Thursday, July 23, 2009

Pakatan's Gesture Politics

Hantu Laut

What is an inquest?

An inquest is a judicial investigation to find out the cause of death especially those that happened under mysterious or suspicious circumstances.In some cases, accidental death can also end up in an inquest to determine the true cause of death.

An inquest is usually presided over by a magistrate who acts as a coroner.If foul play was found than a full enquiry and criminal prosecution may follow.

An inquest, not a Royal Commission, is the first judicial step to find out the cause of death. If criminal act was established than the case can proceed with its prosecution. Alternatively, if the government is not satisfied with the finding of the investigation it can than call for a Royal Commission.

Why are people like Lim Kit Siang and Anwar Ibrahim making senseless objections to what they know very well is the first step to establishing the cause of death.Their attempts at politicising the tragedy is most disgraceful and shows their heartless disrespect for the family of the deceased. This is a time of grief where even the choice of words must be chosen with care.The least said the better it is for the bereaved family.

People like Lim and Anwar probably have never lost their loved ones and do not understand the pain, the agony and the heart breaking moment of losing someone you loved dearly. This heart wrenching experience are only known to those who had the misfortune of losing their loved ones.

Having gone through the ordeal twice in the past thirty years, I feel for the immeasurable pain of members of the family and fiancee of the late Yeoh
Beng Hock and the nonsense that they have to go through every day played out by Pakatan leaders, politicising and publicising the tragedy, to lessen not the sorrows of the family but to serve Pakatan's political agenda.How cruel and selfish can one gets to gain political mileage at the expense of other people's grief.

The government and the Prime Minister himself has taken personal interest in the case to ensure justice will be served.He has done more than what is necessary to ensure no cover up and the truth be told to the family and the public upon completion of all the necessary investigations.

It is most unfortunate that we do not have responsible opposition in this country.At a time like it they should be fraternizing to help the government to get to the bottom of the tragedy and allow full investigation before making all kind of unfounded allegations and politicising the tragedy to incite the people's emotions.

What is gesture politics?

Gesture politics is an action made by a person or organization for political reasons and is intended to attract public attention but has little real effect.

9 comments:

Pok Kam said...

Pity that their hatred for the BN had blinded their good and logical sense. Nevertheless, I think the public are not that gullible to fall for their distasteful ploy.

chapchai said...

"An inquest would be restricted in scope and far less effective than an RCE. The presiding magistrate is generally a junior judicial officer who would not have the power to order investigations nor have the medical expertise necessary to draw the appropriate conclusions. By comparison, the RCE’s members can consist of specialists in legal as well as medical fields."

Above is a quote taken from the Malaysian Bar's press statement. Perhaps that is why the Opposition wants the Commission to investigate not only the procedures but the cause of Teoh Beng Hock's death.

eddy said...

Good explanation on the inquest methodology Bro.

However Najib and the Cabinet needs to take immediate steps to see the Father and Mother and immediate family of the late Mr Teoh to explain the Government's decision to convene the RCI together with the inquest to them.

Media statements by the PM and the Government through the papers and TV alone without direct contact with the family will give Pakatan leaders especially Lim Kit Siang ample opportunity to twist and poison the situation and convince them that the Government is running away from their responsibilities which is definitely not the case.

For now I think at least Ong Tee Keat and Hishammudin ought to go to Melaka and explain the merits of the Government decision to Mr Teoh's family, otherwise Lim Kit Siang and the DAP will get a second wind at demonising the Government and this time using the family of the late Mr Teoh as his battering ram.

gram.kong said...

chapchai,
I am really sorry for you guys if those are the reasons all of you in Pakatan wanted a RCI.This is ignorance of the first order.

How could you say because the magistrate is junior he has no power to order investigation and why would he needs to have medical expertise to hear this case.As in any other court cases the magistrate is guided by the rule of law, he doesn't make his own law, and there are expert witnesses that would be called upon to give their opinion.

A judge at the apex court can make an error in judgment as much as a magistrate at the lower court.A magistrate that erred is better than a judge who erred at the higher court.At the lower court you have recourse to appeals until the apex court.A bad judgement at the apex court is irreversable.That's why the apex court have up to 5 judges hearing a case.

You say what you wrote is taken from the Malaysian Bar press statement, which I doubt, than I feel sorry for them if those were the reasons they gave for asking the formation of a Royal Commission.The justice system is in trouble if you have these kind of lawyers.

A Royal Commission is not more competent that the court, that's a complete fallacy.Not all members of the RCI are necessarily trained in law.Some are just prominent figure of society.

A RCI is called for when government felt their own system has failed and the only difference is the RCI report directly to the King.

What Najib did is correct, an inquest for the death and RCI for the MACC.

It is not the end of the road.Things can proceed further if new development are found from the inquest and RCI.

gram.kong said...

eddy,
I think they have already done that.The late Teoh's family has rejected the government's decision, they wanted full RCI on the cause of death, which is ridiculous.

I can understand the people misgivings because of past incidents of death in police custody that were unresolved but people should consider this as a new administration and give the government a chance to finish the job first.

If the government can't come up with a satisfactory explanation as to the cause of death and just close the case as before than they deserve to lose the next elections.

eddy said...

Bro HL, this is the problem when we allow the law to be mixed with politics.

I think the Bar Council people knows the appropriate legal procedures but are just playing to the opposition gallery and tune.

The Bar Council was established as an independent institution, it should at least try to be seen to be independent by giving various views on the pros and cons of the matter at hand.

Bar Council members should not play politics, if they want to play politics they should resign and join political parties of their choice and let other apolitical lawyers to take their place.

I think it is still not too late for the Government Ministers to see the family of the late Mr Teoh to explain the RCI and the inquest. The family have acted with dignity and responsibility in their sorrow throughout this trying times, they are reasonable people who just wants justice to be served. The Opposition should not be allowed to hijack the family, the Government must engage them personally and show that they care.

SABM said...

I think public funds are going to waste when recommendations put forward by RCIs are never fully implemented, for instance, the IPCMC for PDRM.

Why set up another RCI with same purpose for another government institution with common function in carrying out interrogation of witnesses or suspects.

Why couldn't the proposed IPCMC be explored further to include the MACC or any other relevant government institutions.

Why continue to waste public funds setting up one RCI after another when their findings are not going to be taken seriously by the government of the day.

If, having this Inquest is able to find out the truth and bring the culprit(s)if any, to book, then I am all for it, if not, don't waste public funds again.

If, in our mind, the cabinets' decision is not going to bring effective result, then we should speak out.

Public funds are limited and it is paramount that funds be used appropriately to best serve the Rakyat.

SM said...

HL,

The late Teo's Family has asked that the RCI be "expanded" to incude an inquiry into Teo's death!
Is that reason enough? Gaining political milage into other people's grief? That's "rich"!
Furthermore an Inquest would be based on Police Investigation. Since the Police are finalising their investigation, why waste time with an Inquest?
But honestly, as noted by SABM here, the RCI into the IPCMC for PDRM (& RCI for the Lingam Tapes) was never implemented. So going on past history, you can be sure nothing wll happen, so why "pretend" to wnat to uncover the truth?!
BUT then again, I hear there's a new "UMNO" friendly Blog (no, I don't mean this blog) that says the DAP killed Teo (why stop there? Maybe the PR killed Altantunya & Kugan also...so that they can blame poor Najib & UMNO!).

gram.kong said...

SM,
That's what exactly Pakatan is doing.Riding on the bandwagon of sorrows to gain political mileage.

SM, politicians are all the same, they are opportunists, Pakatan leaders are no saints.They will do anything to enhance their popularity and this is their golden opportunity.