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• Fernando laid to rest

©New Straits Times (Used by permission)

KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer Christopher Fernando, who died close to midnight on Saturday, was buried at the Titiwangsa Muslim cemetery yesterday before zohor prayers.

He was 66.

Fernando, whose Muslim name is Aris Rizal, is survived by wife Maria Kamaruddin, daughters Marissa and Rina, and two grandchildren.

He was admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) last Monday after he complained of chest pains. He underwent an emergency bypass on Friday.

According to Maria, there was no indication that he was unwell before his admission to the IJN.

"For him, work came first, then his family and himself," she said after the burial.

Well known for his cross-examination skills, Fernando hit the headlines when he became a member of the defence team for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1998 and defended the former deputy prime minister against sodomy and corruption charges.

Born in Yan, Kedah, Fernando joined the legal and judicial service as a magistrate in Batu Gajah, Perak, in 1973 following his admission to Lincoln's Inn.

He was also formerly with the Attorney-General's Chambers.

He was Sessions Court president in Butterworth and Seremban before going into private practice and was running a law firm in Seremban with Marissa.

Among those who paid their last respects were Federal Court judge Datuk Hashim Yusoff, Court of Appeal judge Datuk Gopal Sri Ram, Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan, Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, deputy public prosecutors, senior lawyers and neighbours from Seremban where he lived with his family.

Anwar, who was returning from Sabah, could not make it in time for the burial.

Sreenevasan hailed Fernando as an "energetic and vibrant lawyer".

"He was fearless. We need more people like him. We would definitely miss him."

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