From Malaysiakini
Veteran opposition lawmaker Karpal Singh has given Chief Justice Zaki Azmi a week from today to resign from his post for allegedly admitting to corrupt practices while in private practice.
This came after Karpal claimed for the first time today that there was an audio recording of Zaki’s confession made two weeks ago despite the CJ’s denial of making the remarks.
“Zaki cannot, and should not, deny that he had in fact uttered the words. There is a audio recording of what he said in Kuching,” Karpal, also DAP’s Bukit Gelugor MP, said in a statement today.
The statement was issued in his capacity as the chairperson of the newly-formed parliamentary caucus on judiciary independence and integrity.
Calling Zaki’s clarification a “lie”, Karpal said the chief justice - appointed to the post last month - has allegedly misled the country and therefore not fit to continue holding the post.
“In the event Zaki does not step down as CJ within seven days from today, I will have no alternative but to move a motion against him under Article 127 of the federal constitution for having misled the country with his so-called clarification,” said Karpal further.
Zaki has issued clarification
The judiciary’s No 1 embroiled in the controversy after English daily New Straits Times quoted him as making the confession of bribing court staff at a convention in Kuching on Nov 7.
During the convention, Zaki delivered a speech in which he recalled an incident in 1987 and allegedly said the following:
“It took me six months to be nice, to bribe each and every individual to get back into their good books before our files were attended to.
“That was my personal experience, and I am telling this to all the clerks and all the registries to stop this nonsense”.
Zaki however issued a clarification later, saying the reporter has misinterpreted him.
So far, Karpal has lodged a police report and moved a motion to debate the matter in the Parliament twice - but both attempts were shot down by the Speaker.
Audio evidence
Meanwhile, Rahmah Ghazali reported from Parliament on Karpal saying that the audio recording of Zaki’s remarks in Kuching can prove that he had lied.
“There is an audio recording (to prove that he lied), I think you can take my word for it what has been quoted in Kuching. There is no doubt about it,” said Karpal when met at the Parliament lobby.
He declined to confirm directly that he was in the possession of the recording when pressed for an answer apart from saying he did not want to go into details.
Karpal also argued that the NST has not come up with any retraction on the initial report.
He further reiterated that there must be an integrity in the judiciary and it must start all the way from the chief justice.
“You cannot have a chief justice who lies. As simple as that…No point having independence of judiciary if the judges cannot tell the truth. Integrity comes first, then independence,” said Karpal.
This Chief Justice Zaki Azmi thinks that merely admitting is an atonement for his guilt in corrupting a system that may have brought perpetual misery to others is enough that he can continue.
This is the highest office of accountability respect and justice therefore we can’t afford a self-confessed criminal at the helm of the nation’s most trusted institution.
What he “Chief Justice Zaki Azmi” should have done is to recuse himself at the same time offering a detail list of officers activities and circumstances to the parliament (protection) for investigation subsequent to which, his resignation.
Our institutions are that rotten one can merely finger another guilty partner albeit a issue irretrievable then attempt to hold his/her head high as if his shit is ice cream and it have all melted into the annals of the past.
If Chief Justice Zaki Azmi had an iota of respect, an inkling of judicial honour or some fear of GOD then and there he would in the least turn down the appointment with trembling.
These folks have grown so obtuse they have “ALL” appointed themselves judge jury and rewarders for their own ill-conceived fate.
So far only Zaid Ibrahim appears to be magnanimous in this deafening silence of outpouring where the state and it’s parliamentary functionaries deny both religion and country the opportunity to cleanse us of the 50 years of filth murder and avarice in disguised of racial sensitivity national security and judicial reform.
Our Ag behaves as though his office is the sole purpose to protector the gomen and it’s elite rather than the protector of the people so to “our” the police “force-d” despite the overwhelming calls for originality. The justice department acts as a guarantor for the same more so than the traditions of the judicial prudence. Our investigative “ACA”institutions are meant to cover and sanitise in the face of clear-cut disasters and open sours also for conducting witch hunts and small-fry scape goat-ting. The parliamentary speaker and deputy speaker it appears main functions are to keep the public from meaningful debate discourse and in a state of perpetual ignorance and denial regarding our national affairs. Our Parliament it seems is a rail road to no-where, where corrupt rootless men and women thrive and flourish in its protection.
They are shameless beguile and arrogant they make the Pharaohs look like alter boys from a monastery.
This nation has gone bunkers and like the neo-cons they have put us in a black hole without remorse. Without America’s foreign policy Malaysia is identical in its manufactured woes all because of a sick bunch who thinks that they are gods.
They wish to reduce Malaysia and us Malays into clans void of reasoning yet brimmed with fear of a mythical enemy while they gobble our guarantees at unspeakable rates leaving us plus returning many to poverty whilst most are yet to escape the same poverty and the fear of misery itself…..to be continued
totally aggree.Zaki must face the consequences of his actions and resign immediately. This is a typical example of a corrupt judiciary right from the top to the bottom.. The opposition should push for his resignation at the soonest.
Didn’t this UMNO judge also cheat his first wife by tearing his second wedding certificate so that she would not know about his secret second wedding in Thailand.
This issue on bribery is good enough to disqualify him from the bench. But then only scums are given top posts by the BN government.
In this case Zaki not only admitted bribing court officials, (which is a crime) but now he tells another blatant lie by denying his own statement. Then there is another lie and false accusation that the reporter had misquoted him.
Can we expect honesty from the UMNO cess pool from where he was picked?
SATU KENYATAAN YANG TEGAS DARI PEGUAM BERPENGALAMAN LUAS, CUMA SATU PERSOALAN YANG TIMBUL, SUDAH BANYAK KES BERPROFILE TINGGI TELAH MENYANYIKAN LAGU SENYAP DAN SUNYI, BAGAIMANA DENGAN KES TAN SERI ZAKI?. KITA PERCAYA, JIKA TIDAK ADA MASUK CAMPUR DARI KALANGAN TANGAN-TANGAN YANG GHAIB,TERSEMBUNYI, PEMIMPIN BN YANG KORUP, PENGAMAL UNDANG-UNDANG TAKUT MACAM TIKUS, SELAGI ITU LAH UNDANG-UNDANG DIMALAYSIA TIDAK DAPAT DITEGAKKAN. DEMI MENEGAKKAN UNDANG-UNDANG KITA RAKYAT MALAYSIA AMAT-AMAT BERHARAP PENGAMAL-PENGAMAL UNDANG-UNDANG ITU HENDAKLAH BERANI, TEGAS DAN ADIL, JANGAN TERLALU IKUT TELUNJUK PEMIMPIN YANG KORUP!