Manjeet's advocacy a courtroom masterclass, says fellow lawyer
KUALA LUMPUR : The late Manjeet Singh Dhillon was beyond a shadow of a doubt one of the best criminal lawyers this country ever has produced, and was especially skilled in cross-examining prosecution witnesses, a lawyer said.
Ravinder Singh Dhalliwal said Manjeet's courtroom advocacy was 'an art and a joy to watch'.
'Manjeet's cross-examinations were legendary—precise, cutting, and always with purpose,' he said at a reference proceeding held on Friday for 20 legal practitioners who passed away last year.
Justices Amarjeet Singh and Anand Ponnudurai co-presided over the event at the High Court here.
According to Ravinder, Manjeet often said: 'Go for the jugular. Don't waste time with irrelevant questions.'
He said Manjeet defended some of the most difficult cases, including the S. Nallakaruppan arms possession case as well as the murder trials of cosmetics millionaire Sosilawati Lawiya and former minister Mokhtar Hashim.
'He stood in the fire when others backed away from the heat,' said Ravinder.
Manjeet also represented Abdul Razak Baginda, a former aide of ex-prime minister Najib Razak, in a RM100 million civil suit filed by the late Altantuya Shaariibuu's family.
Manjeet was also described as a wordsmith, and was a skilled writer who expertly used language—often with a focus on creativity and eloquence.
Manjeet, Ravinder said, stood as both a pillar of the legal fraternity and a relentless sentinel of justice.
'He was, in the truest and most noble sense of the word, a 'lawyer's lawyer'. He was not merely learned in law – he was devoted to its spirit, uncompromising in its ethics, and unafraid in its pursuit,' he added.
Noted for his no-nonsense approach in human affairs, Ravinder said Manjeet also had a soft spot for animals and once served as president of PAWS Animal Welfare Society.
He read law at Middle Temple and was admitted to the Bar in 1977.
Manjeet served as magistrate, sessions court judge, deputy public prosecutor, and Treasury solicitor before going into private practice.
He also served as the Malaysian Bar's secretary and vice-president before being its president in 1991 and 1992.
Prior to embarking on his legal career, Manjeet was an English teacher, having trained as an educator at Kirby in the United Kingdom.
He said Manjeet could be confrontational, even difficult, but always spoke the truth, even if it was liable to backfire on him.
Ravinder said that in the tumultuous wake of the 1988 judicial crisis, 'when the rule of law trembled beneath executive force', Manjeet, as the Bar secretary, affirmed an affidavit alleging misconduct by then acting lord president Hamid Omar.
The affidavit accused Hamid of attempting to prevent, frustrate and interfere with a Supreme Court sitting relating to proceedings involving his predecessor, Salleh Abas.
Manjeet's affidavit was filed in support of an application seeking committal proceedings against Hamid for contempt of court. This led to contempt proceedings against Manjeet himself, for which he was found guilty and fined.
'Above all, Manjeet was a true officer of the court – not just in title, but in spirit. His loyalty was to justice, not favour; his conscience owed allegiance only to the law,' he said.
Ravinder said, upon Manjeet's passing, tributes poured in from across the legal and political spectrum. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described Manjeet as a remarkable lawyer and a dear personal friend.
Manjeet, aged 82, died at his home in Bukit Damansara here on Oct 28.
Also present at the reference proceedings were Bar secretary Murshidah Mustafa, Kuala Lumpur Bar committee chairman Nimalan Devaraja and Joennily @ Siti Badariah Yusof, representing the Attorney-General's Chambers.
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