Kadir hopes new govt respects judiciary, allows trials of Umno leaders to 'proceed undisturbed'

KUALA LUMPUR (March 2): Datuk A Kadir Jasin (pictured) hopes that the new government under Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin “respects the power of the Judiciary and allows the trials of Umno leaders and their co-conspirators to proceed undisturbed”.

The veteran news man was reacting to a report from a local English-language daily entitled “Umno men on trial may see charges dropped” on his Facebook today.

“I sincerely hope that this [the report] is baseless -- mere speculation and conjecture,” Kadir said.

The report was based on comments made by constitutional law experts.

“I hope he [Muhyiddin] would not betray the people who voted for him in the 2018 general election under the Pakatan Harapan banner because they abhorred the robbing kleptokratic Barisan Nasional leaders,” added Kadir.

“The good people of Malaysia would be more assured if he unequivocally echoes the sentiment of his new ally, Umno Secretary General Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who was quoted as saying that "Jangan usik kes VIP di mahkamah"  (do not disturb the trials of VIPs in court),” he went on.

Speaking on a Bernama programme yesterday, Annuar said all parties have to respect the concept of separation of powers between the executive, legislature and judiciary, and that no one should try to mix the legal system with political interests.

"Although the government has changed, the legal system functions as usual...therefore the executive branch cannot interfere...if we respect this concept there will be no worry.

"If we interfere by withdrawing cases of those charged, the people would say the government does not respect the law and the judicial body is not independent; so, don’t mar that concept,” Annuar explained.