Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Is this the end of Najib's political career? By Mariam Mokhtar
Friday, March 31, 2023
Malaysiakini : It didn't matter if Najib was there, or in Kajang Prison, or a million miles away.
The ones being judged by the rakyat were the Federal Court’s panel of judges, and the Malaysian judiciary.
In the end, Najib failed in his second bid to review an earlier apex court verdict to uphold his guilty verdict.
A message to corrupt politicians
Today's decision of the judges has given Malaysians renewed
faith, for now, in the judiciary. It also sends a message to corrupt
politicians that their time will come. There are many in positions of
power at the moment.
One doubts if they could ever
hold their heads up high if Najib had been granted a full acquittal or a
retrial. The judiciary's reputation would be decimated and it will be worse than in 1988 when Dr Mahathir Mohamad emasculated their powers and removed their independence.
Some
people claim that Najib is good for business. Really? If he had
received a full acquittal or a retrial, would foreign investors come
knocking on Putrajaya's door? Hardly!
When he was
first sentenced, we witnessed wild scenes when thousands of Najib's
screaming supporters descended outside the court, and defied the scares
about contracting coronavirus. Today, only around 100 supporters were
present. Is he no longer their idol? Has Najib lost his 'Boss-Ku'
appeal?
If a decision had been to allow a retrial,
there would have been complete pandemonium and Malaysia would have been
set on a path of no return.
Najib or his lawyers, or
both, were foolish to have another bid for freedom. The nation is weary
of him. His original SRC trial had been dogged by delays, late starts,
illness and various attempts by both Najib and his lawyer to scuttle any
plan for a smooth and speedy conclusion.
The judges
may have exercised extreme restraint, but the public is not so
forgiving. Najib is not someone who engenders feelings of sympathy.
What
he did to the nation is unforgivable. He stole taxpayers' money whilst
he was the prime minister. That is what makes it unpalatable and
unacceptable.
Put in a position of trust to administer the country, Najib
found it child's play to abuse his powers and his position, to enrich
himself, his family and those closest to him. Anyone who opposed him was
swiftly dealt with, or perhaps, handsomely rewarded to buy their
silence.
Did he express any remorse for forcing Malaysia to its knees? No.
Did
he care about the lives that were lost or the dashed hopes and futures
of various individuals who tried to alert the authorities about 1MDB?
No. He couldn't be bothered.
Adam Adli
was prevented from completing his final year at the university because
he had 'disrespected' Najib. Was he made an example, so that others
would fear speaking out?
Don't forget the snivelling
cabinet under Najib, who lied about the RM2.6 billion donation from an
Arab prince. Today, some of them are members of the unity government.
Shameful hypocrites!
Many Malaysians believe that
Najib's sentence is too short. We wonder why corrupt presidents and
prime ministers of other nations are sentenced soon after they leave
office, whereas we appear to drag our feet just to get one conviction
going. How can this be remedied?
In today's review,
Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abdul Rahman Sebli, the sole dissenting
judge, said that Najib's adjournment was not to scuttle the appeal but
had been done in good faith so his lawyers could prepare for the appeal.
Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abdul Rahman Sebli
The
rakyat think differently. Following Najib's SRC trial was like watching
Dallas. Without fail, each episode ended with more cliffhangers.
The United States sentenced Roger Ng to 10 years in jail, for his role in 1MDB. Meanwhile, a court in Kuwait
sentenced Sheikh Sabah Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, the son of a former
Kuwaiti prime minister, and two others. Jho Low was sentenced in
absentia. It would have looked odd if Najib had won his review.
Judge Abdul Rahman also said
that Najib should not be made to pay the price for the lawyer's
mistake. Would Abdul Rahman care to say, what about the rakyat having to
bear the cost for Najib's crime?
Najib's punishment is a short 12-year jail term. However, generations of Malaysians will suffer from Najib's selfish greed.
Najib's
review is a rich man's privilege. Only the super-rich can make his case
a long drawn-out one. Why should we waste more time, money and valuable
manpower and resources on him?
