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MAJLIS MEMPERINGATI (REFERENCE PROCEEDINGS)
ALMARHUM SULTAN AZLAN MUHIBBUDDIN SHAH AL-MAGHFUR-LAH
19 NOVEMBER 2014
MAHKAMAH PERSEKUTUAN 1
ISTANA KEHAKIMAN, PUTRAJAYA
UCAPAN PENGHORMATAN
OLEH
YBHG TAN SRI ABDUL GANI PATAIL
PEGUAM NEGARA
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim
Assalamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh dan Salam Sejahtera.
Mengadap Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Perak Darul Ridzuan
Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin
Shah Al-Maghfur-lah
Dan
Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Permaisuri Perak Darul Ridzuan
Tuanku Zara Salim
Ampun Tuanku Beribu Ampun
Sembah Patik Mohon diampun.
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Patik selaku Peguam Negara, bagi pihak Jabatan Peguam Negara, dengan
penuh hormat dan takzimnya merafak sembah menjunjung setinggi-tinggi
kasih di atas limpah perkenan Duli-duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku sudi
mencemar duli berangkat ke Majlis Memperingati Almarhum Sultan Azlan
Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah pada pagi yang sungguh permai ini.
Sesungguhnya keberangkatan Duli-duli Tuanku ke Majlis ini telah
menambahkan seri Majlis ini dan menjadi kenangan kepada patik-patik
sekalian.
Ampun Tuanku.
Patik mohon limpah perkenan Duli-duli Tuanku untuk patik turut mengalualukan para hadirin sekalian dan seterusnya menyampaikan ucapan.
Yang Amat Arif Tun Arifin bin Zakaria
Ketua Hakim Negara
Dan
Yang Amat Berbahagia
Toh Puan Sri Robiah binti Abd. Kadir;
Yang Amat Berhormat
Dato' Seri Diraja Dr. Zambry bin Abdul Kadir
Menteri Besar Perak
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Dan
Yang Amat Berbahagia
Puan Seri Diraja Saripah binti Zulkifli;
Yang Amat Berbahagia
Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah;
Yang Amat Berbahagia
Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad;
Yang Amat Berbahagia
Tun Zaki bin Tun Azmi;
Yang Berhormat Senator
Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang
Yang Di Pertua Dewan Negara;
Yang Berhormat Puan Hajah Nancy Haji Shukri
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri;
Tuan Yang Terutama Duta-Duta dan Pesuruhjaya-Pesuruhjaya Tinggi
Negara-negara Asing;
Yang Amat Arif Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Md Raus bin Sharif
Presiden Mahkamah Rayuan Malaysia
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Dan
Yang Berbahagia
Puan Seri Salwany binti Mohamed Zamri;
Yang Amat Arif Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Zulkefli bin Ahmad Makinudin
Hakim Besar Malaya
Dan
Yang Berbahagia
Puan Sri Datin Seri Rohani binti Mohamed Kassim
Yang Amat Arif Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Richard Malanjum
Hakim Besar Sabah dan Sarawak
Dan
Yang Berbahagia
Puan Sri Datin Seri Panglima Charlene Siim C. Jintoni;
Yang Arif Hakim-Hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan dan Mahkamah Rayuan;
Yang Arif Hakim-Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi;
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Yang Berusaha Encik Christopher Leong
Presiden Majlis Peguam;
Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri/ Dato’ Seri/ Datuk/ Datuk/ Dato’/ Datin Dif-Dif
Kehormat;
Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan yang dihormati sekalian.
Izinkan saya meneruskan ucapan saya dalam bahasa Inggeris.
On behalf of the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Legal Profession
Qualifying Board, I respectfully offer once again our deepest condolences
on the passing of Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-MaghfurLah on the 28th day of May this year, 2014.
Although Almarhum Sultan Azlan was destined to return to royal duties as
the 34th Sultan of the State of Perak in 1984, and later serve as the Ninth
Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1989 to 1994, Almarhum Sultan Azlan will
always be held in the highest esteem by his legal brethren,
and
remembered foremost as a legal officer of the Judicial and Legal Service,
and a renowned and deeply respected Judge and Lord President of
Malaysia. As Lord Woolf, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, said of
Almarhum Sultan Azlan, “A most distinguished jurist, statesman and
upholder of the Rule of Law”.
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As the first speaker this morning, it is my privilege and honour to recount
Almarhum Sultan Azlan’s long and illustrious career in the law. Almarhum
Sultan Azlan began his career in the Judicial and Legal Service in 1953 as
a Magistrate. In those days, Magistrates presided on circuit. Suffice to say
that many of the court officers who accompanied Almarhum Sultan Azlan
still recall fond tales of their travels with him.
