PETALING JAYA (Oct 23, 2011): DAP chairman Karpal Singh says sessions court Judge Chan Jit Lee should not be punished for hugging him after awarding him RM2 million in compensation for an 2005 accident which left him wheelchair-bound.
"It was not a bear hug. Her action was a spontaneous one from one human being to another who is disabled. What she did was an act of compassion in open court for which she should not be defaulted in any way," he said.
Karpal had issued a statement on Saturday in response to Malaysian Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee's call for an investigation into Chan's conduct.
He had reportedly said Chan's hug and the admission of knowing the Bukit Gelugor MP raised questions as to whether Chan should have recused herself from hearing the case.
In response, Karpal said he was saddened at the position taken, as Chan was acting as a human being.
"I am very sad the position has come to this. I hope all concerned will view the position from a compassionate and humanitarian angle. Chan should not be punished for having acted as a human being," he said.
He said Chan had mentioned in the course of proceedings that she knew Karpal, and no objection was raised by opposing counsel Bala Mahesan.
Karpal explained his relationship with Chan.
"I knew the judge's uncle when I commenced practice in Alor Star 42 years ago. I came to know her then when she was an 11-year old school girl.
"I only came to know she was a senior assistant registrar at the Ipoh High Court in the 1990s, later a sessions court judge," he said.
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