Roger Tan praises the former prime minister for his role in passing the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2009.
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| Senior lawyer Roger Tan said Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s actions validated the Malaysian Bar’s efforts in ‘upholding justice without fear or favour’. (Facebook pic) |
PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi left a lasting legacy in his commitment to judicial independence, says senior lawyer Roger Tan.
In a Facebook post tonight, Tan expressed his condolences to Abdullah’s family over his death.
“Pak Lah was indeed a true gentleman in politics, or rather, he was too good a gentleman to be in politics.
“Unlike many politicians, he was neither vindictive nor ruthless. In fact, on many occasions, he was magnanimous,” he said.
Tan, a former member of the Bar Council, praised Abdullah for having the political will to pass the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Act 2009, demonstrating his commitment to judicial independence.
“He also supported the Malaysian Bar during the infamous VK Lingam video tape controversy by attending the 14th Malaysian Law Conference and hosting a sumptuous dinner for the delegates on Oct 29, 2007.
“This was done despite the then chief justice having directed the judiciary to not attend the conference, of which I was the organising chairman,” he said.
In September 2007, lawyers marched towards the Prime Minister’s Office in a “Walk for Justice” to protest allegations of corruption in the judiciary, following the release of the tape implicating then chief justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim in a judge-fixing scandal.
