Kolet, Kolek, Koleq

Yes, what about Hishamudin Yunus J? Well, I have had the pleasure of appearing before him quite extensively when he was sitting on the bench of Alor Setar High Court. I was chambering then and just started my law practice in Sungai Petani, that was way back in 1996-1998. A good judge, his lordship's elevation to higher courts has been long overdue.

I am saying this not because he wrote a judgment that was in my client's favour in an appeal that I argued before him, which accidentally became the very first case of mine that was reported in the Malayan Law Journal (MLJ) back in 1997. In some instances, he was not with me. I have had applications dismissed by him. I am saying this because he is good. He writes judgments. And he has been on the High Court bench since 1994.

Maybe they have forgotten about him. But how can they when he has been delivering judgment on lots of high profile cases?

Malaysia Today has the story here. Excerpts of the said article by RPK below:

Since we are riding this euphoria of righting the wrongs done to judges, let us look at another case that appears to have gone unnoticed and uncorrected. This is with regards to the injustice done to Hishamuddin Yunus. I know, some of you are going to ask, Hishamuddin who? For those ignorant of whom this most illustrious judge is, read the sections below this piece.

Hishamuddin Yunus, who could actually be the Chief Justice of Malaysia, or at the very minimum the President of the Court of Appeal, has been placed in cold storage. Many other judges below him, some who have the habit of not writing their written judgements resulting in many prisoners still languishing in jail -- have been promoted above his head.

Yes, it has been revealed that many judges do not write their written judgements. Some even get their lawyer friends to write their judgements on their behalf. Some do not bother to write anything at all their entire career and many people are languishing in jail, some in death row, and they can’t file their appeals because there is no written judgement. And, to add icing to the cake, some of these delinquent judges have even gone up to become the Chief Justice of Malaysia.

Kolet, Kolek, Koleq ...looks like old boy, sounds like an old boy... And I am writing this not because he is an old boy of MCKK either. Wink!