All those appointed Justices of the Peace (JP) have been reminded that the JP is not an award but a trust that carries with it certain legal powers and responsibilities.

Issuing the reminder in Ipoh today, Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak said JPs were appointed under the Subordinate Courts Act 1948 and were on par with second class magistrates.

"As such, the appointees should be people who could help uphold the legal principles and tend to legal matters to enhance justice.

"Recipients of the JP must conduct themselves as citizens who always respect and uphold the sovereignty of the law in their daily lives," he said when opening a state seminar for Justices of the Peace in Ipoh.

Bernama

also quoted Sultan Azlan Shah as saying that a person's honour hinged on his personality, character and conduct in public.

Hold true to principle

"Titles, ranks and posts are external decorations, cosmetics, and don't mean a thing if the person does not display pure and noble values," he said.

He said a government needed the strong and united support of the people and as such, should convince the people that it is always fair and just and not oppressive. The mechanism for this was to hold true to the principle of the sovereignty of the law.

Meanwhile, Dr Abdullah Fadzil Che Wan, president of the Justice of the Peace Council, in his speech at the function said that of late there had been incidents of abuse and misconduct by those bestowed with various appointments and honours.

"This not only tarnished their good name and that of their institution but also the image of the government and state.

"There are also some who go all out to become JPs but once appointed, they disappear and don't bother about the high honour bestowed by the government," he said.

Peark has 400 out of 3,000 JPs in the country.