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Give due process to rule of law, says Bar Council |
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Friday, 28 May 2004 12:00am |
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©New Straits Times (Used by permission) KUALA LUMPUR, May 27: YES, the abuse of Indonesian maid stirred the Malaysian psyche in a way seldom seen before.
Yes, the person responsible must be made to answer fully for the horrendous crime.
But the Malaysian Bar Council says that no matter how despicable a crime appears to be, due process must be given. That is the mark of a maturing Malaysian society.
Yeo Yang Poh, vice-chairman of the council, said yesterday: "We must not forget that it is justice that our society demands and requires.
"The objective is not revenge, nor the sole satisfaction of some popular impulsive desire driven by large doses of anger and disgust.'' He was commenting on the media coverage surrounding the case of Nirmala Bonat.
The 19-year-old Indonesian maid was allegedly abused by her employer, who has since been charged in court.
The council was disappointed with comments made by a minister that in a case such as Nirmala's, the doctrine that "one is innocent until proven guilty'' is unsuitable and that the perpretator deserves to be judged.
"These sentiments are wholly misguided," he said .
Yeo said a suggestion to publicly shame not just the accused but also her spouse, even before she was charged in court, was rooted in emotion rather than principle.
"Convenience is seldom a good companion for justice ... we cannot seek to do justice to one by perpetrating injustice on another.
"Suggestions of this nature will demote, rather than promote the course of justice, " he said.
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