Prime Minister Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday that the recent events in the country was disturbing. He said at a monthly civil servant gathering in Putrajaya that certain slanderous acts were treason because they clearly tarnished the principles of Rukun Negara: loyalty to king and country, upholding the constitution, rule of law and good behaviour and morality. Badawi also said that some people accepted lies and fabrication as the truth and not many people were interested in finding out the real truth. He was clearly referring to the statutory declarations made by Raja Petra Kamarrudin and P. Balasubramaniam against Deputy Prime Minister, Dato Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak regarding the murder case of Mongolian national Altantuya Shariibuu.
Firstly I would using say that the term treason is highly inappropiate and irresponsible. Slander is clearly a civil case, not one that involves national security. The so-called ‘attack’ against the Deputy Prime Minister is only against him and not the goverment. Trying blogger Raja Petra Kamarrudin for sedition because of the fact that he posted a statement on his blog that links the Deputy Prime Minister to Altantuya’s murder was a clear mistake. Treason is an act of betrayal against the king and country. Sedition is an act of inciting the population to do things that are viewed as betrayal to the king and country. How can an accusation, false or not, against one INDIVIDUAL in the goverment be construed as an act of treason or sedition?
Secondly with regards to the Prime Minister’s statement that some people choose to believe lies and fabrication. Statutory declarations are declarations made in court or in front of persons of the notary public by swearing. The statement can be used in a court of law unless in can be proven false by a court of law. Is the Prime Minister part of the court of law? No. Then how can he imply that the declarations were false? Protecting a member of your goverment is one thing but to comment on things that are beyond your jurisdiction is another. If one looks at it from another aspect, the Prime Minister is doing exactly what the so-called liars and fabricators are doing. The only difference is one party says Najib is guilty and the other says he is not. However, both statements are made without evidence taht si submitted in a court of law.
As a party leader and responsible leader of the goverment, it is Badawi’s duty to protect his man. A simple statement that goes like: ‘we will wait until the court decides’ would have been the best under these circumstances. However, he chooses to take on the role of the court and call it an act of treason and lies. The constitution clearly states that the judiciary, legislative and executive sections of the nation are independant and seperate. Let the judiciary do its job without any external remakrs that might be considered as interfering. Don’t let the same thing that has been happening since 1982 happen again just because of one person.
Note: this article is an opinion article based on logic, law, moral values and is intended in upholding the constitution. It is not anti-goverment or anti-anyone in anyway.