AG should uphold the integrity of the administration of justice by taking
three actions arising from the police report lodged by UMNO
against Karpal Singh which sought to intimidate the defence counsel
in the Anwar sodomy trial
Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang
(Petaling Jaya, Sunday): The UMNO police
report last Friday against Karpal Singh is a blatant and seditious attempt
to undermine the administration of justice by threatening and intimidating
Karpal Singh in connection with his conduct as defence counsel of
former Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the sodomy trial.
This is the latest test of the independence, impartiality and professionalism
of the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah.
Mohtar should uphold the integrity of the administration of justice
by taking three actions arising from the UMNO police report against Karpal,
namely:
-
Institute contempt of court proceedings against UMNO for lodging the police
report against Karpal for its open and blatant attempt to interfere with
his role as a defence counsel in an ongoing criminal trial, especially
after a final warning had been made by the trial judge Datuk
Arifin Jaka to everyone "including those in power and in the opposition"
to stop commenting on the case.
-
Prosecute UMNO for the offence of sedition in lodging the police report
as it tantamount to undermining and promoting disaffection with the administration
of justice in Malaysia.
-
Advise and warn the police that it would itself be guilty of contempt
of court and sedition if it commences investigations into the UMNO police
report against Karpal.
I have no doubt that Mohtar would have no hesitation in instituting
contempt of court and sedition proceedings if any Opposition party had
lodged police reports on what the Public Prosecutor or Deputy Public Prosecutor
had said in the conduct of their prosecution during the trial of Anwar
Ibrahim.
(10/10/99)
*Lim Kit Siang - Malaysian Parliamentary
Opposition Leader, Democratic Action Party Secretary-General & Member
of Parliament for Tanjong