Move on already, says Salleh Abas of 1988 judicial crisis

Bede Hong Bede Hong Updated 6 years ago · Published on 6 Jan 2018 7:32AM · 5 Comments

BY NOW, the judicial crisis of 1988 should be a matter that was dead and buried, said Salleh Abas, former lord president of the Supreme Court and the man at the centre of the storm. 

The 88-year-old Abas, who turned politician he was sacked as lord president, believed the nearly 30-year-old controversy was being played up for political mileage ahead of the 14th general election.

Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former attorney-general Abu Talib Othman are politicising the issue, Salleh told The Malaysian Insight over the phone.

“The past is the past. I don’t want to talk about it. They are politicising the issue,” Salleh said.

The 1988 judicial crisis was on Wednesday the topic du jour at Perdana Leadership Foundation, when a reporter asked Dr Mahathir if he had ordered the removal of the lord president Salleh in 1988.

Dr Mahathir said he was willing to swear on the Quran that the lord president’s removal was the decision of the then Yang Di Pertuan Agong.

Former attorney-general Abu Talib Othman maintains that the then executive, Dr Mahathir Mohamad is not to be blamed for the sacking of five judges in 1988. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, January 6, 2018.

A day later, Abu Talib Othman, who was attorney-general from 1980 to 1993, corroborated the statement, telling reporters that Dr Mahathir was merely obeying the command of the Agong, the late Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail of Johor.

The former AG maintained that the executive was not to be blamed for the judicial crisis, adding that it was the judges at the time who had instigated it.

Abu Talib said the Agong had been displeased at a letter written by Salleh complaining about the executive’s criticism of the judiciary.

The King had referred Salleh’s letter to the prime minister, with the command that appropriate action be taken on the basis of the complaint.

“That is the cream of it,” said Abu Talib.

A six-member tribunal was subsequently set up, chaired by Supreme Court judge and former lord president Hamid Omar, which eventually sacked Salleh. Four other Supreme Court judges were also fired.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been blamed for the judicial crisis and his critics have used it to discredit him as a reformer.

Asked to comment on Dr Mahathir and Abu Talib’s declarations that that they were not responsible for the sackings, Salleh said: “I’m very tired of it.

“Life has gone on for me.”

Everyone else, he added, should move on, too. – January 6, 2018.

Sign up or sign in here to comment.

Comments

  • The so called reformist have been twisting this judicial crisis for decades and when tun answer you just say he's politicizing without your side of stories? either you are a damn human being or the so-called reformist are dumb.

    Posted 6 years ago by Ali Along · Reply

  • The so called reformist have been twisting this judicial crisis for decades and when tun answer you just say he's politicizing without your side of stories? either you are a damn human being or the so-called reformist are dumb.

    Posted 6 years ago by Ali Along · Reply

  • The so called reformist have been twisting this judicial crisis for decades and when tun answer you just say he's politicizing without your side of stories? either you are a damn human being or the so-called reformist are dumb.

    Posted 6 years ago by Ali Along · Reply

  • That’s M,u asked nasty questions u get nasty amswers u dig his ass he will dig yours

    Posted 6 years ago by Leslie Chan · Reply

  • Thanks to Malaysian Insight for including this graphical presentation of the tumultuous events in 1987/1988 that resulted in Malaysia losing its judiciary independence, and together with it, its democracy. The origin of this tragedy was traced to an internal party feud within Umno between Mahathir and Tengku Razaleigh.
    Tun Salleh may not want to talk about the past, but It is important that history be recorded accurately and preserved so, as it is an invaluable mirror not only for the present, but also for future generations.
    Individuals may perish, but the nation must live on, honourably and in justice.

    Posted 6 years ago by Kim quek · Reply