National Pride out of the window as UMNO runs to London to find lawyer

It is shameful when UMNO has to run over to the land of our colonial masters to find a lawyer - a Queen's Counsel to defend itself in the Malaysian courts.

Umno is seeking the opinion of a Queen’s Counsel (QC) on the constitutional issues which have bedeviled Barisan Nasional’s takeover of the Perak state government from Pakatan Rakyat.

MCPX

A senior constitutional lawyer left Kuala Lumpur yesterday for London to engage the services of a QC on behalf of Umno to advise the party on a host of questions that is roiling debate in the country...

...Sources say the QC that will be engaged by Umno is likely to be someone who has already appeared in the courts here in a span going back almost three decades.

It is believed that a QC who has appeared in cases in Singapore is also on the shortlist.

Three high-profile QCs who have previously appeared in Malaysia and Singapore to argue on complex issues of law have been Michael Beloff, Anthony Lester and Geoffrey Robertson.

Beloff appeared in the Federal Court for proponents of the Merdeka University in 1982. He was unsuccessful in the Merdeka University appeal.

Lester was engaged by the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) as counsel when the late Mustapha Datu Harun sued Sabah governor Adnan Roberts and Chief Minister Pairin Kitingan for restoration as chief minister in 1985. Mustapha lost the case. - Malaysiakini, 22/2/2009, Perak tussle: Umno seeks QC's opinion

This indicates how UMNO-led BN does not even have confidence in our own Malaysian lawyers - and there are about 13,000 of them in Semenanjung Malaysia.

Be proud of Malaysia - have confidence in Malaysian lawyers - do not everytime rush over to the United Kingdom to get lawyers. Malaysia boleh...

This is not the first time that the UMNO-led BN government of Malaysia has embarassed all Malaysians by running out there and engaging foreign lawyers. One situation was when we were fighting with Singapore for that little island. If the government of the day do not have confidence in our local lawyers, professionals, products - then how can you even hope that other Malaysians will...or even any other person or nation have.

This is about Perak - about Perak's Constitution...about our law, and it is a matter that will be argued in our own Malaysian courts - so what really is that shameful need to engage foreign lawyers. Are these foreign lawyers more well-versed about OUR affairs in Malaysia?

Use our own local Malaysian lawyers - do not still behave as though we are still being colonized by Britain (United Kingdom)...the West.

The attitude and the act of running to Britain is a clear indication that UMNO may still, after 50 over years, still be a puppet of United Kingdom.

In paper, we have independence - but alas in our minds we are still being colonized by UK and the West...how sad.

Even if there is a need to get lawyers from other countries - why not look at Singapore, Hong Kong, India or even Pakistan - all of whom were former British colonies, and have similar laws as those that we have in our country, and there are brilliant lawyers and legal minds there as well...

But alas, UMNO is still a victim of 'brainwashing' that makes them believe that UK has the best lawyers... and sadly, this 'belief' is not just confined to politicians but also many of our Malaysian lawyers and Judges.

Look at how the halls are filled up when it is some lawyer/legal expert from the UK is there to give some talk on the law, and compare that with the numbers who attend when some local, sometimes so much more better, Malaysian lawyer is appearing...

The propagation of the thinking...the belief that UK (the West) is better is also maintained by the media we are exposed to...by the movies that we are exposed to..., and we see that our UMNO-led BN have been guilty of continuing and reinforcing this attitude that UK (and the West) is better...far more superior than us here in Malaysia...

Even, when it comes to sports - now English Premier League is given more emphasis that our own football (or other sporting events..) Look at the papers...look at the TV..and it is obvious that today that is the case. 20-30 years ago, the government build Malaysian pride, and we all were aware of our footballers,...athletes. Ask today, who are the Malaysian football stars...and many will not be able to answer. Our football stadiums, that are so very big, are empty whenever there are local games.

I ask that UMNO..and the Barisan Nasional liberate yourselves from continuing to be slaves to our colonial masters of old (and the West), and free yourself. MERDEKA...MERDEKA.

This independence..and liberation must manifest itself through national pride...and a belief in the abilility of Malaysians...

I also wonder about our Malaysian judges - whether they will be swayed not by arguement of law - but by the fact that one side is being represented by some Queen's Counsel from 'overseas'...

Shame on you UMNO ...have confidence in Malaysian lawyers...