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PRAXIS CHRONICLE OF THE MALAYSIAN BAR MALAYSIA M A JL IS IL PE NC GU OU MARCH / APRIL 2007 AM BAR C PLUSPLUS RPGTRPGT ExemptionExemption - QueriesQueries AnsweredAnswered BarBar CouncilCouncil SecretariatSecretariat achievesachieves ISOISO 9001:20009001:2000 CertificationCertification NationalNational MaritimeMaritime ConferenceConference RoundtableRoundtable DiscussionDiscussion onon NationalNational UnityUnity BARBAR AGMAGM RATIFIESRATIFIES EELECTIONSLECTIONS Editorial Editorial PRAXIS 2 The Ethic of Reciprocity CHRONICLE OF THE MALAYSIAN BAR News 6 Malaysian Bar 61st AGM 9 Bar Council Secretariat achieves ISO 9001:2000 Certification 10 National Maritime Conference BAR COUNCIL OF MALAYSIA 12 Nallini and Hamid Sultan made Judicial Commissioners 13 State Bar Chairmen & Representatives 2007/2008 BAR COUNCIL 14 Report by three Scrutineers to Complete the Tasks In Nos 13, 15 & 17 Relation to the Bar Council Elections 2007/2008 Leboh Pasar Besar 50050 Kuala Lumpur 15 Who’s Who in the Bar Council 2007 Malaysia 16 Malaysian Bar ready to host the premier event of the year - Telephone (03) 2031 3003 the 14th Malaysian Law Conference Fax (03) 2026 1313, 2034 2825, 2072 5818 e-mail: [email protected] 17 Interview with Yeo Yang Poh, Website: www.malaysianbar.org.my Immediate Past President of the Malaysian Bar 23 It’s not over yet, lawyer wants Bar Council Elections 2007- BAR COUNCIL 2007/2008 2008 nullified President Ambiga Sreenevasan 24 Tun Dzaiddin Trophy Vice President Ragunath Kesavan Secretary Lim Chee Wee 25 BAR COUNCIL Diary of upcoming Events Treasurer George Varughese 25 Recent Events Yeo Yang Poh, Datuk Haji Kuthubul Zaman 26 Book Review - The Arbitration Act 2005 Bukhari, Hendon Mohamed, Hj Vazeer Alam Mydin State Bar News Meera, Dato’ Muhammad Shafee bin Md Abdullah, 30 Malacca Bar Committee to work together with the police Edmund Bon, Cecil Rajendra, Low Beng Choo, Christopher Leong, Roger Tan Kor Mee, K Mohan 31 Growing in Compassion, Courage and Understanding a/l K Kumaran, Loh Wann Yuan, G Balakrishnan, 31 Veteran Penang lawyer slips away R Subramaniam, Dato’ Hj Sukri bin Haji Mohamed, Comment Hj Aziz Bin Haniff, Ravindra Kumar, Steven Thiruneelakandan, Ng Kong Peng, R R 32 The Indomitable Spirit Chelvarajah, Tee Kim Chan, Pretam Singh, Syed Speeches Azimal Amir bin Syed Abu Bakar, Hj Mohamed 34 Young Malaysians’ Roundtable Discussion on National Sazali Abd Aziz, Lalitha Menon, Dato’ V Unity and Development in Malaysia: Prospects and Sithambaram, Ngan Siong Hing, Shan Theivanthiran, R V Lingam, Anuwar bin Mohd, Challenges for Nation Building Hj Asmadi bin Awang, Yasmeen Hj Muhamad 37 Malaysia As A Maritime Nation: Meeting Expectations Shariff Committee Publications Committee 41 Roundup on Bar Council’s Public Forum on “Senior Hj Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera (Chairman), K Citizens’ Protection : Is there a need to enact laws?” Shanmuga (Deputy Chairman), Ng Kong Peng, Andrew Das Solomon, Cecil Rajendra, Colin 43 Speaking our Hearts and Minds through Dialogue: Andrew Pereira, Edmund Bon, S Gunasegaran, Working towards greater acceptance and understanding of Sanjeev Kumar Rasiah, Tan Ban Cheng , PK Yang, our nation’s problems Nicole Tan Lee Koon, Jahaberdeen Mohamed Notices Yunoos 45 Bar’s NYLC Solomon Islands Earthquake and Tsunami Secretariat Fund (E&T Fund) Chief Executive Officer: Shaharudin Mohd Ali Deputy CEO: Kenneth Goh 45 Legal Practice Review Opinion Advertisement Executive 46 Subashini v Saravanan - Chandrika Bhaskaran A commentary on the Court of Appeal decision Tel: +603 203 13 003 extn 192 DL: + 603 203 13 180 Articles Fax: + 603 2026 1313 48 Law & Realty: RPGT queries answered [email protected] 50 Potential Impact of the Changes in the Malaysian Penal Design & Layout: Code Khairul Anuar / Norazaliza Azlin Press Statements 55 Delays in court proceedings Praxis is the chronicle of the Malaysian Bar, 55 Seniority important factor in judicial appointments published bi-monthly by the Bar Council of Malaysia. Putik Lada 56 All Malaysians need to believe that they have a place under Contribution: The Bar Council welcomes letters, the Malaysian sun articles, views and news (including photographs) 58 Young Malaysians reach 20-point consensus on National for possible inclusion in the publication. However, the Bar Council reserves the right not to publish Unity in Malaysia and urges Government to consult and them or to edit those published as regards content, listen clarity, style and space considerations. 