Disturbing tendency of populist sentiment to ride roughshod over established judicial processes? In this case unfortunately, populist sentiment seems to have ignored judicial process, and this is wrong simply because the populist sentiment is that of a foreign land’s. If that populist sentiment emanated locally, then the judiciary should jolly well ask itself why. Laws of the land should reflect the views of its people. If the masses think justice has not been done, judges are out of synch with the notion of what the public perceives to be justice. If the NST wants to use this sad saga to suggest leaders or judges know best, it is clutching at straws.
Xenophobic and racists? Unfortunately the NST is right to some extent. Large sections of Australians are xenophobic. However, if you look at the way Australia has welcomed foreigners and allowed them to participate in almost all areas of life without prejudicial laws or policies, you’d have to say Malaysia, in comparison, should recognise it lives in a glass house and should jolly well shut up.
The one thing Australians would never shy away from is to say and act the way it believes, annoying and rude that may often be. They act on their conviction. When they saw the horrors of the tsunami, they acted on it. Now they perceive (albeit by their own standards) injustice done on one of their own, they likewise, acted. Unfortunately, that is one thing I cannot say about my beloved Malaysia and its people.
Ante 