Almarhum Sultan Azlan would go on to hold every office the Judicial and
Legal Service had to offer within a brief space of just twelve years. That
was the policy in the Service at the time, officers served inter-changeably
on both sides and were transferable every two to three years. Almarhum
Sultan Azlan served as President of the Sessions Court, Federal Counsel,
Deputy Public Prosecutor, Legal Adviser of the State of Pahang and later of
Johore, Registrar of the High Court of Malaya and subsequently the Chief
Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia.
In 1965, Almarhum Sultan Azlan was elevated to the High Court, Malaya at
the age of 37. This was testament to his experience and legal acumen.
Almarhum Sultan Azlan’s time on the Bench would prove to be no less
remarkable. It culminated in his rise to the pinnacle of the judiciary as Lord
President (now renamed Chief Justice) of the Federal Court, Malaysia in
1982 after 17 years on the superior courts. Almarhum Sultan Azlan was
only 54 at that time.
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As a Judge, Almarhum Sultan Azlan epitomized Socrates’ timeless advice
to “hear courteously, consider soberly and decide impartially”. Almarhum
Sultan Azlan’s Judgments are still cited in courts today, more than 30 years
later.
Almarhum Sultan Azlan had always demonstrated that he was a true
“guardian of the Constitution”.
Almarhum Sultan Azlan constantly
emphasized the need to recognize the importance of the Rule of Law and
the sanctity of the Federal Constitution such that it should never be
tampered with freely. In Loh Kooi Choon v Government of Malaysia1, His
Lordship (as he then was) unequivocally reaffirmed that the Constitution is
the supreme law of the land. Further, as Almarhum Sultan Azlan himself
stated in his Keynote Address delivered at the Conference on the
Malaysian Constitution in 1987, entitled “Climates of Freedom”2, “Imperfect
as our Constitution may be, it represents basic ideals to which we must
hold fast.”
1
[1977] 2 MLJ 187
“Climates of Freedom”, Keynote Address delivered at the Conference on the Malaysian Constitution, University of
Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 22 August 1987. Published in “Constitutional Monarchy, Rule of Law and Good Governance
– Selected Essays and Speeches by HRH Sultan Azlan Shah”.
2
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Almarhum Sultan Azlan had always this love and profound knowledge of
the law, in particular constitutional law, until his passing. The Perak State
Legal Advisers’ proudly recount stories of Almarhum Sultan Azlan’s
treasured copy of the Federal Constitution, with all his personal notes and
references. It was indeed with trepidation whenever they were entrusted
with its temporary custody so that the most recent amendments could be
inserted into it. The requests for such updating coming personally from
Almarhum Sultan Azlan makes it clear how closely he kept abreast of all
developments relating to the Federal Constitution.
Almarhum Sultan Azlan is also the only Sultan with a copy of Chambers’
“Treaty Series”, a collection of Malaysia’s treaties on transnational crime,
extradition, mutual assistance in criminal matters and trade.
Almarhum
Sultan Azlan requested a set from me when he learned of its publication in
2006. Almarhum Sultan Azlan’s love of reading and pursuit of knowledge is
of course legendary.
Those who have been fortunate enough to have interacted with Almarhum
Sultan Azlan will attest that in his stern demeanour belied a warm, caring
and generous heart, the essence of a Sultan of the people. Almarhum
Sultan Azlan was very much a “man for all seasons”.
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Lawyers are famed for quoting precedents, especially when the precedents
favour their argument. Thus allow me to conclude by citing the 12th century
theologian and author, John of Salisbury. I think it aptly describes
Almarhum Sultan Azlan, both the man himself as well as his legacy to our
legal practice and profession:
“We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more,
and things more distant, than they did, not because our sight is
superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise
us up, and by their great stature add to ours.”
Almarhum Sultan Azlan was our revered giant in the law. And it is upon his
shoulders we now stand to take up his mantle in upholding and developing
the law. May the wisdom and legal insight that underpin Almarhum Sultan
Azlan’s landmark constitutional and other decisions forever glow bright and
guide future generations of lawyers and Malaysians.
Allow me to conclude by humbly praying in the hallowed tradition of the
Bar, that this Reference held in honour of Almarhum Sultan Azlan
Muhibbuddin
Shah
Ibni
Almarhum
Sultan
Yussuf
Izzuddin
Shah
Ghafarullahu-Lah be entered into and be preserved in the Court archives
and that a copy of the same be extended to the family of Almarhum Sultan
Azlan.
Thank you.
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Ampun Tuanku,
Sekian sahaja sembah ucapan patik.
Patik sekali lagi, bagi pihak Jabatan Peguam Negara, merafak sembah
menjunjung setinggi-tinggi kasih di atas limpah perkenan Duli-duli Tuanku
sudi berangkat mencemar duli ke Majlis Memperingati Almarhum Sultan
Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah
Ghafarullahu-Lah pada pagi ini.
Ampun Tuanku.
Wabillahi Taufiq Walhidayah Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi
Wabarakatuh.
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