Editorial
Speaker takes a positive stance
This should help resolve the controversy
Speaker Abdul Hamid has made clear his stance on the controversy that had unfortunately raged between the Speaker and a Justice more than two weeks ago. Now we have the Speaker ruling that the Justice in question has violated the constitution. He quoted Article 78(1) of the constitution which states that the validity of the proceedings in parliament should not be questioned in any court.
In the same breath, the Speaker has asked the MPs to drop their motion for removal of Justice AHM Shamsuddin and left the matter in the hands of the Chief Justice to resolve as he sees fit.
The spirit in which the Speaker is trying to the set the matter at rest should now be reciprocated in the interest of harmonious relations between the two important organs of the State. But what we would like to strongly emphasise is that the parliament and the judiciary should be mutually respectful of each other, specially given the high esteem the people of the country hold them in. They should never allow any controversy to embroil any exchange of disparaging remarks.
The open display of acrimony witnessed by the people between a sitting judge on the one hand and the collective vehemence expressed by the ruling party lawmakers in parliament was hardly an inspiring sight. What was exposed is that these two institutions enshrined in the constitution were at loggerheads with one another, a situation that is hardly conducive to the effective functioning of the State. These two institutions are much larger than individuals, but if public confidence in these institutions is shaken, then a disservice is done to democracy. That there is a serious attempt to resolve the issue is welcome news.
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