"Celebrate endings – for they precede new beginnings." – Jonathan Lockwood Huie, American author
A new Merdeka dawned upon our nation a few days ago when the judiciary stood firm, dug in their heels, took charge and rendered due reverence to their judicial oath. Indeed, the oath of office for judges in Malaysia may imply upholding the rule of law and the role of justice, but it specifically and expressly requires judges to preserve, protect and defend the Federal Constitution – the supreme law of the land.
It is trite to say that Malaysians witnessed uninhibited justice when in reality Lady Justice stayed firmly blindfolded and blinded itself to unholy influences from privilege, power, class, and elitism. The judiciary struck permanent roots into the terra firma of the separation of powers.
A former Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, Charles Evans Hughes, reminded the legal fraternity and sorority that we are under a Constitution which is what it is because the judges say what it is. He added that the judiciary is the safeguard of our liberty and property under the Constitution. Notice, he didn’t say under the law!
Associate Justice Antonin Scalia of the US Supreme Court ruefully observed that “if one is going to be a good and faithful judge, you have to resign yourself to the fact that you’re not always going to like the conclusions you reach.” But, he added, ......