Dato' Dr Rais Yatim's contention that it was uncommon for a judgment to suggest the government abolish ISA is not untenable. But parallel and, in fact, more serious forms of judicial interference can be found throughout the commonwealth countries.

Recently several judges in Queensland, Victoria, and elsewhere in Australia have individually and collectively expressed sorry for the stolen generation of aboriginals - a term often referred to the forceful removal of aboriginal children from their parents by the white Australians.

By doing so these judges not only disagreed with the views of the government of the Prime Minister John Howard (who has consistently refused to apologise over the issue) but also agreed with the views of the opposition leader Kim Beazely.

Interestingly, in some cases judges apologised even without seeking approval from their bosses or fellow judges in the superior courts.

Not only that, several prominent judges also expressed their outrage over the mandatory sentencing regimes in the Northern Territory. In one particular case a superior court judge said on national television that he did not have a high regard of the Federal Attorney-General!

Heaven did not come crashing down over these interferences. Public confidence in the judiciary did not diminish as a result. And the government did not bother dragging the issue any further. No one lost a job or sleep over the issue.

In fact, following criticisms of the judiciary by some quarters, the not-so-nice Attorney-General himself came to the defence of the judiciary.