Muslim dog owner’s remand extreme, born of paranoia, says Zaid
(The Malay Mail) – He observed that Maznah had been treated like a criminal who posed a serious security threat to the country when she had yet to be charged, let alone convicted by a court of law.
Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has called the decision to remand a Muslim woman over an Aidilfitri video which featured her dogs a result of paranoia and suggested that Muslims were “protected species” in Malaysia.
Besides the former Cabinet minister, a number of other Malay-Muslim community leaders have also labelled the action excessive.
“You can investigate any case but there is no need to remand, no need to detain people unless it’s absolutely necessary. This is not a hardcore crime,” Zaid told The Malay Mail Online yesterday, referring to the arrest and detention of Maznah Mohd Yusof on Wednesday on sedition claims.
The former de facto law minister during the Abdullah administration denounced the police action on the 38-year-old woman as excessive in relation to her purported offence.
He observed that Maznah had been treated like a criminal who posed a serious security threat to the country when she had yet to be charged, let alone convicted by a court of law.
“I think they have taken a high-handed approach… everyone is paranoid,” said the former lawyer who once ran the country’s largest legal firm, Zaid Ibrahim & Co.
“Everybody is influenced by public opinion and everybody is scared to do the right thing,” he added.
Read more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/muslim-dog-owners-remand-extreme-born-of-paranoia-says-zaid
