Oh Zam!

The Western media, it seems, are running us down again, engaging in Islam-bashing because of the Lina Joy decision. And the Prime Minister has said that 'one must have a hole in the head' to think that this was a political decision.

Both of these are obviously wrong. Zam's barely bears answering, but the PM's statement is wrong because regardless of whether or not there was pressure from the Government, this was BOUND to be a political decision. Politics needs to be reclaimed from politicians, and acknowledging that the judiciary, and the public, play a role in politics is one of the ways of doing this. As Malaysians, we seem to be fond of saying that we're not interested in politics or that we shouldn't discuss politics. It's a form of abdication of responsibility, and one that allows politics and political decisions to be decided by anybody and everybody else.

The politics of the Lina Joy case:
1) Whether our Constitution is supreme - a decision with profound political consequences
2) Whether the Federal Court is supreme - likewise
3) Whether the judiciary is swayed by arguments outside the confines of the law (such as whether or not it would result in violence)

Which of course means that the court is deciding whether it is willing to uphold the rule of law. Or not. These are, undeniably, political decisions. Whichever way they're decided.