The Malaysian Bar - Christopher Fernando dies

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Christopher Fernando dies

Christopher Fernando dies

Sunday, 20 January 2008 08:06am

Christopher Fernando [09.04.1941-19.01.2008] ©The Sunday Star (Used by permission)

KUALA LUMPUR: Well-known criminal lawyer Christopher Fernando (pic) died at the National Heart Institute (IJN) here last night.

He was admitted to the IJN on Monday after suffering a heart attack.

According to his sister Shahreen Kamalludin, Fernando underwent a triple by-pass surgery but his condition worsened on Friday.

Fernando, whose Muslim name is Aris Rizal Fernando Abdullah, was a former Sessions Court president before he joined a private practice in Seremban.

Many ACA prosecutors and officers did not like going up against Fernando because he often caught them out especially in cases involving entrapment.

He shot to national acclaim when he joined Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s defence team when the former deputy prime minister was charged with abuse of power.

Fernando was married to Maria Kamaruddin who is the sister of former Umno Yourh chief Datuk Suhaimi Kamaruddin. They had two daughters Marissa and Rina.

Shahreen said her brother’s body was taken to a relative’s house at Jalan Titiwangsa here and will be buried at the Muslim cemetery this afternoon.

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May God Bless His Soul
written by Zulkepli Bin Omar, Sunday, January 20 2008 01:08 pm

My condolence to his family especially to his daughter Marissa, a fellow member of the Bar.

My experience with him on the opposite side some ten years back, a great gentleman lawyer and indeed very humble.

Indeed, we have lost a great lawyer and a friend.

Alfatihah.

Zulkepli Omar

Al fatihah buat beliau semoga roh beliau dicucuri rahmat.
written by Mohd Hisham Bin Mohd Nazir, Sunday, January 20 2008 01:44 pm

Al fatihah buat beliau semoga roh beliau dicucuri rahmat.

Mohd Hisham Bin Mohd Nazir

Tribute to the late Chris Fernando
written by Chew Swee Yoke, Sunday, January 20 2008 03:22 pm

I 1st got to know the late Chris Fernando when I was involved in representing Dato' Anwar Ibrahim at the "Black Eye" Royal Commission and we used to be sitting in the same interview room in Sungei Buloh Prison for hours. He struck me as a true barrister in the finest traditions of the profession.

From the stories he told me, I learnt that he turned down cases when he felt the potential client was a disgrace to the human race, even though the fees he would have earned would have been hefty. He also never had any airs despite his fame and fortune and was very proud to tell me of his humble origins when he could not even afford to buy a new refrigerator.

The legal profession will sorely miss a barrister of his stature. Most importantly, the Malaysian public has lost a brave and highly skilled criminal law advocate.

I pray that his family be comforted and remain strong in their hour of grief.

From Chew Swee Yoke
20 January 2008

A RARE TALENT, A RARE GEM ...
written by Stephen Tan Ban Cheng, Sunday, January 20 2008 03:58 pm

Thanks to the efforts of the Malaysian Bar Council, I had the rare privilege and pleasure to meet up with and talk to this leading light of the Malaysian legal fraternity at a human rights convention in Penang many years ago.

The late Christopher Fernando came across as very humble, very approachable and very encouraging, despite his vast experience on the Bench and at the Bar.

My mind cannot help entertaining the loving notion that this gem of a lawyer would have made a very good Judge in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court in Malaysia.

For me, Christopher Fernando's passage would have been in vain unless the powers-that-be train their thoughts to the fact that we in Malaysia do have many rare talents such as the departed to make our Bench a much more formidable one, always respected throughout the common law world ...

My deepest condolences to the bereaved family, especially to one of his daughters who is also a lawyer and who I remember meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

May the Lord grant Christopher Fernando eternal rest.

Stephen Tan Ban Cheng

A Great Man, A Great Friend, A Great Teacher.
written by Surya Putra Bin Mohamed Taulan, Sunday, January 20 2008 07:26 pm

Al Fatihah to Allahyarham Aris Rizal Cristopher Fernando. You were truly a great man. I will always treasure the words and your advises. Your death is a big loss to our legal fraternity.

My deepest condolences to the Family, to Faiz Fadzil as one of the closest friend and a lawyer for Mr. Fernando.

Surya Putra Bin Mohamed Taulan

Passing of a legal icon
written by Abdul Fareed Bin Abdul Gafoor, Monday, January 21 2008 06:45 am

Al-Fatihah for Allahyarham's soul and may he rest in peace. My heartfelt condolence to his bereaved family.

Abdul Fareed Bin Abdul Gafoor

Tribute to the late Christopher Fernando
written by Wong Hin Loong, Monday, January 21 2008 03:03 pm

I do not know Mr. Christopher Fernando personally but I can attest to the fact that he was a humble man.

I remembered the time when I was called to the Malaysian Bar on 22nd June 2000. At that time, the RKK court was still located at Wisma Denmark KL. After my long call, I was waiting for the lift to go to the ground floor. Mr. Christopher Fernando was standing a few feet from me. There was nobody else there. I knew who he was because of the Anwar case but I was too shy to greet him because he was already a senior counsel at that time and I was just newly admitted member of the Bar.

He actually walked up to me and extended his hand to congratulate me for being called to the Bar. For some people this may seem to be an insignifant gesture but to me, it showed the character of the man.

Rest in peace Christopher.

Wong Hin Loong

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