Wednesday, May 12, 2010

The Games People Play

Well, if you ever needed another glaring example of how our glorious judicial system works, we are seeing it unfold before our very eyes. Make no mistake, despite what others might think, this trial is not a farce. On the contrary, it is a model trial.

Do you think Anwar’s political enemies really care what the public or the rest of the world thinks of our judicial system? Do you really think so?

Do you think it really bothered Umno that the rest of the world saw all the absurdities of the first so-called trial when Anwar was convicted for sodomy?

Do you think the government is really bothered what others think about the patently obvious bias nature of the current trial of Anwar?

What does it matter whether Saiful was sodomised or not?

Even if Saiful was sodomised (regardless by whom), why does it really matter whether it was consensual or not?

What does it really matter, regardless of what the law says about consensual sex?

Does it really matter that a trial judge who is overseeing a high-profile sodomy trial of the leading opposition politician in the country pretend to even appear to be impartial? Why should he bother?

Why is it so important that an accused at least have a right to know the substance of a criminal complaint against him so as to be able to accordingly respond to the complaint?

Isn’t it obvious that any accused could fairly defend oneself against a criminal allegation even if they didn’t know the specifics of the allegation against them?

Ask yourself this, wouldn’t you want to be treated the same way by this court if you were on trial?

Don’t you think the judge and prosecution had long anticipated that Anwar’s legal team would, in due course, raise the objection about the contradiction between the law he’s being charged under and the claim by Saiful that his alleged sexual encounter with Anwar was non-consensual?

Don't you think the prosecution and the judge already know that the defence will be maneuvering to call Najib to the stand? And surely you know that Anwar's lawyers know that the judge and the prosecution know this too. And don't you think Anwar's team and the prosecution already have a sense about what the judge will say to that?

All these are mere trivial inconveniences that muddy the waters.

I’m sure if you asked this of the judge, it would be exactly how he’d want to be treated if he was in Anwar’s shoes, don’t you think?

Aren't you wondering when Saiful, who has been allegedly sodomised (not necessarily by Anwar), and the Judge in this case will be recognised with the Eminent Malay Award by Umno?

Don’t you already know where this model political trial is headed?

G. Krishnan