DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang has called on Chief Justice of Malaysia Ariffin Zakaria to intervene in imam Hoslan Hussein’s one-year jail sentence for contempt of court after he had flung his shoes at Federal Court judges.

pakatan convention alor setar lim kit siang Lim ( right ) said the move would be proper as the shoe-throwing incident had occurred on Feb 22, more than a fortnight before he was abruptly summoned and sentenced on Mar 8.

“Will the Chief Justice of Malaysia Arifin Zakaria intervene against the harsh and excessive penalty of one-year jail sentence handed down by the Federal Court yesterday against imam Hoslan Hussein for his shoe-throwing, tempering justice with mercy?” he asked in a statement today.

Hoslan, a father of seven, threw his shoes at the three-member panel of the apex court, comprising Federal Court judge Suriyadi Halim Omar, Court of Appeal judge Zaleha Zahari and headed by Chief Judge of Malaya Justice Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin.

NONE Hoslan ( left ), who was imam at the Ar Rahimah mosque in Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur, was appealing an order evicting him from his house at the mosque compound, issued by the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department in 2008 after allegations of disciplinary problems were levelled against him.

“Punitive action now by the same three Federal Court judges when they did not take action against him on the day in question reeks of conflict of interest and being unduly harsh and excessive, especially when compared to punishments meted out to more heinous crimes like corruption involving important political personalties in government,” said Lim.

Such intervention, would be a first step towards addressing a series of recent events which have undermined the Malaysian sense of decency and propriety, he said.

Among the incidences Lim cited are:

  • The government’s “unconvincing” denial that the RM2.2 billion Kinrara-Damansara Expressway concession was awarded to Umno-linked firms as reward for toppling the Perak government;
  • The RM840 million out of court settlement with former MAS chairperson Tajudin Ramli;
  • Two years to produce a written judgment on the murder trial of Altantuya Sharibuu, which appeared unconcern of the murder motive; and
  • Cutting of aid to disabled farmer Frusis Lebi for supporting the opposition.

“This is only a partial list of the host of abuses of power, corruption, cronyism, lack of accountability, blatant injustices and sheer absence of good governance despite all the high-flying talk and sloganeering by Najib since becoming prime minister three years ago.” he said.