Thesun 2008-12-31 Page02 Cj Advises New Jcs To Be Thoroughly Honest

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theSun

| WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 31 2008

news without borders

CJ advises new JCs to be ‘thoroughly honest’ by Husna Yusop [email protected]

PUTRAJAYA: Chief Justice Tan Sri Zaki Azmi advised 14 newlyappointed 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

Indonesia’s help sought to fight pirates KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has sought Indonesia’s help to crack down on pirates in militarystyle 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

lifeline to global trade and which just a few years ago was a piracy hotspot. In the last few years, coordinated patrols from the countries bordering the straits – Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore – have virtually eradicated attacks. But Isa said fishermen had been complaining that pirates in military uniform were preying on them. A newspaper report yesterday said the pirates were robbing fishermen of their equipment and demanding protection money of RM10,000 to RM45,000, threatening their livelihoods. Isa said the marine police would investigate the claims and urged fishermen to report attacks immediately so that a patrol boat could be deployed to nab the pirates. – AFP

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 directorgeneral 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.

400 stage protest outside US embassy KUALA LUMPUR: About 400 PAS supporters and members of non-governmental organisations held a demonstration outside the United States embassy yesterday to protest against the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip that have killed more than 360 Palestinians. The protestors gathered outside the Tabung Haji building on Jalan Tun Razak before moving to the front of the embassy at 11.30am while shouting slogans to protest against the open US support for Israel’s actions. Six representatives handed over a memorandum of protest to an embassy official at the gates of the mission. PAS’s Batu Burok state assemblyman, Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad, said the memorandum was addressed to US President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Syed Azman said a relief squad comprising doctors and professionals would be sent to Palestine to help the victims. Cheras police district chief Supt Abdul Rahim Hamzah Othman said the gathering, which did not have a permit, dispersed at 12.30pm. He said the situation was under control and no arrests were made. – Bernama

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