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FAC News - Thursday, August 8, 2002 8:27 AM
I am proud of my husband: Bahirah “I am proud of my husband,” said Bahirah Tajul Aris, wife of National Justice Party (Keadilan) Youth Leader Ezam Mohd Nor. Ezam was yesterday
convicted of an offence under “The court may have declared my husband a criminal, but the whole world knows he is not a criminal,” argued Bahirah. “What is his
co-called crime?” asked Bahirah. “He has been sent to jail for exposing
corrupt Ministers. Only in “Even in Communist China, where they say there is no freedom or democracy, they do not tolerate corruption.” “How many times
have we read about corrupt Chinese government officials being put
to death by firing squad and a bullet to the head to finish them
off? Scores of people have been executed in “But, in “So soon after
Anwar Ibrahim’s appeal fiasco, this happens. The world must be really
laughing at “If my husband had been convicted and jailed for corruption I would have been ashamed. But what shame is there when your husband is jailed for exposing corruption?” “I feel proud; proud that he has sacrificed his freedom by standing up for truth. Many can talk, but how many would be prepared to pay the price like what my husband did?” “We all knew he would be found guilty and be sent to jail. In fact, as early as a week ago, Ezam had prepared in advance his 10-page statement to the court. That was how confident we were he would be stuffed in jail.” “We were very confident that a guilty verdict and jail sentence was inevitable. Nevertheless, it is still a difficult thing to accept.” “Maybe the shock and surprise was not there. But it is still disheartening nevertheless to see your husband get sent to jail. What wife would not feel this way?” “But, if it was not prison, it would have been ISA (Internal Security Act) detention. Either way the government would have locked my husband up. The only question is, on what so-called crime.” “The government knew it could not keep my husband under detention without trial forever. So they rigged up these charges against him to legitimise his continued incarceration.” “And they won’t stop here. There is still the sedition charge against him.” “Ezam would have to serve at least 18 months in jail. Then they will add the sedition conviction with another jail sentence. In short, they will keep him in jail for as long as they possibly can, until he dies if they could get away with it.” “The prosecution admits that Ezam never revealed any government secrets. What secrets? The corruption investigation report that Ezam was alleged to have revealed had already been debated in Parliament and published in all the newspapers - it was no longer a secret.” “Ezam’s crime was to reveal a document that had the word ‘SECRET’ rubber stamped on it. That is all. Even if it had been a blank piece of paper, or, as Ezam told the court, toilet paper, it would still be a crime as long as the ‘SECRET’ rubber stamp is on it.” “In short, Ezam was convicted based on the rubber stamp and not because of the contents of the document.” “The government admits that the document is a genuine investigation report by the Anti-Corruption Agency on the corrupt practices of Mahathir’s Ministers. And, for that reason, Ezam has committed a crime by revealing it.” “But, by admitting so, the government invariably also admits that the Ministers did in fact commit corruption as revealed in the investigation report.” “The report recommended criminal proceedings against the Ministers and this recommendation was supported by the Attorney General’s Chambers.” “But, today, these Ministers are still Ministers while my husband sits in jail. Isn’t this one unique country?’ “I suppose
this can only happen in
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