The veteran lawyer is known for landmark cases, including that involving Lina Joy and the usage of the world 'Allah' in non-Muslim publications.
Malaysian Bar president Anand Raj presented the award to Das, 77, who is the 14th recipient since it was introduced in 2012.
The citation, read by former National Human Rights Society of Malaysia president Abdul Rashid Ismail, described Das as a distinguished legal luminary and “scholar advocate”.
In his acceptance speech, Das said the Bar enjoyed in the public eye a status far beyond its statutory role of upholding the cause of justice without fear or favour.
He said the Bar’s positions were not driven by popularity but by the principle of holding public office holders accountable.
“It is based on the principle that all power is a trust and is subject to the famous idiom, ‘Be you ever so high, the law is above you’,” he said.
Das said the Bar must remain steadfast in defending the rule of law and constitutional supremacy.
“There is no legal value more important in public law than the doctrine of constitutional supremacy,” he said.
He also urged the Bar to remain vigilant against attempts to fundamentally alter the country’s founding principles.
“We must not rest until the threat has abated,” he said.
Das graduated from the Law Faculty of the University of Singapore in 1973 before obtaining a doctorate in constitutional law from Brunel University in the UK, where his thesis examined the use of emergency powers.
He joined Shook Lin & Bok as an associate in 1973, before becoming a partner in 1979, and later served as managing partner, heading its general litigation department.
In 2015, he established Cyrus Das Advocates & Solicitors and has since focused mainly on appellate work.
His practice has covered constitutional and administrative law, corporate and commercial law, taxation and arbitration.
He has represented rulers and sovereign governments, including India and Laos, and has been involved in more than 450 reported cases spanning nearly five decades.
Das served as the Bar’s president from 1997 to 1999, during the Asian financial crisis, and the arrest and prosecution of then deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.
During his tenure, the Bar condemned detention without trial under the Internal Security Act, called for an inquiry into Anwar’s assault in custody, and reaffirmed the principles of separation of powers and judicial independence.
Das also became president of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association in 1999 – the first Malaysian to hold the position – and was later made its honorary life president.
His work included several landmark constitutional and human rights cases, including Sagong Tasi, which recognised the customary proprietary rights of the Orang Asli, and Semenyih Jaya, in which the Federal Court affirmed judicial power and separation of powers as part of the Federal Constitution’s basic structure.
Other notable cases included that of Lina Joy, concerning freedom of religion, and the “Allah” issue, in which Das represented the Catholic Church in its challenge against a government ban on the use of the word “Allah” in its weekly newsletter, The Herald.
The Bar said much of Das’s human rights and public interest work had been undertaken pro bono.
It also highlighted his contribution as a mentor to generations of lawyers, saying his legacy extended beyond his cases and writings. - FMT
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