YOURSAY | After four long years, justice is at hand

[superadmin]

YOURSAY | Verdict a turning point for Malaysia

Vijay 47: Malaysiakini’s live headline says “Federal Court upholds Najib's conviction, sentence”. Strangely, having followed the whole process closely, I do not find reason for wild celebration, yet much that evokes sorrow.

Nevertheless, to repeat the most popular line of recent days, Najib Abdul Razak, “you did the crime, you do the time”.

For four long and often dreary years, all we were treated to was 1MDB, SRC, Najib Razak, his trial, and the antics of his legal team. We often wondered whether the conclusion we hoped for would ever come to pass, after all, a former prime minister had never before been charged with corruption.

The first blinding ray of assurance was the damning verdict by judge Nazlan Mohd Ghazali. He left no doubt as to his outrage at the misconduct and misappropriation that one man could wreak to the extent that the accused was a “national embarrassment”. And in turn, the Court of Appeal to a man agreed with the High Court judge.

In a way, the proceedings at the Federal Court were a let-down. Where we expected a clash of sharp legal minds, we witnessed the defence team meander within the three-ring circus it created while the prosecution patiently bided its time. And that time finally came yesterday.

I will readily accept the excesses that Najib indulged in, after all, it was 12 years of his freedom that was at stake. Even the makciks weeping and wailing were not unexpected. But his defence team?

Unless it was acting wholly on the convict’s explicit instructions, it could be alleged that they were negligent in properly attending to their client’s best interests.

At the tail-end, legalities were dispensed with and instead we saw dancing bears and tightrope walkers, and frequent displays by clowns.

Lawyer Zaid Ibrahim’s contribution to the Najib cause was monumental in its failure, he was the monkey that used the cat’s paw that was a bewildered Hisyam Teh Poh Teik. You should have stayed home, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah - by venturing into the pits at the last lap, you only sullied further your reputation.

And to think that today’s outcome was achieved by one resolute woman!

Man on the Silver Mountain: The trial case has ended and Najib is found guilty. He had tried everything to defend himself, including divine intervention.

The crime, however, was committed and that could not be denied. He did not deny it, he admitted it. He only claimed that he did not know that he committed the crime. His defence was so incredibly unbelievable that it insulted our intelligence.

That in a way caused some fear - if people could be this unbelievably incredibly twisted in their reasoning as the defence of Najib was, perhaps maybe the judges would go along. The trial judge did not and the rest of the appeal judges kept their focus on point of law, not to be distracted by Najib’s antic to scuttle the court process.

Today a criminal, who once held the highest office in the country, was found guilty of abuse of power, breach of trust and money laundering. He is sent to jail for 12 years and has to pay restitution to the amount of RM210 million.

Finally, justice has been meted out. And rightly so. In the midst of the gloom that the nation has been experiencing, today is a great day to lift up our spirit. There are indeed still good men and women in the country to see that justice prevails.

This year’s National Day would be one where the flying of the national flag, the Jalur Gemilang, would make us proud once again.

- More -