[Negara kita sebenarnya dipenuhi dengan keraguan. Setiap isu yang meletup dibiarkan berkubur dan atau mahu rakyat cepat melupakan. Yang asyik ditayang hanyalah wayang untuk melekakan yang sengaja diulang-ulang. Padahal segala amanah dan keadilan telahpun terhakis dalam diam. Beginilah cara kerajaan membuai dan mendodoi rakyat dalam kealpaan.

Rakyat Malaysia sudah banyak kali dikejutkan oleh beberapa isu yang dahsyat pada tahun ini sahaja tetapi banyak yang masih tidur lena. Hanya baru sekarang masyarakat Cina mula terasa bila Nanyang diganyang dengan hebatnya. Jika tidak mereka pun menjadi melayu dan me-layu juga.

Tuhan Maha Kaya telah menghadiah beberapa isu atau modal untuk kita tapi kita masih gagal menjulangnya. Apakah yang sudah jadi kepada kita? Dimanakah keperwiraan kita? Adakah ia hanya dihujung tengkuk sahaja? Mengapakah sebegitu dayus kita?

Sepatutnya majoriti rakyat sudah membuka mata dengan hadiah yang muncul tiba-tiba ini. Berkat siapakah semua ini?

Sekarang pengundi hantu terbukti sudah. Sikap dan kecekapan SPR juga sudah terdedah. Polis bertopeng menyalahgunakan akta juga sudah terbukti. Mahkamah cuba dicemari juga sudah pun terserlah. Dan polis berkhidmat menjaga keselamatan BN - bukan keselamtan negara sudahpun terjawab. Tidakkah ini semua membayangkan ada seseorang yang telah merusakkan semua institusi penting negara iaitu polis, hakim dan suruhanjaya pilihanraya?
- Editor]

Media Statement

Another Landmark Decision

The decision of the Kota Kinabalu High Court to order the Barisan Nasional leader, Dato Yong Teck Lee, to vacate his Sabah State Assembly seat because he had won it in the 1999 election 'with the help of phantom voters', has great significance for Malaysian politics and Malaysian democracy.

One, it proves that the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) was right along in alleging that immigrants and phantom voters had played a major role in the 1999 state election. The PBS and a number of concerned individuals and groups had conducted detailed, comprehensive investigations into the phenomenon. A book had been published on electoral irregularities in Sabah. Police reports were lodged. The PBS filed a slew of election petitions. Now, the High Court verdict has vindicated the PBS.

Two, the verdict also exposes the Election Commission. It is the responsibility of the Commission to ensure that electoral rolls are clean. The Commission should have weeded out all phantom voters and removed all electoral irregularities -- especially since the flaws in the rolls were brought to the attention of the Commission before the 1999 contest. Because of its failure to maintain a clean roll in the Likas constituency, people will not only doubt the competence of the Commission but also question its integrity.

Three, in his judgement in the Kota Kinabalu High Court yesterday, Justice Muhammad Kamil Awang alluded to "a directive over the phone that these petitions should be struck off without a hearing." This is a grave allegation of tremendous import. It implies interference by outside elements in the judicial decision-making process. Who are these elements? Is it the Executive? Were other quarters trying to pressurise the Judge? Does Justice Kamil's disclosure suggest that it is not unusual for the Judiciary to be subjected to pressure of this sort?

Four, whatever the implications, Justice Kamil has shown that the only way to protect the independence and integrity of the Judiciary is for individual judges "to act without fear or favour." By doing the right thing, by obeying his conscience, yet another Judge has scored a victory for truth and justice. 10 days ago, it was Justice Hishamudin. Today, it is Justice Kamil. As individual judges refuse to flinch from moral principles in the tasks at hand, the people will begin to see the Judiciary as a beacon of hope.

And indeed, it is when individual men and women in the Judiciary, in the Police, in the public services, in the ruling coalition -- and dare we hope, in the Cabinet -- display courage and honesty in their work that oppression and injustice will be vanquished in this land of ours.

Dr. Chandra Muzaffar
Deputy President
Parti Keadilan Nasional (keADILan)

9 June 2001