KUALA LUMPUR: Chief Justice Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh honoured the late Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram as a monumental figure in Malaysia’s judiciary.
He described Sri Ram as a sharp legal mind with unshakable principles and fearless independence.
“To me, he was not just a judge. He was my friend, my teacher,” Wan Ahmad Farid said.
He added that Sri Ram’s judgments were masterclasses in legal reasoning and justice.
The Chief Justice spoke at the launch of the book “Quintessential Gopal Sri Ram” at a hotel here.
The event marked Sri Ram’s 82nd birth anniversary, nearly two years after his passing.
Wan Ahmad Farid recalled a 1994 encounter when Sri Ram agreed to assist him in a case in Kuala Terengganu.
His client had insisted on Sri Ram’s involvement, prompting the young lawyer to reach out.
“To my surprise, he told me: ‘I have heard about you, Farid. I’ll see you and your client in Kuala Terengganu tomorrow’,” Wan Ahmad Farid shared.
During their meeting, the client asked Sri Ram if he could guarantee success for the legal fees paid.
Sri Ram famously replied, “I am not an insurance company in the business of guaranteeing anything.”
The Chief Justice praised the new book as more than just a collection of judgments.
He said it serves as a vital resource for young lawyers and a benchmark for judicial excellence.
For experienced lawyers, Wan Ahmad Farid noted, the book reaffirms the profession’s highest ideals.
“For the judiciary, it stands as a beacon of the values we must uphold,” he concluded. – Bernama
