Former CJ Hamid Omar dies
Former Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Omar passed away this morning at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur. He was 80.
UPDATED 4.10PM
His tenure as the chief justice was blighted by his controversial role in the sacking of Lord President Salleh Abas in 1988.
Former Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Omar died of renal failure at the Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre in Ampang in Kuala Lumpur at about 10am today. He was 80.
His son, Azizuddin, 51, told Bernama that he was admitted to the hospital at 8am yesterday after having a fever and chronic influenza.
He said the doctor confirmed that there was infection of the kidney which led to renal failure.
His body had been taken back to his residence in Bukit Tunku in the capital city.
It would later be taken to the Damansara mosque for prayers after Asar and buried at the Bukit Kiara Muslim cemetery.
Abdul Hamid leaves a widow, Azian Aiyub Ghazali, and four children - Azizuddin, Ainuddin, Hanizah dan Hanizan.
Controversial role
Abdul Hamid took over the judiciary following the sacking of Lord President Salleh Abas in 1988.
His role in that episode has been controversial as he was part of the tribunal that sacked Salleh.
At that time, Abdul Hamid was acting lord president and next in line to succeed Salleh.
Strong objections, especially from the Bar Council, were raised then over Hamid's role in the tribunal.
Abdul Hamid, who obtained his barrister-at-law from Lincoln's Inn, London, and a doctorate in Law from Oklahoma City University, United States, began his career in 1956 as a magistrate and later as a Sessions Court judge, in Kuala Lumpur, Raub, Taiping and Seremban.
He once served as a legal advisor in Terengganu, Penang and Perak; as a Federal Court's Registrar, and legal draftsman at the Attorney-General's Chambers.
Chairperson of several companies
He was appointed a Kuala Lumpur High Court judge in 1968, and in 1980, was made a Federal Court judge.
Four years later he was appointed as the Chief Justice of Malaya and in 1985, as a Supreme Court judge prior to his appointment as the Lord President, in 1988.
Upon his retirement, Abdul Hamid joined the private sector and appointed chairperson of several companies including First Allied Corporation Bhd, Olympia Industries Bhd and Bukit Unggul Country Club Bhd and executive chairman of Macro System Consultancy Sdn Bhd.
- Bernama
