What a calamity that the lawyers in Terengaanu are so afraid of repercussions that they do not wish to defend the accused in the Sky Kingdom case.

What happened to the Bar Legal Aid scheme in Terengganu? The State Bar of Terengganu and the Syariah Lawyers Association (if any) of Terengganu should take a long, critical look at themselves.

It is unfortunate that the Bar Council appointed Kuala Lumpur-based lawyer Sa'adiah Din was not allowed to represent the accused by the court registrar. Perhaps an urgent application can be made to have her admitted on a case-to-case basis by the authorities in the state of Terengganu.

It would be a breach of justice to deny all the accused representation.

If the lawyers in the whole of Terengganu state are incapacitated by whatever reason and it must be emphasised that this is a shame to the legal profession and to the law schools where they had obtained their law degrees, then Sa'adiah Din should be allowed attend and defend the accused.

I hope the Sultan of Terengganu or his aides read this. Do we have a line to the palace? The Sultan is after all the head of the Islam in his state.