The tribute and goodwill ex gratia payments to the six Supreme Court judges who were sacked in 1988 as recognition of their contribution by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, which he described as a legacy that still haunted the nation, can be seen as a direct blow and disrespect for precedent under the regime of Tun Dr Mahathir that might undermine the image of Tun.
Abdullah said, “I do not presume to equate your contributions, pain and loss with mere currency, but I hope that you can accept this as a heartfelt and sincere gesture to mend what has been.”He said the time had come to write a proud and new chapter and commitment towards upholding justice and to acknowledge the pain and loss the six Supreme Court judges endured.
“For me and for many other Malaysians, these towering judicial personalities represent a very different era for the nation’s judiciary. Many feel that the judiciary then was a venerable institution that could be trusted to deliver justice."
“Some even hailed Malaysia’s judiciary as a model for other countries – independent and credible. “This level of trust and respect for the judiciary, we must all admit, is simply not as strong as it was before.”
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