©The
Sun (Used by permission)
by Tan Yi Liang
PETALING JAYA: Former Bar Council president R.R. Chelvarajah (pix) yesterday lauded de facto law minister Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim’s intention to make the government apologise to former lord president Tun Salleh Abas and two other judges sacked in the 1988 constitutional crisis.
Zaid, the newly appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, had been quoted yesterday as saying he would propose to the prime minister that the government apologise to Salleh and the other judges, Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawanteh and Datuk George Seah.
He had also voiced his intention to institutionalise and formalise the appointment of judges, and increase transparency in the appointment process.
“I am glad the minister has recognised that transgressions were committed in the sacking of Salleh and the subsequent suspension of the five Supreme Court judges, resulting in two of them also being sacked,” Chelvarajah said.
“At long last, we have a cabinet minister who is bold enough to admit that these judges had been severely wronged. Zaid is magnanimous in proposing to the prime minister that the government apologises.
“The government has to own up to the fact that two tribunals were set up to achieve the answers desired by those then–in–power.”
Expressing support for Zaid’s plans to increase transparency in judicial appointments, Chelvarajah said: “Zaid has expressed some very positive proposals that have been clamoured for by the Malaysian Bar all these years to restore public confidence in the judiciary.
“Most important among them is the recognition by the minister for a judicial appointments commission.”