So okay. Right after I had my first real outing my new best friend, the Nikon D40, I gave an Institute for Policy Research-organized (Institut Kajian Dasar; IKD) forum a visit. I do not think I would like to write too much about it since one of the panels talked about what I wanted to blog in the first place; I am a little bit disheartened when somebody made the point public first. Anyway, he mentioned how trust is important and to some extent, the impact of lack of public trust to state institution. It is a little bit blurry whom spoke of that — it could only be either Mr. Cumaraswamy or Tunku Abdul Aziz — but that point is the most important lesson for many to take note from the big picture-kind of thinking.
On general however, the forum was about how, allegedly, rotten the judiciary is. From there on, the panel tried to convince the audience on why a royal commission is required to not just investigate the authenticity of the scandalous video made public earlier by PKR but the state of the judiciary as a whole. The sentiment of the panel was that it has been a downhill for judiciary independence in the spirit of separation of powers since 1988, the year when former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad orchestrated the removal Salleh Abbas from the office of the Lord President of the Supreme Court.
About the video itself, the footage released to the public is just first part of the video. According to Mr. Sivarasa Rasiah and Mr. Anwar Ibrahim, there is another approximately 6 minutes of unreleased clip. In unreleased clip according to Anwar Ibrahim further, Judge Ahmad Fairuz’s name can be clearly heard and more names were mentioned.
That asides, some of the usual suspects were there. By suspects, I meant bloggers! I think, if one attends too many public forums, sooner or later, the most of the faces would be recognizable.
Finally, pictures:
The banner.
I apologize for the quality of the photo: I am still exploring the features of Nikon D40 but from the left, Tunku Abdul Aziz of Transparency International, Mr. Param Cumaraswamy formerly of the United Nations, the chairperson Mr. Sivarasa Rasiah, former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Secretary to the Bar Council Lim Chee Wee.
And that is Din Merican.
p/s — Howsy has more.