©New Straits Times< (Used by permission)
BY DEBORAH LOH
KUALA LUMPUR, July 7: Former Federal Court judge Tan Sri
Mohtar Abdullah died at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital today, after nearly a year of
lying in a coma following an operation to remove a blood clot in his brain.
Mohtar, 59, who was also a former Attorney–General, was buried at the Bukit
Kiara Muslim Cemetery in the afternoon after the asar prayers.
A relative said Mohtar’s wife Puan Sri Zaleha Shukor was by his side when he
died at the hospital this morning. Mohtar also leaves behind three children.
The body was taken to his home at 34, Jalan SS7/4, Kelana Jaya, where a steady
stream of visitors came to pay their last respects.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad arrived at around 1pm and stayed
for about 20 minutes.
His wife Datuk Seri Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali arrived separately 30 minutes later
and was seen comforting Zaleha.
Others who came to the house to pay their last respects included Minister in the
Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, Chief Secretary to the
Government Tan Sri Samsudin Osman, Attorney–General Datuk Abdul Gani Patail and
Umno vice–president Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib.
Several prominent judges and lawyers were also present.
Rais, who spoke briefly to reporters, described Mohtar’s death as a loss to the
country.
“He was an effective Attorney–General and many excellent laws were legislated
during his tenure. As a Federal judge, he will be difficult to replace,” Rais
said.
Lawyer Karpal Singh described Mohtar’s as a good friend.
“We both studied at the University of Singapore. His death is a great loss, as
he had a bright future ahead of him. He was the first judge to become
Attorney–General, and after retiring as Attorney–General, to be appointed as a
Federal judge,” Karpal said.
Mohtar had been a High Court judge before he was Attorney–General from 1994 to
2000. He became a Federal Court judge in 2001. He entered the judicial and legal
service in 1971.
Mohtar suffered a stroke in March last year and was admitted to the Subang Jaya
Medical Centre in August, where he underwent the operation.
A relative said Mohtar had spent the past four months in the Kuala Lumpur
Hospital, after he was transferred there from SJMC.
He is the second of nine siblings, and had three brothers and five sisters.
“He is also the first of the siblings to leave,” said the relative, who declined
to be named.
Mohtar had served in many capacities, the last being a Federal Court judge, but
he’s best remembered as the country’s Attorney–General, a post he held from 1994
to 2001.
His stint as A–G was actually sandwiched between two tenures as a judge – in the
High Court from 1990 to 1994 when he resigned to become A–G, and his final post
as Federal Court judge from January 2002 after his retirement as A–G.
Mohtar was well regarded as a judge, and considered to have been effective,
efficient and fair with sound legal judgment.
His term as A–G was, however, marked with controversy due to the Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim cases which arose in 1998.