Earlier on September 26 (Wednesday), Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) reported that a man had been arrested in connection with Nurin Jazlin Jazmin’s murder, in which it was later denied by the IGP Musa Hassan.

Coindentally, September 26 is the day Bar Council went on a "Save the Judiciary" rally in Putrajaya, from Palace of Justice to PM’s Office which attracted about 2000 protesters which consist of laywers, activists, NGOs, bloggers and civilians who’re concerned with the independence of our country’s judiciary system.

Surprisingly, it was a total black-out on Bernama regarding the incident and that’s when the rumor that a suspect was arrested in connection with the murder was reported by Bernama. The motive? God knows but Bernama is yet to clarify on the false report.

Subsequently, the report was taken down from the website, in which blogger Aisehman condemned the incorrect reporting as most unprofessional, unethical and unkind. (Click here to read the article posted on the blog In Memory of Nurin Jazlin)

Today, Bukit Aman CID director Christopher Wan Soo Kee said in a statement that police arrested five people between 27 and 33 years old, including a woman, in separate raids in Shah Alam last night to assist their probe into the murder.

The arrest was made following a public tip-off and the first since "Ops Sunti" was launched to hunt for the murderer.

The ops is led by Christopher Wan with a special team comprises police personnel from Bukit Aman, and Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Sentul district and Petaling Jaya district police contingent headquarters.

Tun Dr. Mahathir continues to be warded at ICU where doctors are to focus on improving his nutritional status and strengthening his muscles.

This is to ensure that all his major organ functions remain stable for continued post surgical rehabilitation.

Please find the official media statement issued by Tun’s personal aide Sufi Yusoff.

MEDIA STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Institut Jantung Negara, 28 September….YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad continues to be warded at the Intensive Care Unit, five days into a second surgery for wound debridement last Saturday.

This is to allow doctors to closely monitor and observe his overall condition following admission for a second coronary bypass surgery on September 4.

While it may seem time consuming, doctors’ focus will be on improving his nutritional status and gradually strengthening his muscles.

IJN doctors are also concerned on ensuring that all his major organ functions remain stable for continued post surgical rehabilitation.

IJN will continue to issue statements on Tun Dr Mahathir’s progress periodically.

On one hand, Minister in the Prime Minister Department Nazri Aziz said there is no crisis.

On the other hand, the newly formed independent committee is reported to be working closely with the Government to determine the authenticity of the "Lingam video".

Just wondering how one should be taking side? If Nazri who is the part of the Cabinet doesn’t believe there is one and apparently he speaks on behalf of the Government, what kind of close cooperation we expect to take place between the so-called "independent panel" and the Government?

Working closely to prove the video is being tampered with and that Nazri said the right thing in first place? Now do you see the point why the Bar Council took the protest onto the street and demands nothing less than a royal commission?

Tun Dr. Mahathir makes significant progress and is now breathing at his own since Wednesday.

The focus is now on his physiotherapy programs to optimize his respiratory functions and exercises to build muscle strength.

Please find the official media statement issued by Tun’s personal aide Sufi Yusoff.

MEDIA STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Institut Jantung Negara, 27 September….YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad continues to make significant progress four-days after his second surgical procedure on Saturday for wound debridement.

He is now breathing on his own since 2pm yesterday and doctors are now focusing on post surgical rehabilitation.

These include physiotherapy to his chest to optimise his respiratory function as well as exercises to his arms and legs to build muscle strength.

Tun Dr Mahathir continues to be warded at the Intensive Care Unit.

This Sunday (30 September), Women in Travel Industry Association (WIT) will organise a Kuala Lumpur Heritage Walk which will take you through through the most nostalgic attractions of early Kuala Lumpur, which boast of Kuala Lumpur’s rich historical and cultural heritage.

WIT is a non-profit organization established since 1983 and represents women in the travel and hospitality industry, aiming to improve the status of women in the travel and hospitality industries.

A running commentary by Mr Lee Choo Sim (heritage guide) will enable participants to gain insights into how Kuala Lumpur grew from a shanty settlement of a few wooden houses along the historic river into a modern cosmopolitan city and its social aspects of a multi-racial society.

Please find the program schedule as below:

0800: Meet at the Flag Pole at Dataran Merdeka ( Independence Square) Registration of participants

0815: A short brief and introduction on the walk route by Heritage Guide. The do’s and don’t

0820: Walk begins. There will be sufficient stops on route.

1030: Ending and lunch at Central Market

Please contact Jane Rai at jraibook [at] yahoo [dot] com or call/text her at +60196414200 for further enquiries.

[UPDATED VERSION] The latest number of protester is now reported by Malaysiakini at the number of 1500, where they took 30 minutes to reach the PM’s Office.

When Ambiga went into the building to submit the memorandum, those waiting outside are braving a heavy downpour that started about 12.45pm.

That’s how determined they’re in asking for the Government to establish a Royal Commission!

[UPDATED VERSION at 12:35pm, 26 September 2007] 1000 protesters were denied to march to the PM’s Office, with security reasons as an excuse raised by Putrajaya police chief Supt Abdul Razak Abdul Majid, according to latest update from Malaysiakini.

However, despite the police order, the march will continue as planned. During a short speech by Bar Council chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan, she said that the march was a "walk for justice" as "we deserve a first class judiciary".

