Anwar's Appeal Afterthought Part 1

There Are No Winners

Some of us have thought that Anwar Ibrahim’s final appeal could finish in the space of two days last week, but surprisingly lasted for nearly a week. As of today, 7 November, the trial may finish, provided if the five judges presiding the trial has reached a quick verdict. Otherwise it is likely just as with the Allah-appeal by Herald sometime back, they might reserve judgment, taking consideration of new written submissions and a period of time of careful deliberation before presenting their summary judgment at a later date.

Regardless of whether the verdict goes to either which way whether to dismiss the appeal or to set aside the Court of Appeal’s, there will be at least three definite reactions to the fallout of the trial that is definitely can be figured out by anyone who has been monitoring the news.

A.

The judiciary will definitely get whacked left and right by both opposition and ruling fronts. First, assuming that Anwar’s appeal has been dismissed, PKR and their partners, as core of their loose alliance of Pakatan Rakyat will definitely something in the tones / examples like the judiciary decided to sell out to their masters, still being manipulated by those walking in the corridors of power, and even would cite previous cases where they decided to go against although against what it should be (e.g Perak crisis, Allah Bible crisis, etc..). In this case, the slogan of conspiracy theory that is being shouted before and throughout the trial has will be made a correct hypothesis by them. Barisan will definitely say in the tones of “suckers out there”, “we have nothing to do with them”, etc… will use the opposite excuses at PR as well. On Monday, Tian Chua said that PKR wouldplan to organize a mammoth rally, hoping to recapture the 1998 Reformasi style if the appeal gets dismissed. 

PKR vows mass protest if Anwar goes to jail. What will they say if Umno vows mass protest if acquitted? Cool heads needed #fb
— Zaid Ibrahim (@zaidibrahim) November 4, 2014

So what if it is the other way round? As Zaid Ibrahim pondered, is UMNO, especially its root level members, going to do the same thing, the mammoth rally, if the conviction gets set aside? By looking at the other side of the veil or the mirror as you can say, we would notice that the responses would be the completely opposite. UMNO, considering how many members would react in emotion in contrast to logic in particular would scream, about that man (A.I), with all sorts of expletives allowed to let go. Next thing, immediately all fingers pointing at the judiciary.

Sure, you can’t please everybody and it is these five judges that will be scrutinized by everybody of whatever individual verdict that they will likely reach in the first three days after the verdict has been delivered. In any case, as to satisfy each and every of their egos including fans of their respective parties, this entity, called the judiciary is in a lose-lose situation.

By the way, don’t be surprised if Shafee Abdullah happens to replace Gani Patail as the next A-G when he retires next year when he wins the case here. This obviously was warned way back a year or two ago and not many seems to notice it. 

B.

I remembered reading a few of international reactions to Anwar’s first trial during secondary school and throughout the years in tertiary education. Many of the reactions are mostly negative in nature. No doubt that the foreign press, some international diplomats and human rights groups are getting ready to roast Malaysia upside down, if that is not enough with their attempt to show themselves being amoderate Muslim-majority country ended up with more criticism vs to the praise that is to be expected.

The common revealing the sudden emotional outburst and the inferiority complex with lack of logic defending from the certain men with suits and ties, even with songkoks from those in the federal government is not a surprising thing and is already expected. If people’s frustrations are turned away by those who are supposed to serve us, just because they do not believe of the reality they were told or shown, what are other forced-to-take alternatives to be considered including telling the outside of what is happening? 

Why not ask Rafizi Ramli and his small group of people who were in Australia recently that got Pak Shahidan jumping up and down? Why not ask or why not ask Pak Shahidan himself? 

After all, aren’t some of those people wanting to get themselves praised that they eventually get complacent as there is nothing written that is critical against themselves in nature vs the more praising and bootlicking? I’m already expecting that these groups of people are going to jump up and down, with their balls dropped if international media like Time Magazine, Huffington Post, BBC or even top international news / magazine portals will start grilling Malaysia like a raw marinated meat on the BBQ pit. They would BBQ until to the point that they would use black markers or tearing out the 3-5 pages of what they find it offensive even though they won’t admit their mischief!

C

One week ago, veteran newsman Kadir Jasin, a known Dr. Mahathir man, has stated that Barisan stands nothing to gain but to suffer more regardless of the outcome. The trial has placed (either by circumstance or deliberate design) Anwar into either he can be a martyr (in the eyes of his supporters) in jail or a saint that was framed of all charges by enemies who have hate to see him off by the crooked means. There are still some who still are angered at Abdullah Badawi for his part of releasing Anwar in 2004 after serving his first prison term.

Trust in the government has dropped a lot while mostly the naïve, the ignorant and the fools are the ones that are remaining. Maybe Dr. Mahathir was right one time previously. There are too many of them with such characteristics in his own organization while the professionals are in opposition parties even though there are some who exhibit those characteristics above.

The gist is that while both sides cheer or mock the other for whatever is happening people seem to forget about the long term and bigger problems such as the high cost of living, especially in light that the government isn’t willing to drop petrol prices in line with the falling price of crude oil. I already had seen ahead that they are not likely to be truthful and insincere of many things, as what a government deputy minister has indirectly inferred to the other day when queried about the falling oil prices.

The question is whether is it worth it to cheer while you neglect your home?

*

There are no definite winners in this trial, not even the judiciary. Each side will try to claim moral victory. Each side will try to say that they are better because something and vice-versa. What is certain is that both of them are cut from the same cloth that weaves them, with both get cut in 1998. No matter how hard each site tries to up ahead their opponent one step at a time, the only definite thing that they do not have to be in this game scenario is if that premise didn’t exist at all.

If I am asked to hazard a guess of what will be the verdict to come, I’d put it at either 4-1 or 3-2 that appeal will be dismissed. No matter how well proven the defense counsel’s arguments are here, at least three judges would are the ones deciding because the man’s a danger, full stop. I’d guess that the CJ himself Ariffin Zakaria and Raus Sharif as the ones definitely to say “No” just as what they did for the Allah Bible appeal and the one that could be dissenting is Ramly Ali, if given what of the overview of judges presiding in this appeal.        

to be continued