YOURSAY | ‘AG, don't you think it’s better to propose life sentence for public figures who lie to rakyat?’

AG mulling life imprisonment for those who leak secrets

Turvy: Dear attorney-general (AG) Mohamed Apandi Ali, when a PM admits to having received such a large sum of money, the alarm bells should ring in every law enforcer's office from here to Saudi Arabia.

It is not enough to say that this was a donation, which is what every drug cartel or crime syndicate could say, too.

The public must be given a more detailed explanation than what you have offered. Otherwise, you betray not only your office but 30 million citizens who expect you to do what you are paid to do.

You cannot put all of us in jail and whip us. As to information leaks, the only way to avoid them is to let information flow openly.

Technicalities aside, donations are not protected information. Whether or not there is a right to know, as you put it, is not for you to decide.

You cannot be both prosecutor and judge. It is enough that that you blunder as a prosecutor; do not try to pre-empt the judiciary.

Tholu: Apandi’s mind has certainly gone berserk. He has clearly lost focus on the scope of his duties as the country’s AG.

What authority has he got to initiate and make laws? This man is obviously getting big-headed.

As a person trained in law, he should be fully aware that it is the government (cabinet ministers) that initiates and proposes a bill (unless it is a private member’s bill) and it is the MPs (lawmakers) who deliberate and vote on the bill to make it the law if they so decide.

Apandi is shamelessly exhibiting his sycophantic enthusiasm and eagerness in protecting PM Najib Razak that he has lost his senses in comprehending the restrictions and limitations of his post.

Even on the 1MDB and SRC International scandals, this man seems vocal in defending Najib when it should be Najib who should be defending himself. Is Apandi the defender of law or Najib’s defence lawyer?

Discovery: Apandi, allow me to advise you on the difference between being patriotic and being a traitor.

Those who leak secrets of crimes committed by those in power are being patriotic. Those who knew that crimes have been committed and yet knowingly collaborate and cover up for those who commit them are traitors.

And yet you want to amend the laws to punish those who are patriotic.

Vijay47: Apandi, your threat against those who reveal secret recipes about sundry crooks, thieves, and murderers must be fully in keeping with your Islamic principles, a comfort that you have suggested your nemesis (former prime minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad is seriously lacking in.

I would propose that you extend your intended action to statements that obviously reveal the maker to be lying through his teeth, where donor becomes donors, donations become "I have seen the cheque", father becomes son, and the dead are resurrected.

But how profound, how inspiring, your revelation that "the right to know is not granted by the constitution". I presume you refer to the Malaysian constitution.

Was this truth shared with you by Najib's lawyer, the one still about to sue the Wall Street Journal ? Does the constitution also grant the right to lie through the teeth?

I am sure you are the person most qualified to comment about such essential matters.

Lamborghini: Indeed, the same punishment (life imprisonment) must be extended to include those who abuse their authority and those who tell lies to the public and those who try to cover up the sins and wrongdoings of public officials and politicians.

Asitis: This shows that the present government had everything to hide.

It shows there are so many skeletons in their closet that they are bursting to come out so much so that the Official Secrets Act (OSA), made more draconian by Dr Mahathir, is no longer enough.

They now need to strengthen it further to hide their skeletons.

Oh Ya?: What 'secrets'? What are the skeletons in the ruling elite's closet that are so toxic that he wants them shielded completely from the public?

Are they more toxic than the toll concessions and other lopsided contracts?

Swipenter: The Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma), Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) and the National Security Council (NSC) Act are not enough.

Now they want OSA to mete out life sentence and 10 strokes of the rotan to protect thieves, rapists and plunderers of national resources and monies.

Those who expose corruption and mismanagement of national resources should be honored instead of being threatened. They are threatening white terror on Bolehlanders.

Anonymous 2299391436500295: Criminal defamation charges against the Wall Street Journal ? Stupidest idea I've heard all day. The expose was written in New York by a New York-based newspaper.

Even without the so-called Speech Act, there is nothing any foreign officials can do. Defamation is not a criminal offence in the United States.

All Malaysians can do is block WSJ in Malaysia - which people can access anyway through VPNs if they want.

N1: They are so eager to charge those who told the world about the corrupt officials. So eager to cover up for the perpetrators.

Don't forget, in China they also shoot corrupt officials, especially those who steal from the public.

Yoda: I think following China is a good thing. All those corrupted officials are being hunted down there. Money confiscated, some brought back to China to face trial. At best, life; at worst, bullet to the back of the head.

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