Sam Ke Ting’s case, (the JB bicycle tragedy case) has received national attention and political parties not to be left out are showing tremendous interest.

The man who criticized Sam’s acquittal decision by the Magistrate Siti Hajar Ali, was UMNO President Dato Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and that too at “BN ceramah” during Tanjung Piai by-election in November 20l19. Even an ordinary person would have sensed that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had challenged the court’s decision with an ulterior motive and that is to win votes.

Reports had been made against Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yet no action had been taken against him. (see Mohd. Kamal Abdullah, malaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.com)

And now other political parties too have realized the importance of Sam’s case and are clamouring to get a share of fame, so it seems, from the tragedy.

To single out Sam alone in this tragedy is unfair. There is every reason to question whether the parents of the eight teenagers are free from blame.

There is a lore which goes thus. A cow went to the King and complained that her calf was killed by the prince who had driven his chariot recklessly in a crowded place. The king Manu Neethi Chozhan ordered the prince to be executed in the same way the calf had been killed, run over by a chariot. We can wonder and be fascinated by the King’s dispensation of justice, but remember it is a lore of thousands of years ago. In the modern world in such a situation, the calf owner would be hauled into court for allowing his calf onto common pathway and punished. Perhaps it is to neutralize the effect of Manu Neethi’s justice that laws had evolved to impose care of duty on cattle owners to keep them under control.

The law protects the road users. And it also warns the dangers that lie ahead for other road users. I am sure you are aware of road signs warning “cattle crossings” in areas where such incidents are common.

One might ask whether road users have to be familiar with every hazard created by human beings, especially those who are still of the age unable to think in a mature way but require parental guidance.

The Court of Appeal has granted bail to Sam. That is good news. Let us hope and pray that justice will prevail.