"We walk peacefully and with dignity" […]

"When lawyers walk, that means there is something wrong. We want changes in the judiciary,"

Truth spoken, lawyers are professionals who understand and practice law.

For them to take the cause onto the street with the intention to submit a memorandum to the Government and yet to be stopped with security reasons as the concern, that’s obviously lame and merely shows the lack of sincerity from the Government to restore a transparent and clean judiciary system.

Nevertheless, putting aside the protest, we the people have an impression that it should also be the Government’s intention to uphold the integrity and maintain a clear separation of powers between judiciary and executive department.

What happened today has not only proven that the Government is insincere, they’re complacent to live with a rotten  judiciary system, which hit its lowest point in 1988 with the forceful removal of the then Lord President Tun Salleh Abas.

[ORIGINAL VERSION at 11:05am, 26 September 2007] Malaysiakini reported that seven buses packed with lawyers and members of the public have been barred to enter Putrajaya this morning, where they’re expected to join a rally from Palace of Justice to PM’s Office.

Besides, some private vehicles were stopped from entering Putrajaya too.

Those stranded - numbering about 200 - are now walking to the POJ and expecting to join a crowd numbering about 500 later, who have started to gather at POJ this morning.

There is also a large presence of police personnel, including from the Federal Reserve Unit.

Meanwhile, The Star’s SMS alert at 11:19am.

1000 lawyers gather to march to PM’s office to hand memorandum calling for royal commission to probe video of brokering appointment of judges.

Stay tuned for more updates.

While the domestic fronts are keeping a low-profile (with the exception of alternative medias like Malaysiakini, Merdekareview and etc.) in reporting the "Walk of Justice" organized by the Bar Council, foreign press fills in the loop.

1. International Herald Tribune: Malaysian lawyers hold rare protest in capital

2. Reuters: Malaysia lawyers hold rare demonstration for reform

3. AFP: Malaysian lawyers defy police in rare protest march

Contrary to general reports, Reuters reported that two memorandums were submitted to a government official: one calling for a royal commission and the other for an independent commission to oversee judicial appointments.

Next we’d like to see the response from the Government, not much to expect until the PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is back from New York minus the sleeping habit.

Just when many of us believe that with the establishment a three-man independent panel to investigate the authenticity of the "Lingam video" as announced by DPM Najib Tun Razak, the "Putrajaya March: Walk For Justice" scheduled to take place later will be cancelled.

No, that’s not the case.

Bar Council chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan in an official statement on the Bar Council’s website reiterated the march for justice will go on as planned notwithstanding the newly setup independent panel headed by former Chief Judge of Malaya Haidar Mohd Noor, with former Court of Appeal Judge Mahadev Shankar and prominent social activist Lee Lam Thye as members.

"This falls short of the Bar’s call for an investigation by a Royal Commission not only of the recording but of larger issues affecting the state of the administration of justice in Malaysia", said Ambiga.

Furthermore, even before the "independent panel" starts to work, the integrity of some members in the panel are being questioned by the public as well as Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang.

"The selection of members of the inquiry panel is highly questionable, particularly as the former Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor had played a most controversial role in the 1988 Judicial Crisis (he was at the time Chief Registrar of Supreme Court) leading to the arbitrary and unconstitutional sacking of Tun Salleh Abas as Lord President and Datuk George Seah and the late Tan Sri Wan Suleiman as Supreme Court Judges," he said.

A fair and fearless independent judiciary is a cornerstone of our democracy, where judges must be concerned only with upholding the cause of justice without fear or favour.

The words of Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah, a former Lord President in 1986, adequately explains the need for judges to be independent.

"..The Judges are independent of all — the executive, Parliament and from within themselves — and are free to act in an independent and unbiased manner. No member of the Government, no Member of Parliament, and no official of any Government department has any right whatever to direct or influence the decision of any of the judges. It is the sure knowledge of this that gives the public confidence in the judges. The judges are not beholden politically to any government…"

For too long, we’ve suffered the shortcoming in our judiciary.

The time for affirmative action is now.

Be prepared to stand up for and resurrects the independence of this country’s judiciary system back to its glory day which we believe in.

It is easy to give up hope in our judiciary, but if we do so all is lost.

What we need more than ever before is to strive for far-reaching reforms that will re-instill public confidence in the judiciary.

Let’s spread the message to everyone … Let’s walk the talk, people!

(SOURCE: merdekareview.com, 25 September 2007)

115 members quit MCA right in front of Ong Ka Ting, that’s how the MCA president celebrates his 中秋节 (Mid-Autumn Festival).

Another latest update on Tun Dr. Mahathir condition by Tun’s personal aide Sufi Yusoff to quash any speculation by rumors-mongers.

Tun continues to remain stable into the third day of his post-op operation, where his vital parameters continue to be doing well.

Please find the official media statement issued by Sufi.

MEDIA STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Institut Jantung Negara, 25 September…. YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad continues to remain stable into the third-day of his second surgical procedure on Saturday for wound debridement at the Intensive Care Unit.

IJN doctors are happy that his vital parameters continue to be stable. Tun Dr Mahathir is also conscious as doctors gradually ease on his support medication.

Tun Dr Mahathir is able to receive visitations confined to his immediate family members.

IJN will continue to issue statements on Tun Dr Mahathir as and when there are significant changes to his condition.