Leaders pay tribute to Tun Salleh Abas - ‘an icon in Malaysia's legal landscape'

PETALING JAYA: Ministers and former ministers alike have paid tribute to former Lord President Tun Dr Mohamed Salleh, who passed away early Saturday (Jan 16).

In a statement, PAS information chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad said that the passing of Mohamed Salleh was a huge loss to the country especially in judicial and legal areas.

"The late Mohamed Salleh once won the Jertih state assembly seat in 1999 and was appointed as an exco member when PAS formed a government in Terengganu. Our deepest condolences to all of Mohamed Salleh's family members," he said.

Subang MP Wong Chen said in a tweet that while he never met Mohamed Salleh, the latter's passing had triggered many personal feelings for him.

"Tun Salleh, may you rest in peace and may the judiciary continue to be inspired by your personal trials and tribulations in defending democracy and the Federal Constitution," he said.

Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran deemed Mohamed Salleh as "an icon in Malaysia's legal landscape".

"A towering figure who is best remembered as an advocate for maintaining harmony among the major races and others in the country," he said.

Several other prominent figures also conveyed their condolences to Mohamed Salleh's family, notably former Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, as well as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan.

Mohamed Salleh passed away just days after testing positive for Covid-19. He was 91 years old.

He was one of the elders who helped draft the Rukunegara in 1970, when he was the Solicitor-General, and was the Lord President of the then-Supreme Court (now Federal Court) from 1984 to 1988.

Mohamed Salleh was also the PAS Jertih assemblyman when he won the seat in the 10th General Election in 1999.

His death was announced in a WhatsApp message by his children on Saturday, saying that he passed away at 3.20am.