I write in response to JTB's letter Former CJ's hudud move contrary to his constitution views. It is true that the Bar Council was not in support of Salleh Abas personally but the office that he held then as chief justice. I was not a member of the Bar then but had attended a meeting of lawyers and ordinary people for the formation of a national human rights society which is Hakam.

Enough Malaysians cared enough to be utterly dismayed at the dismantling of the judiciary in 1987 and came together to discuss the events which brought such infamy.

Ordinary Malaysians and activists present argued against supporting the person per se because of his unpopular decisions on the 'unfettered' discretion of the home minister in ISA cases. Many lawyers were involved in habeas corpus cases at that time because of Operation Lallang and several of them spoke about these cases.

I remember distinctly that a handful of very senior lawyers including the late Siddhu, then president of the Bar, managed to persuade the meeting that we must uphold the office. It is the independence of the judiciary that was at stake. It was a sobering reminder and many were persuaded.