Former Chief Justice frequents 'mamak' shop for 'teh-tarik, roti canai'

KUALA LUMPUR - Not many customers at mamak shops in Precinct 16 or 18 in Putrajaya may be aware that one of the regular weekend patrons quietly sipping his 'teh tarik' and relishing the piping hot roti canai used to be the country's top judge who presided over landmark cases.

But former chief justice Tun Zaki Tun Azmi said the routine, which he enjoyed when he was still in office, continued to this day, despite his retirement about two years ago.

Recalling an incident at a 'mamak shop', Zaki who was appointed chief justice on Oct 21, 2008, said on one occasion when he left the table to wash his hands, a man had approached his wife and asked thrice, whether he was indeed, the chief justice.

"After that, both of us (Zaki and his wife) laughed...Now, if you ask me, Yes, I also enjoy doing what I want (to do) now and I can say what I feel, I don't have to worry about it," he told Bernama in an interview at his residence here recently.

"I can go anywhere and do anything I like, more than before. Anyway, I still go to all the places to have my 'roti canai' and 'nasi lemak'. I don't care about other people's comments," he said.

There is also another side to the affable and down-to-earth Zaki. Not many know that he loves to help his wife, Toh Puan Nik Sazlina Mohd Zain, in the kitchen.

"But, it is restricted to washing plates. Sometimes, but very seldom, I help her to hang clothes in the garden as we do not have any maid since the last, about one and a half years ago.

"So, I help my wife to do the house chores here and there, and carry her marketing bags," he said.

Cushy jobs: Chairman of SP Setia and Astro

During the interview, the loving grandfather of two granddaughters also showed his family photographs, as well as photographs that he snapped during his vacation as his hobbies include photography and travelling.

The media-friendly Zaki said he was thoroughly enjoying his retirement days as he could go anywhere and do anything he liked, as well as say or express his views on certain topics.

"I don t have to worry about it (his views), I have no obligations not to express my views in any way, and my honest views need not be to side or be pro-government but I will totally try to avoid political issues...not that I was restricted by anybody, even before." he said.

On his daily routine after retirement in Sept 2011, Zaki said that as a judge previously, he had to get up early in the morning and get ready to go to his workplace.

"Now, I don t have to do so but I still go out to meet people, such as my business counterparts, friends and students," he said.

He is currently chairman of SP Setia and Astro Malaysia Berhad, amongst the largest listed companies in Malaysia, as well as chancellor of MAHSA University and the Multimedia University.

"I am still working now but not nine-to-five. I attend meetings, chair board meetings, unlike previously." Zaki, who will turn 68 on Sept 12, said some days he would take morning walks around his residential area before having breakfast and after that, proceed to attend meetings or various lectures that he had been invited to.

No plans to return to practice

When he was helming the judiciary branch, he was known for successfully achieving his target in reducing the backlog cases in courts.

What are the things that he considers he could do freely after retirement? The country's 12th chief justice said no one could criticise him and he could express his views openly and very frankly because he was now not restricted, unlike before when he was holding office as he had to be very careful with his words.

Zaki was silent for a few moments when asked if he missed his previous job, especially when he was a judge but after careful thinking, he replied: "I was a judge for only five years. Yes, of course, I missed it, but only for the first few months I missed it. Now, I am happy with my new lifestyle.

"I look forward to enjoy every moment of my days, enjoy meeting people and students, I enjoy giving lectures to the university s students. I speak of any subject that they want me to speak on," he said.

On another issue whether he has any intention to return to practice due to his interest in law, Zaki, who was previously a practising lawyer before his appointment as Federal Court judge, emphatically replied: "No".

"In the light of controversies that have been arising in Malaysia regarding judges going to practice and a former chief justice and few judges who were consultants to legal firms which were reported in the media lately, I thought that it is better for me not to be even a consultant to any law firm," stressed Zaki, whose father was the late Tun Azmi Mohamed, the second Malaysian to serve as chief justice (then lord president).

The father of four sons also said, besides his two daughters-in-law, only one of his sons was involved in the legal field.

Clearly a BN man?

Responding to a question on election courts imposing high legal costs, Zaki said it was the court's discretion.

"I think until today, or even just before I retired, costs granted by the courts are very, very lenient. Lawyers appearing before the courts get paid fees, sometimes in hundreds of thousands of ringgit.

"If the costs awarded were low, people would abuse and file election petitions or any case for that matter, without good grounds. You abuse the right to file cases," he said.

It was reported that an election court judge had ordered the petitioners in the Kuala Berang state seat in Terengganu to pay RM150,000 in costs, after it struck out their petition, upon allowing the respondent's preliminary objection.

"It is not unfair, and not really too high. Only then, will they seriously think about filing election petitions or appealing against election results", he said.

On the dismissal of election petitions on technical grounds, he said election rules were very strict and parties must ensure that the rules were strictly complied with or else, the opponent would look for any slip-up and seek a preliminary objection to have the petitions struck out.

"When I was acting as counsel in election petitions before, I would not hesitate to attack on technicalities in the opponent's petitions," said Zaki.

-- BERNAMA