Manohara, her name is the reason many wore up to the news in the morning, but perhaps her tale is a wake up call for many who feed on this kind of thing.Hazlan Zakaria
Make no mistake, issues like this are straining ties between Malaysia and Indonesia. Ambalat may be more substantial but pales to this, being just the icing on the cake. To the general public, the Manohara issue is just too good a scandal not to be made meat of. This is something that the media – both alternative and establishment – have and shall continue to have a field day with. Nothing improves newspaper readership and circulation like a scandal.
After all with sex, kidnap, rape, dramatic rescue, royalty and celebrity model, this story has all the ingredients of a good soap opera, and makes for more than an interesting read.
To the Malaysian Royals, this is another assault on their position and image. Long enshrined in the constitution, the Royals are de facto untouchable, though their conduct of late has come into question. This has led to amendments during the time of Tun Mahathir which saw Royals stripped of their legal immunity, especially in their personal capacities. This has seen some legal actions taken against royalty, the latest of which to a Perak royal for some botched business deal.
But royalty do not have a good image when it comes to men of the royal line and pretty ladies. Probably because of ‘tales’ which harks back to a certain Sultan Mahmud who ‘mangkat dijulang’ (assassinated while on travels.) Rumour mills continue to churn about modern day equivalents, minus the gruesome death part.
As such, the Manohara story may not be something alien to the mind of the people and perhaps to the public relations staff of most palaces in the country. This brings to question the conduct of our royals.
Royalty must re-earn the respect accorded to them by default. In this day and age, they serve a ceremonial and some minute administrative duties. Many of which are just rubber stamp ‘pomp’ for the civil government. Beyond that, they serve no practical purpose other than an additional listing in the country’s budget.
As such the conduct of the royals must be inline with the position and the respect we to accord them. The Manohara case is another point of contention in this issue. The royals need to clear the air over this issue or clean their slate if that is the case.
But on the other hand this is also a time for the royals to state their case. Perhaps they too are victims of schemes by irresponsible parties who aim to profit from them, by association or financially.
This is what the Prince of Kelantan is doing by defending himself and asserting his side of the story, by taking to legal recourse by his own police report in early July and foregoing the media circus route which Manohara has taken.
He is alleging that Manohara’s accusations are false and he is also moving to retrieve some ‘friendly loan’ given to Manohara and her family members amounting up to one million Ringgit.
Although some parties might see any legal recourse as biased as the royals are being said to be under the ‘protection’ of the government in this matter. But contrary to that view is the fact that royals are not immune in their ‘personal’ capacities, which the palace continually stressed this is.
That and the track record of royals who have been dragged before the justice dock in Malaysia and be made accountable for their mistakes. Any legal battle will strictly be between the two parties, assuming both parties engage in it.
For reasons still unknown, Manohara still hasn’t lodge a police report of any sort, nor took any legal action upon her supposed ‘mistreatment’ – other than parading the issue in the media circus that it.
For Manohara, personally, as well as for her ‘advisors’ it is now time to pay the piper. The have spouted their claims all over the place, now it is time to make good on it. They don’t want to be seen to be milking the case for all its worth. After justice is what they want, is it? Not to capitalize on their 15 minutes of fame from this, right?
Where is the evidence you claim to have? Sneak peeks to the media do not count. Documented evidence and validated reports must be made available to the authorities for action.
Cases like rape and abuse requires immediate examination by medical and forensic authorities. This is to ensure the validity of the claims and to make sure that there is no tempering with the goods. Because of the delay in her getting a certified medical examination and indeed in submitting the alleged report, we must consider the possibility of evidence becoming unreliable due to tampering and time.
But more so is the question of whether is there anything for Manohara and her family to show us? If they don’t then we understand – ahem – the delay. If they do have something, why take so long? If they are in the right, then there is no reason for Manohara not to come forward and lodge a report and take legal action. If they are in the wrong then Manohara would need more than just one million Ringgit to pay what the Prince and his lawyers are going to ask for her defamation of him.
Whatever the outcome that will play out, this issue is a wake up call for many. For one is the lifestyle in Indonesia which sees these kinds of things happening. Manohara was still below 18 for goodness’ sake. And she is out and about town, and among islands. Her mother and the Indonesian society may have to realize this and protect their young from being pandered to the rich.
It is also time the royals look to themselves as well. For if the allegations are proven true, then there is much that we must say about the conduct of the royals. No smoke without fire. Enough said. Police thy own before we police it for you.
