Screenshots

At the 14th Malaysian Law Conference yesterday, former Lord President and former Yang DiPertuan, Sultan Azlan Shah, spoke at length about the concept of the Rule of Law, and the prescription of "Government of laws, not of men".

Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi was more straight to the point. He rebuked and reprimanded the Malaysian Bar over its recent ‘Walk for Justice’ in Putrajaya.

He mentioned nothing of Bar Council's demand in association with the peace walk, namely the setting up of a Royal Commission to investigate the Lingam Tape controversy, and the establishment of a judicial appointments commission for the appointment and promotion of judges.

Instead, Abdullah blamed the walk for potentially creating "the impression that a problem has reached an intractable impasse - even when in reality, it has not."

He said the Council should have anticipated the repercussions of its public protest against the state of the judiciary.

'You scare away foreign investors'

According to Associated Press, Abdullah even warned the country's lawyers that their demands for judicial reforms could clash with national interests and send foreign investors fleeing.

He gave an example by saying when the Bar Council officially supports dissenting judgments or pushes forward its view that Malaysia is a secular state, it must take care to not simply represent the views of certain segments of society, or any internal pressure groups or its members.

However, Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan echoed the Sultan's stand by saying that ensuring the rule of law via judicial reforms would be good for investment and is crucial if Malaysia wants to have a modern economy.