When conscience pricks — Lucius Goon
May 24, 2012
MAY 24 — There is a reason why former CID chief Fauzi Shaari has joined PAS and why former Solicitor-General Yusof Zainal Abiden is now part of Anwar Ibrahim’s defence team: it is called conscience.
It has little to do with whether Tok Guru Nik Aziz is a standout spiritual leader or whether Anwar Ibrahim is guilty of sodomy.
It has everything to do with both these individuals revolting against a system with which they have become so familiar and disillusioned with. Ask any of the old-time cops and the majority of them will say that the men in blue must always be non-partisan and stand for what is right and not what is politically expedient.
These old timers can’t stand the rush to embrace the Umno style of policing which has seen ordinary Malaysians being assaulted just to appease political masters.
Straight-shooters like Fauzi can’t stomach the endemic corruption, breakdown of old value system and other excesses.
For Yusof, anyone who bothers to pick up the phone and do some due diligence will realise that the man enjoys a good reputation as a prosecutor as well as a lawyer. He has fought attempts to prevent the powerful and connected from standing trial for criminal offences, including murder. It should be pointed out that he has not joined any political party but has put into practice what he believes: that everyone deserves to be represented by the lawyer of his choice.
No doubt that the Anwar camp will claim some symbolic victory but Yusof’s decision to defend Anwar in these Bersih charges has little to do with the sodomy case.
He probably thinks like millions of other Malaysians that the government is overreaching in using the sledgehammer against those who took part in Bersih 3.0. He may even feel that the office he once represented is once again being used to settle political scores.
Whatever is the case, it is foolhardy for Umno or the government to demonise Yusof unless they want him to become an enemy. At the moment, he is just another lawyer defending Anwar.
It would be more useful for Umno to examine reasons why people who used to be in its corner are looking across the political aisle.
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