Raja Petra, called. 02.05.2008

A friend of mine who also happens to be my junior at secondary once asked me;” why is lady justice blindfolded?” I spontaneously answered that the law should not be exercised under ‘influences’. That is the answer which I supposed, not affirmative, but what I considered to be fine for an ad hoc question. This guy’s great admiration of justice made him enter law school. On the other hand, my belief in solidity and simplicity of justice that rules all politics and beyond, such pictured by Lorenzetti’s Fresco; The Allegory of Good Government and Bad Government, made my supposition affirmative. At the end of the day, which one of us would do justice better? This is always my unanswered question.

There is a fine line between those who only believe in something and those who are willing to sacrifice time and money for her or his belief and admiration, by aspiration of sustaining or changing that something.

The people of Malaysia are with no doubt, doubtful of the nation’s judiciary system. This set-back might have started since 1988 as some might say. It then escalated to the worse, being fueled by incidents such government cover-ups and biased, high-profile trials until now when unrests are discernable and God knows what awaits us in the near future.

Lorenzetti’s idea behind the mural is clear. By the time when people stop believing in justice and its many systems which uphold it, they will start to think only of themselves and forget kindness and unity. This will later attenuate the effectiveness of a government. This mural was painted in the Sala dei Nove or The Room of Nine to remind the leaders of what calamities might result from abuse of power.

What will the abuse of power in a multi-racial country like Malaysia resort to? What scientific, economic and political developments which took place since 13th of May 1969 till now that might amplify the ‘ugliness’ of potential unrests that God help, not, might take place?

In the wave of modernity, Malays in general have forgotten their real course; towards proving that they are worth of inheriting the land, securing the rights of all Malaysians and protecting justice, at least those teenagers and youths who contribute to societal moral decline. In this fast moving era, the world has come to know Malaysia or Malays with terms like ‘Mat Rempit’,’ Bohsia’, ‘Bohjan’, ‘Sumbang Mahram’ and so forth, whether we like it or not. The kaput education systems, both at home and at school personified to the incapability of the previous generation to properly educate this generation and the same mistake of this generation which propels to future ‘handicapped’ generation, are to be blamed.

Notice that ‘Mat Rempit’ will never be ‘Mat Cemerlang’ and all Malays will not ‘recourse’ overnight. Neither will DEB nor JEB empower ethnic Malay and Indian economy or at least convince them to leave behind poverty through blood, sweat and tears, the way it is. Truly, it is serious implementations of every plan at every level by brave people who still have some goodwill left in them, that do the trick.

It is by listening to the voice of the people or public opinions and the voice of those who attained wisdom through ‘hard-knocks’ like Tun Dr. Mahathir that will give this government a good chance.

Raja Petra has just recently been called for police questioning about the Altantuya Case which might just die away.

The Mongolian Prime Minister signed 'a letter to all parliament members' which urge Malaysians to conduct a sound trial of this case for the price of continuity of Malaysian-Mongolian relation.

The gentle and the mild inherit the earth.

Acta est Fabula.