MalaysianDigest
Make no mistake, issues like this are straining ties between Malaysia and Indonesia. Ambalat may be more substantial but pales to this, being just the icing on the cake. To the general public, the Manohara issue is just too good a scandal not to be made meat of. This is something that the media – both alternative and establishment – have and shall continue to have a field day with. Nothing improves newspaper readership and circulation like a scandal.
After all with sex, kidnap, rape, dramatic rescue, royalty and celebrity model, this story has all the ingredients of a good soap opera, and makes for more than an interesting read.
To the Malaysian Royals, this is another assault on their position and image. Long enshrined in the constitution, the Royals are de facto untouchable, though their conduct of late has come into question. This has led to amendments during the time of Tun Mahathir which saw Royals stripped of their legal immunity, especially in their personal capacities. This has seen some legal actions taken against royalty, the latest of which to a Perak royal for some botched business deal.
But royalty do not have a good image when it comes to men of the royal line and pretty ladies. Probably because of ‘tales’ which harks back to a certain Sultan Mahmud who ‘mangkat dijulang’ (assassinated while on travels.) Rumour mills continue to churn about modern day equivalents, minus the gruesome death part.
As such, the Manohara story may not be something alien to the mind of the people and perhaps to the public relations staff of most palaces in the country. This brings to question the conduct of our royals.
Royalty must re-earn the respect accorded to them by default. In this day and age, they serve a ceremonial and some minute administrative duties. Many of which are just rubber stamp ‘pomp’ for the civil government. Beyond that, they serve no practical purpose other than an additional listing in the country’s budget.
As such the conduct of the royals must be inline with the position and the respect we to accord them. The Manohara case is another point of contention in this issue. The royals need to clear the air over this issue or clean their slate if that is the case.
But on the other hand this is also a time for the royals to state their case. Perhaps they too are victims of schemes by irresponsible parties who aim to profit from them, by association or financially.
This is what the Prince of Kelantan is doing by defending himself and asserting his side of the story, by taking to legal recourse by his own police report in early July and foregoing the media circus route which Manohara has taken.
He is alleging that Manohara’s accusations are false and he is also moving to retrieve some ‘friendly loan’ given to Manohara and her family members amounting up to one million Ringgit.
Although some parties might see any legal recourse as biased as the royals are being said to be under the ‘protection’ of the government in this matter. But contrary to that view is the fact that royals are not immune in their ‘personal’ capacities, which the palace continually stressed this is.
That and the track record of royals who have been dragged before the justice dock in Malaysia and be made accountable for their mistakes. Any legal battle will strictly be between the two parties, assuming both parties engage in it.
For reasons still unknown, Manohara still hasn’t lodge a police report of any sort, nor took any legal action upon her supposed ‘mistreatment’ – other than parading the issue in the media circus that it.
For Manohara, personally, as well as for her ‘advisors’ it is now time to pay the piper. The have spouted their claims all over the place, now it is time to make good on it. They don’t want to be seen to be milking the case for all its worth. After justice is what they want, is it? Not to capitalize on their 15 minutes of fame from this, right?
Where is the evidence you claim to have? Sneak peeks to the media do not count. Documented evidence and validated reports must be made available to the authorities for action.
Cases like rape and abuse requires immediate examination by medical and forensic authorities. This is to ensure the validity of the claims and to make sure that there is no tempering with the goods. Because of the delay in her getting a certified medical examination and indeed in submitting the alleged report, we must consider the possibility of evidence becoming unreliable due to tampering and time.
But more so is the question of whether is there anything for Manohara and her family to show us? If they don’t then we understand – ahem – the delay. If they do have something, why take so long? If they are in the right, then there is no reason for Manohara not to come forward and lodge a report and take legal action. If they are in the wrong then Manohara would need more than just one million Ringgit to pay what the Prince and his lawyers are going to ask for her defamation of him.
Whatever the outcome that will play out, this issue is a wake up call for many. For one is the lifestyle in Indonesia which sees these kinds of things happening. Manohara was still below 18 for goodness’ sake. And she is out and about town, and among islands. Her mother and the Indonesian society may have to realize this and protect their young from being pandered to the rich.
It is also time the royals look to themselves as well. For if the allegations are proven true, then there is much that we must say about the conduct of the royals. No smoke without fire. Enough said. Police thy own before we police it for you.
MalaysianDigest
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