2 theSun | WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 31 2008

news without borders

CJ advises new JCs to be ‘thoroughly honest’

by Husna Yusop
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PUTRAJAYA: Chief Justice Tan
Sri Zaki Azmi advised 14 newly-
appointed judicial commissioners
(JC) yesterday to maintain honesty
and avoid even from being
perceived as being dishonest.
He cautioned them that he,
together with Court of Appeal
president Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd
Sheriff and the chief judges, will
be obligated to take necessary
measures against the JCs and judges
who do not perform.
“So, as I was also advised, be
careful with who you associate with
lest you may be suspected of being
dishonest. You may continue with
your friends, but if you suspect that
anyone of them is taking advantage
of your position, you must be open
with them,” he told the JCs after
witnessing their appointment and
taking of oath.
“There are many who will try to
take advantage of their association
with you. So, be careful. In some
ways, a judge’s life is a life of a
hermit.”
Present were Alauddin, Chief
Judge of Malaya Datuk Arifin
Zakaria and Chief Judge of Sabah
and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard
Malanjun.
Zaki said the JCs were expected
to behave like judges and as judges,
they were entrusted with the highest
responsibility and expected to be
thoroughly honest.
“You are expected to be whiter
than white. The public will be
looking to you for impartial
judgments made according to the
law. Every individual, regardless
of class, colour or creed, must be
given the fairest treatment,” he said.
“Every party to every case heard
by you will expect to leave your
court feeling that his case has been
properly considered.”
He also reminded them to be
prepared for a demanding position
There are many
who will try to
take advantage of their
association with you. So,
be careful. In some ways,
a judge’s life is a life of a
hermit.”
You are
expected
to be whiter
than white.
The public will
be looking
to you for
impartial judgments
made according to the
law. Every individual,
regardless of class, colour
or creed, must be given
the fairest treatment.”
which entails long hours of hard
work, reading of files, hearing of
cases and writing of judgments.
“Your family must be prepared
to accept sacrifice of the time which
you would otherwise have for them.
You must also be prepared to be
transferred to any place,” he said.
Zaki reiterated that he would
continue to fight to improve the JCs’
remuneration and benefits.
He said their future appointment
as judges would depend on how
good they are. He will not hesitate
to delay or even not confirm them
to the position of judges if they were
not up to standard.
“You will be expected to also
learn to manage your courts. By
managing you have to work smart.
You must be read to exercise your
discretion properly, which includes
arrangement of cases in the best
possible way as well as manage
time to its optimum,” he said.
The JCs appointed yesterday
were Solicitor-General Datuk
Zaleha Yusof, Chief Registrar of
the Federal Court Datuk Halijah
Abbas, parliamentary draftsman
at the Attorney-General’s (A-G)
Chambers Datuk Nor Bee Ariffin,
Commissioner of Law Revision and
Law Reform at the A-G’s Chambers
Datuk Mary Lim Thiam Suan,
Industrial Court president Datuk
Umi Kalthum Abdul Majid and
Industrial Court chairperson Datin
Yeoh Wee Siam.
The others were from the
Prime Minister’s Department
– Legal Aid Bureau director-
general Dr Hassan Abdul Rahman
and Advisory Board chairmen
Kamardin Hashim and Yaacob
Md Sam – and Court of Appeal
registrar Datin Zabariah Mohd
Yusof, High Court registrar Tarmizi
Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur
sessions court judge Akhtar Tahir,
High Court of Sabah and Sarawak
registrar Rhodzariah Bujang and
Kota Kinabalu sessions court judge
P. Ravinthran.

Indonesia’s help sought 400 stage protest

to fight pirates
KUALA LUMPUR:
Malaysia has sought
Indonesia’s help to crack
down on pirates in military-
style uniforms who have
been menacing fishing
boats in the southern
Malacca Straits, a senior
police official said yesterday.
The action came after a
fisherman was wounded
earlier this month when
sea raiders dressed in
camouflage gear fired at
his vessel, said Isa Munir,
commander of the Maritime
Police Department.
“We are investigating it.
We are trying to coordinate
the operation (to provide
security for fishing boats)
with Indonesian authorities.
We are intensifying our
patrols,” he told AFP.
Isa said the attack took
place in the waters off
southern Johor, part of the
waterway which is a crucial
outside US embassy
lifeline to global trade and
which just a few years ago
was a piracy hotspot. KUALA LUMPUR: About 400 PAS supporters and mem-
In the last few years, bers of non-governmental organisations held a demon-
coordinated patrols from stration outside the United States embassy yesterday to
the countries bordering protest against the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip that
the straits – Indonesia, have killed more than 360 Palestinians.
Malaysia, Singapore – have The protestors gathered outside the Tabung Haji build-
virtually eradicated attacks. ing on Jalan Tun Razak before moving to the front of the
But Isa said fishermen embassy at 11.30am while shouting slogans to protest
had been complaining that against the open US support for Israel’s actions.
pirates in military uniform Six representatives handed over a memorandum of
were preying on them. protest to an embassy official at the gates of the mis-
A newspaper report sion.
yesterday said the pirates PAS’s Batu Burok state assemblyman, Dr Syed Azman
were robbing fishermen Syed Ahmad, said the memorandum was addressed to
of their equipment and US President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister
demanding protection Ehud Olmert.
money of RM10,000 to Syed Azman said a relief squad comprising doctors
RM45,000, threatening their and professionals would be sent to Palestine to help
livelihoods. the victims.
Isa said the marine police Cheras police district chief Supt Abdul Rahim Hamzah
would investigate the claims Othman said the gathering, which did not have a permit,
and urged fishermen to dispersed at 12.30pm. He said the situation was under
report attacks immediately control and no arrests were made. – Bernama
so that a patrol boat could
be deployed to nab the » See also Page 10
pirates. – AFP