No more delays in indelible indelible ink case

Major Zaidi Ahmad, RMAF

The court-martial trying the indelible ink case against Royal Malaysian Air Force major Zaidi Ahmad has announced that there will be no further delays, even though Kuala Lumpur High Court proceedings are underway challenging the participation of the panel president. (The president had made a disparaging remark about Major Zaidi on Facebook.) The Malaysian Insider reports:

Defence counsel Nasar Khan Mirbas Khan then informed the panel that Zaidi and his defence team will not participate any further in the court martial proceedings as they have chosen to remain silent.

As the panel and defence team argued, Zaidi, who was sitting in the dock stood up, but was immediately told by his counsel to remain seated.

During a break in proceedings later, Zaidi said he stood up in the dock, to indicate that he is just "fed up" with how the proceedings are being run. 

The parties' final submissions to the court-martial will be heard on Friday. The news account does not indicate whether a stay has been sought from the High Court.

Was the panel's decision to proceed nonetheless a result of unlawful command influence? "The panel led by presiding officer Col Saadon Hasnan said the authorities have instructed them not to delay the case any longer as much time and money have already been spent."