Politics 101: Use the Lord’s name to justify everything

Politics 101: Use the Lord’s name to justify everything

COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
October 11, 2013

Talk about using the name of Allah in vain. Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday that as a politician he had to push through amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA) and be tough with criminals because he would be answerable to Allah on Judgement Day.
Nice try, Zahid. Nice try.

Nothing goes down better in the Umno heartland than a politician saying that his actions are influenced by the Almighty.

Politicians throughout history have sought to hide behind the Quran, Bible and other holy books or religion to justify their decision to wage war, exterminate groups of people or pass unjust laws.
But the problem with Zahid's justification is that even at first glance, it is full of gaping holes. He says that he will have to account to Allah if he did not protect the rakyat from criminals.

Yes, we will all have to account for our whole life on Judgement Day. How we treated our friends and enemies. Whether we walked the straight line. Whether we stole or plundered. The list is long and daunting.

So Zahid, you will be asked to justify your track record as a minister. That is absolutely correct.
But don't you think Allah will also be concerned about the source of the wealth of all ministers.
Till today, some Malaysians remember how Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad shamed you in 1998 by divulging your great wealth including the number of cars and the large mansion in Country Heights.
You did not rebut Dr Mahathir.

Then there is that assault case which the police decided not to investigate. The fact that you have agreed to pay compensation and prevent the case from going to trial suggests that the victim was not hallucinating about your involvement.

The difference between Judgement Day and the MACC, PDRM and the Attorney General's Chambers is that there will be no free passes or selective prosecution for the rich and connected in Malaysia.
You and your Umno ministers may not have to declare your assets to the public but on Judgement Day you will be asked to account for the apartments in London, etc.

You will also be asked why you demonised a group of Malaysians and stirred hatred against them.
This is demagoguery at its worst and should not even be an option in the heat of electioneering in Umno as it has wide repercussions in Malaysia.

Saying that it is fine to have a shoot-to-kill policy is to endorse murder. What if that happens as a matter of course in Malaysia? How would you or the police account for that on Judgement Day?

The reality is, we have to account for our own decisions and actions, and not say we are doing it for Allah or in the name of a religion. That is the work of a weak-minded person, not a leader. – October 11, 2013.