Congratulations to justices Shaik Daud Mohd Ismail, Mohd Saari Yusof and KC Vohrah for a job well done on Monday in giving ex-IGP Abdul Rahim Noor what he deserves most - a place in the Kajang Prison.

As a former deputy public prosecutor who had appeared before all the three judges when they were high court judges then, I salute and take off my hat or songkok to them.

With regard to Yang Arif Shaik Daud who was formerly the head of the criminal division in the AG's chambers and later a High Court Judge hearing countless criminal cases, I still remember the first day when I prosecuted before Yang Arif at the old high court building. His very first words were: "As a DPP, your duty is to prosecute and not persecute. The police will act on the advice that you gave them, and not otherwise." Those were the very same words echoed by the Attorney-General then, Abu Talib Osman, when I reported for duty earlier. Those very words still stuck deeply in my mind until today though at present I 'm no longer involved doing criminal cases.

As for YA KC Vohrah, I still treasure his advice '' ...that being a DPP is as good as giving a loaded gun to the judge. Upon accepting the prosecution's evidence and rejecting the accused's evidence, the judge will just squeeze the trigger by sending the accused to the gallows. So be very careful, young man, in deciding to charge a person."

Likewise, YA Mohd Saari, though a man of few words, used to say "Are you sure, Mr DPP, that the evidence before the court is enough to convict the accused.?"

The bottom line is this: All the three judges who sat and affirmed the Sessions Court decision on Rahim are judges with a clear conscience and high integrity. They've decided without fear or favour as the real guardians of justice.

Unfortunately that seems not to be in the case of their 'learned' fellow judges who had presided over the sodomy and corruption trials of ex-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. Whatever redeeming qualities of a judge seem to desert them during the trials.

As a former DPP who had his fair share of prosecuting from the lower courts up to the Supreme Court then, I stand by my words.

With regard to my ex-colleagues, Gani Patail and Azhar Mohamed, I'm at a lost for words at how both of them conducted the prosecutions. I do not wish to comment about the ex-AG, Mohtar Abdullah, who once was the deputy head of crime. History has been judging him since he first took office.

To the Yang Amat Arif Dzaiddin Abdullah, with the exception of few, you have a good team of judges from the the High Court up to the Federal Court. Please continue from where the former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas had stopped. My prayers and the rest of the world are with you and your esteemed team (again minus the exceptions). Godspeed.