KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 (NNN-Bernama) – A one-time legal partner of the late Dr Mohamed Salleh Abas has described the former Lord President of Malaysia as a man with a razor-sharp mind.
Tunku Sofiah Jewa, founder and trustee of the Tun Suffian Foundation, likened his “prolific brain” to the “prolific fruiting” of a limau kasturi (Philippine lime) plant Mohamed Salleh had planted in the compound of her house in Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya.
“Tun loved gardening. The plant is now 28 years old, flowering and fruiting prolifically like his prolific brain which was as sharp as a razor blade.
“But, like Tun, the beautiful plant remains constantly short,” she said in reference to the small size of Mohamed Salleh. The plant perpetuates the fond memories she has of him.
Mohamed Salleh died of pneumonia at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital in Kuala Terengganu at 3.20 am today. He was 91.
“Al- Fatihah. May his soul rest in peace and be placed amongst the righteous in Jannah. Amin,” she said.
Recalling the early days, Tunku Sofiah said the legal luminary had partnered with her and her husband, Yaacob Hussain Merican, in setting up the law firm of Messrs Salleh Abas, Yaacob & Sofiah way back in 1993 at Bangunan Dato Zainal, Jalan Melaka, Kuala Lumpur, before moving to Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya.
Tunku Sofiah said that given his razor-sharp mind, Mohamed Salleh Abas was able to comprehend many complex legal issues easily.
“Mohamed Salleh used to handle many difficult election-related cases in the early stages of the firm where clients, all the way from Sabah and even Singapore, used to come to seek his legal advice.
“He (Mohamed Salleh) would dive into the task given to him and would not even have time to see the sun or moon. He worked tirelessly with us as the consultant of the law firm,” she told Bernama.
Tunku Sofiah, who is managing the firm now, said “Allahyarham (Mohamed Salleh) was a deeply religious person and would go to Makkah every year to perform the Umrah (minor pilgrimage)”.
“I took care of him as a younger sister and would serve him tea on hot days,” she said.
Mohamed Salleh was admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 1974, and was among the 300 most senior members of the Malaysian Bar for the past several years.
He was the Lord President (now known as Chief Justice) of the Supreme Court of Malaysia (now Federal Court) from 1984 to 1988.
