In light of the interesting cabinet picked by Badawi's 2008 government, Veena and I thought it’d be a good idea to give Zaid Ibrahim a looksee vis-a vis his book “In Good Faith”. I must say I expected it to be a lot harder to read, but the book is refreshingly free of irritating lawyerspeak and has an easy style in the more law-heavy parts of the book.
So lets see what I knew of zaza (as V & I like to call him)before picking up his book :
He’s an UMNO man, not afraid to say what he thinks, runs the richest law firm in the country,
the proceeds of this book will all go to Zaza’s Kelantan Foundation for the Disabled, (and regardless of his wealth, that is still impressive!).
Former Kota Bahru division chief (suspended for 18 months, but didn’t lose his MP seat),left out of the 2008 elections but brought back via senatorship to be defacto Law Minister (left to be seen if its either to pacify critics or to do something concrete!)
One lawyer friend said he’s arrogant and is a money-driven opportunist,another hates his firm politics….(and Badawi today called him an outspoken maverick!)
And yet more positive & negative stuff.What a mass of contradictions!
Anyway, Literary Shenanigan #1 started off in S’pore on the 29th of March. The 2 of us went to a kopitiam next to Simei MRT station, each with our own copies of “In Good Faith” and spent the next 2 hours trying to out-talk each other! The book itself is an absorbing read till almost two-thirds the way into it and then the intensity wanes a bit.
Since it’s a collection of his articles and interviews over the years, its gives a more or less once-through glance into the politics of the man… For what its worth, if what he writes is what he thinks, then I like his politics….and strangely enough it sounds a lot like what we’ve been hearing from the opposition at their ceramahs!
His articles are well defined and are an educational experience in itself.Constitutional law isn’t the easiest thing to plow through for me but for example in his article “Department of Bumiputera Affairs” he gives a great overview of Article 153 and the respective clauses that guarantee and protect the rights of every citizen of the country, despite what our government usually says is against our culture to discuss!
Read it and see for yourself -I definitely don’t agree with his idea of setting up a new department to regulate Bumiputera affairs(yet another government body isnt likely to solve anything), but I’m glad someone’s pointed out what policies currently propagated are illegal based on our Constitution!
Overall, its refreshing to read succinct arguments by a man with a passion for the rule of law and conviction in the need for reform. At the end of my Zaid journey I’d say I kinda like him.
Maybe not the point, but his simple, clear, passionate points in support of issues he believes in - well that gets me every time…:) I may not agree with everything he says but for me it’s a great book, a good starting point to dive into a discussion about the Malaysian political scenario, and a fantastic way to kickstart our literary adventure!
In the news today is the Malaysian Bar “Dinner of Justice” and Badawi vowing reform - all give me hope -If Zaid Ibrahim is true to his views in his book, and with the right political climate (and political will) it could change the world we Malaysians live in. Who knows? So in good faith, lets see what unfolds.
(N.B: Veena & I will organize a revisit of “In Good Faith” if anyone’s interested in discussing it again- just let us know!)
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