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©The
Star (Used by permission)
KUALA LUMPUR: Prominent lawyer Christopher Fernando, who died at the National
Heart Institute after a triple by-pass surgery, was laid to rest yesterday at
the Muslim burial ground in Titiwangsa.
About 100 people, including political figures, gathered to pay their last
respects to the lawyer who was buried at about 12.45pm.
Fernando, 66, who died at 11.30pm on Saturday, is survived by his wife Maria
Kamaruddin and two daughters, Marissa and Rina.
Maria said her late husband was a very compassionate and diligent man.
“He placed his career first, his family second and himself last,” she said.
His sister, Shahreen Kamalludin, who spoke to reporters before the funeral rites
at the burial ground, said his family was very proud of him and his success.
“He stood up to the powerful,” she said.
Bar Council chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan, who visited the family at their house,
said Fernando was a fearless man and this was exactly what the society needed.
“He had excellent cross-examination skills and he’ll be dearly missed,” Ambiga
said.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) information chief Tian Chua said he had lost a great
friend.
“He was an energetic and courageous man, just so full of compassion on the issue
of justice,” he said.
PKR vice-president Azmin Ali described Fernando as a close family friend.
“Today is a sad day for me as I have lost a dear friend. His passing is a loss
to the country, especially to the legal fraternity,” he said.
Fernando, whose Muslim name is Aris Rizal Christopher Fernando, suffered a heart
attack on Jan 14 while getting ready to go to court.
He was a former Sessions Court president before joining private practice in
Seremban. He shot to national acclaim when he joined Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s
defence team.
Among those who attended his funeral were PKR president Datin Seri Wan Azizah
Ismail Wan Ismail, Federal Court judge Datuk Hashim Yusoff, Court of Appeal
judge Gopal Sri Ram, deputy public prosecutor Nordin Hassan and lawyer Gobind
Singh Deo.
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Circular No 297/2008
