Jailing student goes against all sense of natural justice

YOURSAY 'They have to put a young man in jail to warn all other students not to get involved in opposition politics. That sucks.'

'Occupy Dataran' student gets a month's jail, fine

Slumdog: Isn't the RM1,000 fine and one month's jail just a little harsh for allegedly obstructing a Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) officer carrying out his duties?

I thought Umar Mohd Azmi, a final-year college student, has a bright future and therefore should have been let-off with a warning at the most.

Remember, for a more heinous crime such as statutory rape, two young men with bright futures got away relatively scot-free?

Unfortunately for Umar (he had to be made an example of), his case was heard by the same magistrate who granted the police the court order to ban Bersih 3.0 rally participants from gathering at Dataran Merdeka.

Fair&Just: It looks like Dataran Merdeka is selectively out of bounds as and when the so-called authorities say so.

If such is the situation, the place should not be named as such and a new place should be found where it shall truly and freely belong to the rakyat and not a select few.

The so-called elites can keep the place and do as they wish because after all they have the might and force of the Umno government behind them.

Enlightened: Dataran belongs to the people. When innocent people are being robbed, killed and raped but the criminals are walking freely, what big crime did this boy commit?

The people who abuse their power don't realise that they have children and that the law of karma applies to everyone.

Chris Wong: You go to jail for speaking your mind and to protect those who do. Indeed, the first step of any totalitarian government is to shut you up using the courts and justice system.

Stop this by voting for change, while demanding for clean and fair elections!

20121221Disaster: This can only happen because the authority of the DBKL was not given by the local people through local elections.

DBKL will only obey the one who gave them the power. And its power is not given by the local people.

Their power is given by the ruling party of the present government. This problem can only be solved if we have local elections in place.

Anonymous #67694451: I am fed up with the officials sitting in their air-conditioned offices giving commands without even understanding what their pledge is.

Ask them to close the roads if they think it is their property. They have forgotten they are the servant of the rakyat. Dataran is a public place.

Boiling Mud: Dataran Merdeka is a heritage landmark that carries the history of the people in this country working together for the nation's independence. It therefore belongs to the people.

City Hall has no right to claim ownership and shut down access to the square at its whims and fancies.

More importantly, what was so wrong for an activist student to do what he and his like-minded peers did at Merdeka Square when they were following their conscience?

Ferdtan: This is a kind of judgment you would not expect from any fair-minded judge.

To sentence him to one month's jail for obstructing an officer is way too harsh and vindictive.

It should be a compoundable offence whereby a fine would do. But no - they have to put a young man in jail to warn all other students not to get involved in opposition politics. That sucks.

It's off to Kajang Prison for 'Occupy Dataran' student

Lamborghini: This is a real injustice. It is just a small case involving a university student.

The High Court judge is ready to hear the case and just because the deputy public prosecutor (DPP) who handled the case couldn't be contacted, a young man has to spend time in jail.

How ridiculous! How unfair! How unjust!

What if this particular DPP is overseas for a month? Why can't another DPP or somebody else in the AG's Chambers make a decision or give a simple okay.

Is the intent to teach the student a harsh lesson and serve as a warning to other students?

It just goes against my sense of natural justice. There are so many bigger, more serious cases when an appeal is made and the persons convicted by the lower court have been allowed bail till the case can be heard by the higher court.

Why is this an exception? Cases like this will only make ordinary citizens like me feel more angry that our taxpayers' money is being wasted on inconsequential and unnecessary cases like this.

Jude Allen: It is unbelievable that the attorney-general's (AG's) office should behave in this manner - not presenting himself or sending one of his deputies.

Here, a man's freedom is at stake. The court should use its discretion and set the man free until the AG does his job.

Our judges must learn from other jurisdictions to respect human rights.

What is the use of having a human rights act and not following its principles?

Victor Johan: The 'criminal' is Umar, a final year university student and currently doing his internship. The deputy public prosecutor is Wong Chai Sia. The magistrate is Zaki Asyraf Zubir.

Zaki is the same tainted magistrate who dubiously granted the police at Dang Wangi with the court order to ban Bersih 3.0 rally participants from exercising their rights to a freedom to assemble and express their discomfort at the Election Commission and the current Umno-BN regime that is helming the country's administration.

The rescue team, Syahredzan Johan and Puspawati Rosman, are lawyers whom are championing human rights.

James Dean: This is the kind of justice the small man will have endure in Malaysia under the BN government.

Going to jail has given your protest the prominence which the government wants to deny. I love that defiant "I will be back" look of yours. - Malaysiakini