Federal Court judge Mohtar Abdullah who died at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital this morning, will be deeply missed by the judiciary and fellow judges, said Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim.

Mohtar, 59, had suffered stroke due to a blood clot in his brain, and had been comatose since collapsing at his home on Aug 5 last year.

In a statement, Ahmad Fairuz said that, despite his short tenure in the Federal Court, Mohtar had contributed many ideas for the improvement of the judiciary. Mohtar was elevated to the bench on Jan 23, 2001.

"The judiciary has lost a credible, competent, mature judge. I believe that if he was still with us, he would continue so much more for a better judiciary," said Ahmad Fairuz.

Ahmad Fairus ( photo ), who was unable to attend the funeral as he is in Sabah, said he had known Mohtar since their university days in the 1960s at University of Singapore where they both had studied law.

"After university, both joined the judicial services at the same time. We were even elevated as High Court judges at the same time," he said.

They only 'separated' when Mohtar left the judiciary in 1993 to take up the Attorney-General's post.

Mark of respect

Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor also expressed regret, citing Mohtar's contributions to the judiciary.

Haidar directed all courts to postpone cases today as a mark of respect for Mohtar, who is survived by his wife Zaleha Shukor and two children.

Bar Council chairperson Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari said Mohtar will be remembered as a good and competent judge.

"Lawyers all know him to be a good magistrate, sessions court president and deputy public prosecutor before he was elevated as a judge," said Kuthubul.

"During his tenure as the Attorney-General, the Bar had a fair and reasonable working experience with him. May his soul rests in peace."

Controversial cases

The Shakespeare-quoting Mohtar served as AG from January 1994 to December 2000.

During this period, Mohtar was confronted by numerous controversies including the alleged statutory rape case involving a chief minister. At the end of a police probe, Mohtar told a packed press conference that the evidence was not "sufficiently strong" to warrant prosecution.

Instead, Mohtar controversially revealed that the girl had been involved in sexual relations with 14 men and that she was eight weeks pregnant. Her 'tarnished' background was a factor in his decision not to prosecute the politician.

Mohtar was roundly condemned by women's groups for violating the Evidence Act where a woman's prior sexual background has no bearing in a complaint of rape.

He was again in the limelight while heading the prosecution team in the corruption and sodomy trial of ex-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The trials have been slammed by international legal bodies as a miscarriage of justice. Next Monday, the appellate court will decide on Anwar's bail application in relation to the sodomy conviction.

Mohtar was accused of being part of a political conspiracy, a charge which he repeatedly denied.

The harsh criticism and accusations levelled did not deter him. On his last day as AG, he told reporters: "History will judge me."