Why prosecuting and convicting Akmal Saleh is a good move?

The decision by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) to prosecute Umno Youth chief Datuk Muhammad Akmal Saleh under section 505(b) of the Penal Code is indeed a good move.

The section criminalises the act of making statements that leads to public mischief.

Hopefully he is charged and sentenced accordingly without a possibility for a discharge not amounting to acquittal.

While it is now upto the AGC and judiciary to decide on Akmal’s fate, here are several political reasons as to why the prosecution of Akmal is good.

First and foremost, charging and convicting Akmal for making statements conducing to public mischief would finally convince the non-Malay community that Akmal is not invincible from the law as implied recently by Ramkarpal Singh (PH-Bukit Gelugor).

The DAP lawmaker basically echoed the sentiments of the non-Malay community in stating that.

Second, charging and convicting Akmal gives brownie points to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s government on their conviction to uphold rule of law and reforms.

Action speaks louder than words. This would set Anwar as some one who is all out for reforms since there are allegations that he was delaying reforms.

Three, convicting Akmal proves that Umno is not calling the shots.

Fourth, in the bigger scheme of things, booting out Akmal would mean better race relations as well as a chance for Umno to close ranks with its coalition partners, be it in BN or with PH.

Recently DAPSY chapters in several states had called for ties with Umno Youth to be severed because of Akmal’s gung-ho street fighter attitude over a plethora of issues.