WE have recently been witnessing an uncomfortably large number of occasions when attempts have been made to influence the judicial processes of Asian countries. Most of these criticisms are levelled by people who think that some jail sentences passed on defendants in those Asian countries, are far too severe for the offences they are charged with committing. However, the laws of a country, including the range of punishment for crimes, are determined on the basis of custom and legal precedence. Statutes are duly enacted by the law-making bodies of the respective countries. Such statutes should not be based on the interests or wishes of any foreign government or foreign citizens, in so far as they do not have any relevance to international laws or treaties. In fact, there are some laws originating from Western nations, which mystify those nations elsewhere in the world. Many Asians feel that Western countries are far too permissive. They believe these Western countries lay greater stress on the interests and rights of individuals, even seeing such rights as above the needs of society in general and the country in particular. If the West and its proteges want Western standards to be made universally applicable, as a means of identifying crimes and establishing suitable punishment, then they should call for an international referendum on the issue. Alternatively, we could have an international, body (elected by proportional representation) tasked with formulating appropriate laws on the basis of a one man one vote principle. This would, of course, mean that just as Asian countries would have to accept laws deemed appropriate by this body, so would the countries of the West. Until and unless the world is prepared to have such a referendum or international law-making body, the West must refrain from attempting to infringe on the sovereignty of other nations by trying to influence or otherwise undermine their national laws. BERNARD WIJEDORU New Territories
