Blast from the past: Thomas interviews Karpal, Sri Ram

The 1980s witnessed an ignominious shadow cast on justice with the removal of the late Salleh Abbas as Lord President. He had fought to preserve the independence of the judiciary and this drew the ire of then-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Salleh’s removal, referred to as the “constitutional crisis of 1988”, was described as the “darkest chapter in the history of the Malaysian judiciary” by current Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.

Recalling the situation in the mid-1980s, former attorney-general Tommy Thomas said the administration of justice, particularly in matters pertaining to criminal prosecutions and trials, was in crisis as well.

“Hardly a week passed without a public scandal, followed by a public discussion and discontent,” he told Malaysiakini.

During that period, Thomas was a member of the Bar Council and editor of the journal of the Malaysian Bar, Insaf.

“I recall numerous deliberations at our monthly meetings on the state of the nation’s criminal law and procedure. It was against this background that Insaf decided to secure the views of our leading criminal law practitioners,” he added.

Thomas and two other members of Insaf’s editorial board interviewed prominent lawyer and DAP veteran Karpal Singh as well as Gopal Sri Ram.

The latter, who went on to become a Federal Court judge, succumbed to a lung infection on Jan 29 this year.

“Even some 40 years ago, the leading lights were Karpal and Sri Ram. I, along with two members of the editorial board, Ahmad Moosdeen and Darryl Goon, interviewed the legends of the Bar.

“I recall it being not only an exciting afternoon, but a stimulating intellectual exercise. The September 1986 issue of Insaf published our dialogue.

“Readers would have to decide how much has changed, and how much has not, four decades later,” Thomas added.

Below is the full Insaf interview:

Ex-Bar presidents push for another 'Walk for Justice'

M'sia ranks 54 in global rule of law index

CJ speaks out against attempts to intimidate judiciary

Judicial appointments committee must be independent of PM - Rulers