60 “Liberated” junior Bar members secure seats in State Articles from individuals that are published here Committees across the country contain the personal views of the writers concerned 61 Forging A Young Malaysian Identity Towards National Unity and are not necessarily the views of the Bar Human Writes Council. Contributions and enquiries should be 64 Article 121(1A) - what does it really mean? directed to [email protected] 65 SUHAKAM Public Inquiry Report into ‘Bloody Sunday’ 66 ASEAN’s empty Declaration On The Protection and Promotion of The Rights of Migrant Workers Certificate No: 22470 Library Update 69 Legislative updates andMARCH Library /Notice APRIL_2007 PRAXIS 1 Editorial The Ethic of Reciprocity Hj Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera Editor ecently, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim MP, in Rcommenting on the Court of Appeal decision in the case of Subashini v. Saravanan concluded by saying, “To Muslims, I say it is unfair to expect non-Muslims like Subashini to go the syariah court even if there is perfect justice in the syariah system because the law gives her the right to pursue her remedy in the civil courts and nowhere else. Muslims can do away with the civil courts if they so wish. They can seek changes to the law to incorporate criminal, contract, property laws, etc. as part of syariah law. What Muslims cannot do is to expect non- Muslims to submit to the syariah court. How would we feel if it was the other way round? How would the Muslims feel if they have to submit to a Hindu court or to any other religious court? We should not do unto others what we do not want others to do unto us. That is the ultimate test of reasonableness. That is the test of a just legal system.” I couldn’t agree more with Zaid. Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you. This golden rule, this ethic of reciprocity, is a fundamental moral principle that is a common thread found in all major The Golden Rule – by the American Painter Norman Rockwell, 1961 world religions, faith and believe systems; flowing from ancient writings to the modern. Simply put, it Baha’i World Faith: extols us to treat others just as we would expect to be treated. “Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not Among its earliest appearance in English is Earl Rivers’ translation have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest of a saying of Socrates (Dictes and Sayenges of the Philosophirs, not.” “Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before 1477): “Do to others as thou wouldst they should do to thee, himself.” Baha’u’llah and do to none other but as thou would be done to.” “And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou In many ancient cultures, traditions, and value systems, this for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself.” golden rule has been a cornerstone of its teachings. I had occasion Epistle to the Son of the Wolf to browse the web to see how far and wide this rule is applied and was pleasantly surprised to find that it is indeed a universally Buddhism: extolled principle of human behaviour. I reproduce below some “...a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how excerpts from my research, using secondary sources from the could I inflict that upon another?” Samyutta NIkaya v. internet. The following are some of my findings. 353 PRAXIS 2 MARCH / APRIL_2007 Editorial Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find you, British Humanist Society. 3 hurtful.” Udana-Varga 5:18 Islam: Christianity: “None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men brother what he wishes for himself.” The Sunnah of should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the Prophet Muhammad - “Al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadiths.” law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12, King James Version. “Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.” — The Farewell Sermon of Prophet Muhammad “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” Luke 6:31, King James Version. Jainism: “Therefore, neither does he [a sage] cause violence to “...and don’t do what you hate...”, Gospel of Thomas 6. others nor does he make others do so.” Acarangasutra The Gospel of Thomas is one of about 40 gospels that 5.101-2. were widely accepted among early Christians, but which never made it into the Christian Scriptures (New “In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should Testament). regard all creatures as we regard our own self.” Lord Mahavira, 24th Tirthankara Confucianism: “Do not do to others what you do not want them to do “A man should wander about treating all creatures as he to you” Analects 15:23 himself would be treated. “Sutrakritanga 1.11.33 “Tse-kung asked, ‘Is there one word that can serve as a Judaism: principle of conduct for life?’ Confucius replied, ‘It is the “...thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”, Leviticus word ‘shu’ — reciprocity. Do not impose on others what 19:18 you yourself do not desire.’“ Doctrine of the Mean 13.3 “What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. This “Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be is the law: all the rest is commentary.” Talmud, Shabbat treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest 31a.