The Malaysian Bar calls on High Court Judge Datuk Muhammad Kamil Awang to immediately lodge a police report against the caller who had directed him over the phone to strike out an election petition without hearing it. In the police report, the learned Judge will be obliged to identify the caller. The Bar Council reiterates its call to the Inspector General of Police to carry out police investigations as soon as possible into the allegation even if the learned Judge decides not to lodge a police report.
It is essential that the caller be identified publicly at the earliest possible opportunity so as to avoid unnecessary speculation by the public. It is important that this serious allegation be investigated and the person responsible be brought to book immediately so as to maintain public confidence in the judiciary.
The further allegation by the learned Judge that several other Judges in Sabah and Sarawak had at the material time confided in him that they too had also received similar directives from the same person on the election petitions before them, is cause for grave concern as there appears to have been a series of acts done to pervert the course of justice and to obstruct the Judges in the discharge of their public functions.
The Malaysian Bar commends the learned Judge for having the integrity and courage to bring this matter out into the public domain rather than ignore or pretend that the incident did not happen as this will in a way help to enhance the image of the judiciary.
Dated this 12th day of June 2001.
Mah Weng Kwai
Chairman
Bar Council
The Malaysian Bar commends Justice Datuk Muhammad Kamil Awang
12 Jun 2001 12:00 am