Karpal: Judge's action was a spontaneous act of compassion
Last updated on 24 October 2011 - 08:37am
PETALING JAYA (Oct 23, 2011): DAP chairman Karpal Singh says sessions court Judge Chan Jit Lee should not be punished for hugging him after awarding him RM2 million in compensation for an 2005 accident which left him wheelchair-bound.
"It was not a bear hug. Her action was a spontaneous one from one human being to another who is disabled. What she did was an act of compassion in open court for which she should not be defaulted in any way," he said.
Karpal had issued a statement on Saturday in response to Malaysian Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee's call for an investigation into Chan's conduct.
He had reportedly said Chan's hug and the admission of knowing the Bukit Gelugor MP raised questions as to whether Chan should have recused herself from hearing the case.
In response, Karpal said he was saddened at the position taken, as Chan was acting as a human being.
"I am very sad the position has come to this. I hope all concerned will view the position from a compassionate and humanitarian angle. Chan should not be punished for having acted as a human being," he said.
He said Chan had mentioned in the course of proceedings that she knew Karpal, and no objection was raised by opposing counsel Bala Mahesan.
Karpal explained his relationship with Chan.
"I knew the judge's uncle when I commenced practice in Alor Star 42 years ago. I came to know her then when she was an 11-year old school girl.
"I only came to know she was a senior assistant registrar at the Ipoh High Court in the 1990s, later a sessions court judge," he said.
DESIDERATA: My first reaction to Karpal's rection and comment about Ms Chan, wrt the Bar Council's call for an investigation, esp this line: " What she did was an act of compassion in open court for which she should not be defaulted in any way" -- REALLY?
What if in a similar case and the winning side was an UMNO or MCA litigant, and Karpal was representing his client who lost the suit and ordered to pay RM2million, wouldd Karpal be so "compassionate"?
COMPASSION in open court and demonstrating it with an a socalled sponstaneous hug is NO EXCUSE for unprofessional conduct as a judge must be seen to be objective and NOT PARTIAL to any contesting parties. So Karpal, in this case, Ms Chan's behaviour was totally unacceptable as such show of sympathy to you by your friend of a judge showed she was "prejudiced" in your favour. (WHY COULDN'T SHE WAIT TILL AFTER SHE WENT HOME AND THEN LATER PAY YOU A VISIT, then nobody including Desi cares a hoot!) I hope the opposing party will file an appeal or even apply for a High Court ruling there was a "mistrial"!
IF there is one case of double standards from Malaysia, esp wrt to l;awyers who are also politicians, it is always OKAY if the judge found in favour of their client. But when the decision is against them, hey, cry "FOUL" or the other "F" word. I won't spell it out...because tens of thousand of 16-year-olds visit Midnight Voice, and the host must not be guilty of corrupting youngsters on their high moral values taught them by their parents.
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