I refer to the Malaysiakini report PM unveils judicial reforms but no apology .

It is a good gesture to have the government and the Bar Council to have such social interaction. At least they are talking. But the message from Zaid Ibrahim in skirting around the apology issue, to say the least, is most confusing. There are many ways to say sorry, he says and I suppose the ex-gratia payment to the six judges is one of the ways.

I do not know what is the amount the government is going to offer, but whatever the sum offered, without an apology, it is nothing but an affront and an insult to the six judges. Notwithstanding that, I say to them to take the money and make good use of it for your retirement funds and you need not say thank you.

The record as it stands shows that the six judges were dismissed and suspended for wrongful acts committed by them. That record has to be expunged and let this fact be reflected from now on.

I know that Pak Lah and Zaid Ibrahim are steeped in Umno’s culture of chicanery and deceit but certainly any well brought-up Malaysian will know that if you have done something wrong, you apologise. Do not demean the six by giving them a line from ‘Love Story’. This I find so vile and disgusting.

We are talking about the judiciary as a whole that was corrupted after the 1988 incident. What about the Malaysians that have suffered at the hands of the corrupt judges? Have we forgotten the Ayer Molek case? Is Zaid going to say ‘Too bad’ even if there is a miscarriage of justice?

The only way to deal with this problem is to have a full royal commission to come out with a report as to how the 1988 shame could have happened to the Malaysian judiciary and who is or are the culprits behind it. There are lessons to be learnt from all this.

The Bar Council President may lap up what Pak Lah and Zaid have said. She can be absolutely delighted by their promises but for as long as the Hindraf 5 are incarcerated in Kamunting their words are nothing but cheap rhetoric.

Tell me Malaysians, are the words of Pak Lah to be trusted? A man who promised to stamp out corruption but what has he been doing for the past four years? To me their words are cheap and hardly worthy of serious consideration.