I do not buy nor read The Star, The NST, The Malay Mail, Utusan Malaysia nor the Berita Harian. The following are extracts taken from The Sun paper and you can see how righteous the BN people all turned out to be. It almost makes you want to throw up.
Datuk Seri Najib Razak
"Today's verdict shows once again that, despite what many have claimed, the Malaysian judiciary is an independent institution where neither politics nor politicians have any influence over the dispensation of justice."
Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz - Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
"Unlike them [the Opposition], we respect the decision of the judges. All this while, they have said our judiciary is not fair but now it is proven that the courts are very independent."
Dr S Subramaniam - President, MIC
"The verdict should put an end to all accusations of a manipulated judiciary."
Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah - Deputy Higher Education Minister
"I have always respected the judiciary institution so there's no question on its independence."
Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim - Information, Communications and Culture Minister
It is noted that Anwar's acquittal proved that the government did not hold sway over the judge's decision.
Chang Ko Youn - Deputy President, Gerakan
Called on Pakatan Rakyat leaders to apologise to the publice for "the wild and baseless allegations made against the judiciary and the government with regard to the trial."
Abdul Rahman Dahlan - Kota Belud MP
The decision by the judge is a vindication for the judiciary.
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal
The verdict is a proof that the judiciary is independent and there is no interference from the authorities.
Some questions remain unanswered:
1. As this was a high profile case, why was the verdict delivered orally and not in written form? Was the judge waiting for last minute instructions from the "top"?
2. There were a number of loopholes in Saiful's statements, but the judge picked only one issue which was the least expected among those presented during the 3-year hearing.
3. The same judge once said that Saiful was a "credible" witness. You mean to say, he is now no longer credible, since the last hearing in May 2011?
Therefore, my take is that Anwar is acquitted based on the following scenario.
Whether Anwar goes to jail or acquitted, the backlash will be on UMNO, as much damage has already been done. UMNO have a choice of the lesser of two evils. If Anwar goes to jail, he will end up being a 'martyr' and this message will be driven home relentlessly by Pakatan to the rakyat which Najib can ill afford since he has to call for a general election soon. If Anwar is acquitted, there will still be problems for Najib and his coalition, but at least, he has one saving grace. To show the people that his transformation plan is working and an independent judiciary is just the beginning.
So, now the judiciary is independent. Alleluia .... but why then did these same people not protest vehemently when the opposition time and time again publicly stated that the judiciary was beholden to the Executive? Why only now when one judge started to acquit Anwar, when lo and behold, all and sundry in the BN start to heap praises on a system that has long been under their influence.
Even if the judiciary has been "turned over" into a credible institution, which I am giving it a benefit of a doubt, UMNO must remember, one swallow does not make a summer.
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