ANWAR IS ACQUITTED, BUT AN INDEPENDENT AND JUST JUDICIARY IS YET TO BE RESTORED

From the left: Adun Kajang YB Cikgu Lee, Exco of Selangor YB Teresa Kok, and President of Parti Keadilan Sg Chua Branch Lee Hooi Teck.

On the 9^th of January, the verdict day of Datuk Sri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy charge, YB Cikgu Lee has led a group of Keadilan party members and supporters to the 109 rally at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, Jalan Duta.

The group joined the crowd of party members of Pakatan Rakyat and its supporters in solidarity with Datuk Sri Anwar Ibrahim. More than 10,000 people from all over the country had gathered at the car park of the Kuala Lumpur High Court since 7a.m.

While the acquittal has cleared the name of Datuk Sri Anwar Ibrahim and upheld justice, however, it does not justify the proclamation of the BN’s leaders that this was the proof of the independence of the judiciary in Malaysia. In acquitting Anwar, Judge Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah cited the possibility that the DNA samples were compromised and the lack of corroborative evidence. On these grounds alone, Anwar should never had been charged in this first place.

The struggle for an independent and just judiciary in Malaysia is yet to achieve its purpose. Cases of abuse of power, corruptions, and manipulation of legal procedural process are still widespread under the ruling of the UMNO-dominated Barisan National government. We urge the people to vote for the change of government in the coming 13^th General Election in order to restore an independent and just judiciary in our country.