DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang said that the greatest tribute to the late Federal Court judge Harun Hashim would be to restore the judiciary's independence and ensure its separation from the executive.

In a speech delivered at a forum in honour of Harun last night, Lim also urged newly-appointed premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to bring about once more "impartiality, integrity, and professionalism" to the rule of law in Malaysia.

Harun passed away on Sept 30.

In saying this, Lim was referring to the deregistration of Umno following Harun's 1988 declaration as a High Court judge that Umno was unlawful.

Following the crisis, during which the then lord president Salleh Abas and two Supreme Court judges were dismissed, the judiciary's independence has since been illusory, he added.

Greatest heights

Lim also said that the Harun led the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), of which he was its "most famous director-general", to its greatest heights.

"This is both a compliment to Harun and an indictment of the present ACA," he added.

He also took a swipe at the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) for failing to measure up to Harun's concerns for human rights as deputy chairperson.

"Suhakam has not lived up to the hopes and expectations of the promoters and defenders of human rights in Malaysia," the DAP leader said.