ALCOHOL AND PRINCIPLE

How many lawyers have the habit of drinking (alcohol)? 7 out of 10?
Reason: To entertain the clients with big cases?

How many newspapers editors have the habit of smoking? 8 out of 10?
Reason: To gain inspiration while writing articles?

How many tycoons have the habits of drinking and smoking? 9 out of 10?
Reason: To socialize with individuals of high-profile?

In these few days, the Pakatan Rakyat candidate for Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat, Zaid Ibrahim was slammed to have sinned for taking alcohol. This issue was brought out again and again by the Barisan Nasional, especially the powerful UMNO. The main reason is that in the Islamic law, a Muslim is forbidden to consume alcohol and due to this reason, Zaid faces all kinds of personal attacks, in terms of his belief and his morality.

From an article which I have read in newspapers recently, I understand that

1. Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of United Kingdom during the World War ll, was a good drinker. He always had Whisky in the day and Brandy at night. However, he was greatly respected for his contribution in leading the country to achieve victory in the war.

2. Adolf Hitler, the notorious Chancellor of Germany who led his Nazi Party in the World War ll, was not a drinker. Nonetheless, he was known as a war criminal to the world.

Zaid Ibrahim is a prominent lawyer who gained his reputation for upholding his political view, which is democracy for everyone. Even when he was with the UMNO while serving as a Minister, he had the courage to voice out his dissatisfaction for the arrest of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, DAP MP Teresa Kok and journalist Tan Hoon Cheng under the Internal Security Act (ISA) with the aim of ‘protecting’ them. He even resigned for the sake of defending his principles on human rights and democracy.

Is this not the leader whom the people are looking for? If a politician is always there to defend the rights of people, who will really care if he/she takes Carlsberg, Tiger, Guinness or even Hennessy daily?

THE MONGOLIAN EFFECT

Altantuya's case seems to be extraordinary tough and 'mysterious' to for many can see until today, the powerful and effective Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDM) is still struggling to handle and to find out the truth behind it. Raja Petra Kamarudin, the most famous blogger in Malaysia was charged with Sedition Act for showing his personal 'act of justice' by sending a post entitled "Let's send the Altantuya murderers to hell". Obviously, his effort was not appreciated by the government.

This issue was brought to the Parliament (Dewan Yang Mulia) for debate. Again, Raja Petra was accused by the young YB from Rembau, who claimed that only God (Allah) has the right to perform punishment. Sadly, this smart and capable MP who graduated from Oxford University failed to persuade the opposition again. In contrast to that, he was reprimanded by the them. Anyway, as Malaysians, we should be proud of him. Don't you think so?

That is the voice of the people.

DIPLOMATIC TENSION

Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa (1978 – 2006) was murdered by C-4 explosives or was somehow killed first before her body destroyed with C-4 in October 2006 in a deserted area in forested land near the Subang Dam in Puncak Alam, Shah Alam. The Mongolian lady was clamied to be introduced to Abdul Razak Baginda, a defense analyst from the Malaysian Strategic Research Centre think-tank, under Malaysian famous DPM, Najib Tun Razak, and reportedly began a relationship with him. She then worked as Abdul Razak’s translator on a shady deal he was brokering for the Malaysian government to buy submarines from France. The 'couple' seemed to have travelled to Paris together for the submarine deal.

Some rumours was saying that Altantuya came to come Kuala Lumpur with a cousin in early October 2006 to confront Abdul Razak. Then, she went missing on Oct 19. Her last letter that was uncovered showing that she had been blackmailing Razak. However, it was not clearly stated how she blackmailed him. Abdul Razak and three members of the police force were arrested during the murder investigation. The other two murder suspects (Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 30 and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 35) had been members of the Unit Tindakan Khas (the Malaysian Police Special Action Force or counter-terrorism unit) and were both assigned to the office of the Deputy Prime Minister, who was also the Defence Minister at the that time.

Throughout the investigation, this incident seems to be more complicated when two statutory declarations were made. First evidence was told by Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin , saying that our dearest DPM's wife, Rosmah Mansor, and Acting Colonel Aziz Buyong and his wife, Norhayati, Rosmah’s aide-de-camp, were present at the scene of the murder and Aziz Buyong was the 'chosen' one who placed C4 plastic explosive on Altantuya’s body and blew it up. Aziz was seeking apology from Raja Petra to be published in certain website and newspaper. That's the end of the first new evidence. Soon after that incident, Abdul Razak Baginda's private investigator P. Balasubramaniam, disclosing Najib's links to the murdered Mongolian girl. He said the police omitted information about the 'intimate' relationship between Najib and Mongolian victim Altantuya Shaariibuu in his statement.

According to Bala, Abdul Razak was not directly involve in this case. He also said that all traces of allegations with references to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Altantuya Shaariibuu's murder were erased. On Sunday 6 july, our government police sought help from Interpol to find the brave private investigator who was missing together with his entire family. Balasubramaniam is said to take refuge in a neighbouring country with his wife and children. Well, will Bala be rewarded by keeping the truth as secret forever? On the contrary, will he and his family's life be threatened by telling the truth ? Nobody knows and even if some people know, they won't dare to care. Anyway, as Malaysians, our main concern is that this incident has badly impressed other countries with Malaysia's wonderful image. Hopefully this will not affect the 'intimate' relationship between Malaysia and Mongolia.

That is the voice of the people.