I WRITE in response to your report “It’s Dr Mahathir who should apologise, says Karpal” (NST, March 25).

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim proposed that the federal government apologise to victims of the 1988 judicial crisis.

In 1988, the increasing acrimony between the judiciary and the executive came to a head. Article 121 of the Federal Constitution was amended so that judicial powers were moved from the courts to the jurisdiction under federal law.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad followed procedure by invoking Article 125(3) of the Federal Constitution to convene a tribunal, after advising the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, to consider them guilty of judicial misconduct for going against the executive. This led to the sacking of Tun Salleh Abas and five supreme court judges.

Sometimes, acts of omission can be as bad as or even worse than acts of commission. If Dr Mahathir has to apologise, then his entire government will also have to apologise.

We must accept the errors of the past, make sure they never happen again and move on.

It is no shame for the present government to apologise and compensate the victims.

Another royal commission of inquiry, as suggested by Karpal, is only going to open up old wounds, waste taxpayers’ money and embarrass the country further.

F.S. MALHI, Ipoh

Source: NST – March 28, 2008