YOURSAY ‘Mindef was quick to charge a soldier on the indelible ink fiasco.’

Wellington reveals KL wanted charges dropped

Versey: Foreign Minister Anifah Aman has claimed that Wellington had offered to allow Malaysian diplomat Muhammad Rizalman Ismail to return home despite the alleged offence.

The New Zealand authorities have since released documents showing that the Malaysian side had asked for the charges of burglary and assault with the intent to rape against Rizalman to be dropped and requested NZ police to consider sealing all documentation pertaining to the case.

It is as if the alleged rape case has not shamed the country enough, the Malaysian foreign minister is apparently caught lying to the nation and the world.

Fair Play: The disclosure showed the Malaysian high commissioner in NZ had requested all charges against Muhammad Rizalman be withdrawn.

A crime has been committed by our diplomat in a foreign land, and you want the charges withdrawn? How presumptuous can one get?

Malaysia888: The Ministry of Defence was quick to charge the poor soldier who did his constitutional duty by reporting to the authorities on the indelible ink fiasco but I would not be surprised if this diplomat goes free.

Hytan: Why is Rizalman to appear before the Board of Inquiry here when he is alleged to have committed the offences against a civilian in NZ and more so when the offences occurred outside his course of duty.

This is not a disciplinary matter within the Armed Forces domain. He must be extradited to New Zealand for the trial. For justice to prevail, let the NZ court decide on the case.

Safety First: Rizalman returned to Malaysia on May 22. That was more than a month ago and yet the psychiatric report is still not ready? How long does it take?

Ex-PJ: Unfortunately, I am not optimistic that justice will be served. Sending him back to New Zealand for trial will be the obvious course of action.

Anifah's lies reflects the pervasive tribal mentality of this BN government. It means that they will protect their own and put him on 'trial' in Malaysia.

Gerard Lourdesamy: This is all diplomatic mambo jumbo. The Vienna Convention is clear. It is up to Malaysia whether to lift the diplomat's immunity or not. But NZ can make a formal request for Rizalman’s extradition.

The issue of him not getting a fair trial in NZ is a non-starter. On the other hand, allowing for a military court in Malaysia to hear the case is not going to help resolve the issue because the crime was allegedly committed in NZ where the victim lives and where the police have gathered the evidence.

It would make sense to lift his immunity and extradite him to NZ for trial and then depending on the outcome, court martial him in Malaysia. What was the need to send the diplomat for a psych evaluation unless the Malaysians don't want to send him to NZ on the grounds for mental incapacity.

That should be a defence for the NZ courts to consider. Just because the diplomat is a Malay military officer, it does not mean he is above the law. The victim has rights also.

ONG: Too bad for the whole bunch of BN fools that our OSA (Official Secrets Act) does not cover the documents being released by the NZ government. Now they are all exposed as liars.

If Muhammad Rizalman Ismail did not run away from NZ, he is innocent until proven guilty in the NZ justice system.

The way the NZ justice system operates, on his application, it would very likely have prevented his identity from being disclosed, at least temporarily until his trial or possibly even until he has been found guilty by a court of law.

Unfortunately for him, by running away from NZ, especially with assistance from the Malaysian government, he has more or less 'convicted' himself in the court of public opinion.

I find it absolutely amazing that these lying fools are prepared to tarnish Malaysia's name just to protect a suspected criminal.

Relevancy: For the government asking the people to project a good image for the country while overseas seems to take a turn when our diplomatic emissaries are doing the opposite.

It looks like Malaysia keeps sending the wrong signals to the world of how competent our officials are.

Telestai: I wonder why the Malaysian high commissioner finds it an "honour" to inform the New Zealand government that Malaysia does not intend to waive diplomatic immunity.

I find it disgraceful that the Malaysian government is protecting its diplomat from criminal charges as diplomatic immunity is normally reserved for minor traffic offences.

CiViC: This is bound to happen. Malaysian leaders treat this the same way they have always been within the country, thinking it will work elsewhere, but they are sorely mistaken.

Kubang: I commend the NZ government and people for their restraint and composure in this matter. If a similar incident involving a diplomat, say from a Western country, had happened here, I bet the mob and NGOs-for-hire would be out in force and there would be demonstrations, burning of effigies, threats of boycott and the likes.

Anonymous #20513663: It looks like if things were left to the governments, probably the whole thing would have been hushed up, maybe the victim quietly 'compensated'.

Thankfully, NZ is a country where elections are clean and fair, the media is free and civil society is not repressed.

The way I see it, the NZ people and media forced this issue out into the open. Good for them. The Malaysian people don't have that kind of power. Yet.

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