Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 12:10:01 +0800
www.freeanwar.com
His Highness the King of Malaysia advises Malaysian judges to be just
On Saturday, 14th October 2000, the day the Movement to Free Anwar was
launched, Malaysia's King, His Highness Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah,
asked Malaysian judges not to be biased or deliberately pass sentences which
are inappropriate to the facts of the case. His Highness the King also
advised judges to discharge their duties well to avoid injustice.
His Highness the King was speaking at the officiating ceremony of the new
Shah Alam court complex in Selangor State.
According to His Highness the King, "Such actions are clearly cruel and
oppressive against one of the parties in the case".
His Highness the King also advised judges to carry out their duties well.
His Highness said; if possible, he did not want to hear complaints from the
people about the courts, in particular about delays caused by lack of judges
and staff.
Many may not have noticed those wise words of advice from His Highness the
King. Some may have been aware of them, but did not take a second look at
the implications of what His Highness the King was saying. But the words cut
deeper that most people could have imagined. And coming from no less than
His Highness the King of Malaysia himself, these are words that cannot be
brushed aside in haste.
Is His Highness the King sending a message to the judges? The world knows
very well that Malaysian judges have come under attack since the Anwar
Ibrahim trials erupted two years ago. And Anwar is not the only victim.
Some would even go so far as to use stronger words against Malaysian judges
though I would never venture such an accusation lest I get hauled into court
on contempt charges. And is His Highness the King of Malaysia, in a veiled
manner, also expressing what many people are saying?
This latest advice from His Highness reminds me of the day His Highness
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz ascended the throne as the new King of
Malaysia. It was a Saturday and we were all assembled at the palace in the
royal town of Kelang to witness the "handing over" of the State of Selangor
to His Highness' son, the Regent of Selangor.
His Highness the King was due to take over as the new King of Malaysia that
following Monday. Therefore, His Highness first had to appoint his son, His
Highness the Regent of Selangor, as the acting Sultan of Selangor, and His
Highness the Regent would remain on the throne of Selangor until His
Highness the King has completed his term of office and "returns" to
Selangor.
In his "handing over" speech, His Highness the King had one word of advice
for his son.
"It is the duty of a ruler to uphold justice", said His Highness. The phrase
used by His Highness was "menegakkan keadilan". 'Keadilan' also happens to
be the Malay name for the National Justice Party except that it is spelt
'keADILan' though pronounced the same way.
On hearing the very familiar REFORMASI "war cry" of "menegakkan keadilan",
Raja Kamaruddin, also known as Raja Komando, and I, who were standing beside
each other, could not help but reciprocate with gentle shouts of
"REFORMASI".
Their Highnesses the King and the Regent of Selangor probably did not hear
us, as we were not within earshot. But the Chief Minister of Selangor and
the State dignitaries did, as they all turned to look at the "commotion"
behind them.
My wife, who was standing beside us, bowed her head in embarrassment and
swore that if Raja Komando and I ever stood side by side in a palace
function again, she would stand at the far end of the hall.
Well, Raja Komando and I are two members of the Selangor Royal Family who
are not known to do "sane" things. I suppose, in Malaysia, you need to be
slightly insane to openly oppose Mahathir when there is always that risk of
getting framed on sodomy charges.
Anyway, back to His Highness the King's speech of Saturday, 14th October
2000. In attendance were the Chief Justice of Malaysia, Tun Mohd Eusoff
Chin, many other judges, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department,
Datuk Dr Rais Yatim, as well as the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Mohtar
Abdullah.
I can imagine how uncomfortable they all must have felt seeing that this
same group of people is being accused of manipulating the judicial system.
And to think, in the past, Rais Yatim was one of the most vocal critics of
the Malaysian judicial system and he got his doctorate on the strength of
his thesis criticising Malaysia's legal system.
RAJA PETRA KAMARUDIN
COUNTERBALANCE.ANYWHERE.ANYTIME.ANYBODY.ANYONE.COM
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