted. Kuala Lumpur's rumour mill is running overtime with all manner of speculations and gossips that do not bear repeating here, or anywhere for that matter, for its possible litigious consequences.

What of Abdul Razak, the public persona? He has become high society with a nice home in a salubrious part of the capital. From a young, earnest, pleasant and cheerful academic he climbed up the ladder of generally received success to become a close aide of the present Deputy Prime Minister, having moved with the man through a couple of portfolios. Last I met him a few years back at one of the conferences his think-tank organised, Abdul Razak appeared to still possess the 'innocence' of his younger years -- which I pray has not translated into naivete with the years -- but looking tired and overworked, not that this stopped him from doing his job. He seemed to be a natural at networking. He even had time for a short chat with me. Is it any wonder then that he is, career-wise, where he is today, a high-flying intellectual once with his own talk show and newspaper column? He has done very well for himself and like the public I am left bewildered by the whole sorry episode. I can only reserve judgment on the matter and allow the courts to dutifully perform its function of upholding justice.

However, the truly distressing part of this real life whodunit, which has strangely not enraged too many Malaysians, media and masses both, is the involvement of serving police personnel reaching quite high up the managerial echelon. That this aspect of the case has not generated the same excitement speaks volumes of what the nation is on the road to becoming. Whichever way we wish to perceive of the matter it still is one of doom and gloom. If the perpetrators had been ex-police personnel, it would not have improved matters one iota. Of course, the Royal Commission report on the police was damning. Corruption, we were told, had crept into all levels of the police force. But this is no excuse for complacency. For every incident of possible misconduct and corruption there must be a huge public furore raised to keep the pressure on so that Malaysians may enjoy a predictable, safe and stable society, if not for now then for the future. (For a mainstream media take on the Royal Malaysian Police Force click http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?file=/columnists/2006/2/8/wongsulong/13330177&sec=Wong%20Su%20Long )

One last observation on the week that was. Lawyer for the defence and the famous attorney-cum-opposition politician Karpal Singh, who was there holding a watching brief for the victim's family, came out slugging, verbally, at each other. That added a farcical touch to an already surreal saga. Do we laugh or do we cry? You tell me, please.

(For those looking for a wicked laugh click http://malaysia-today.net/blog2006/holds.php?itemid=927 ).

Disclaimer: There is no malice intended in this final link. Its purpose is to bring joy to those who may visit with me and are without any idea that there is much mirth and methodical madness lurking in our midst. It is merely another element in this week's diary.