NS Shirker Outcry
It seems everyone is pissed off about how the issue of Ahmad Hafizal Ahmad Fauzi was handled; after all, sending a kid whose family depends on him as a substantial breadwinner to jail is hardly compassionate or humane. However, I do not understand the desire of several people to ignore a simple fact in this case.
What fact? The fact that when first questioned, Hafizal identified his reason for avoiding national service as being too lazy to attend. If that's the sort of reason you give, well, you can't blame anyone else. Some people are asking how you would expect a pauper to argue with police and stand up for his rights. Well, if you ask me, I'd certainly be more afraid of a backlash against me if I answered "I was too lazy to attend" than "I had to help put my brothers and sisters through school".
Of course, that doesn't mean Hafizal alone is to blame. The government not pushing for leniency is bad enough. Add to that the fact that about the only person they've managed to haul up for prosecution so far is Hafizal. It's insanity. Don't tell me that of the 4,000 shirkers, only Hafizal was not wily enough to fool the police? You've got to be kidding me.
We have every right to be angry about this case. But it's not just the government's fault; Hafizal shares some of the blame too.
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johnleemk
Infernally Rambling Thoughtless Mind Head Administrator Posts: 949 IP Logged | Posted at 1:17:27 pm Apr 22, 2006
There's currently a debate flaring now and then in the Malaysian blogosphere concerning how much influence Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi (colloquially known as Pak Lah) actually wields over the country and his party, UMNO. The common stance taken by the typically pro-opposition partisans is that Pak Lah is a lame duck, unable to carry out any reforms or actually effect his will. One common example is the fact that the Inspector-General of Police has publicly opposed the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission, even though Pak Lah has publicly stated his commitment to the commission's establishment. Others, however, beg to differ. Who do you agree with? |
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Vissario
Member Posts: 35 IP Logged | Posted at 12:17:01 pm Apr 25, 2006
I think the more important question, johnleemk, is what you expect your prime minister to do; do you want a government to be more and more centralized in the hands of an individual or do you want one which has its reforms proposed and enforced by a legislative body which, in theory, is the representative hand of the people? I personally feel it is the priviledge of the person in office to do with his country as he pleases and, if he desires to continue in that position for any period of time, those things must coincide with what his people find agreeable. |
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