Friday April 18, 2008It’s a moral victory, says former Lord President
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas said God had answered his prayers and given him a moral victory which translates to a legal victory.
“I’ve suffered so much in the last 20 years, so much so I ran away from the public. I found solace in farming. I talked to monkeys, birds and wild boars. I asked them not to disturb my plants,” he said.
Salleh said he was confident that the reforms would go some way towards rebuilding and restoring confidence in the judiciary.
“The judiciary, since I left, is not the same,” he said.
Asked whether he was dissatisfied that no apology had been tendered, Salleh said: “I am satisfied for the time being. The Government has recognised and acknowledged the wrong done to me and the other judges.”
He however regretted that late Supreme Court judge Tan Sri Eusoffe Abdoolcader was no longer around to hear the “good news”.
The widow of Tan Sri Wan Suleiman Pawan Teh wants the Government to review the 1988 judicial crisis and clear the late Supreme Court judge’s name.
“My husband cannot be valued with money,” said Puan Sri Siti Nurhayati Mohd Daud.
Eusoffe's granddaughter Brenda Lim said: “I’m glad he’s being recognised but it shouldn’t have taken so long. It has been 20 years, people have long forgotten who he was. Nevertheless, I’m very glad and proud of him.”
Tan Sri Azmi Kamaruddin said he would “die a very happy man”.
“I’m happy not for me but for the people of Malaysia. I thought nobody cared. I feel my sacrifice had been worthwhile.”
He added that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should apologise for the 1988 judicial crisis.
“Why should the present government apologise for what it has not done? Tun Mahathir should apologise if he is a gentleman. Not to me, but to the country.
“We are working for the rakyat. I did what I did in 1988 for the people of the country.”
Datuk George Seah’s son, Basil, said: “We want a simple apology. The goodwill payment ... how do you gauge and measure how much to compensate? An apology would have been good.
“Tonight is a step in the right direction. It is better late than never,” he said.
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