Justice Ian Chin goes on long leave

Raised eyebrows as Judge Chin takes leave
25th August, 2008

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s Justice Datuk Ian H. C. Chin embroiled in the judicial “boot camp” controversy with former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has taken long leave, a Sabah-based tabloid reported today.

Court officials believe his leave is prior to going on optional retirement. Justice Chin, the 61 year-old Kota Kinabalu High Court judge, began his leave on Thursday.

But no confirmation was available if he is calling it a day or when he submitted his optional retirement papers.

Legal officials said Justice Chin, who packed many of his things from his office at the court building here before going on leave, has also informed them to postpone cases to next year.

They said the Internet savvy judge has also shut down his website at www.kkhighcourt.com where he was among the few to post case proceedings and judgments immediately after a trial.

A check showed that the website was no longer available since Friday.

Neither the Sandakan born Justice Chin, nor the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, could be reached for comments.

In June, Justice Chin burst into the media limelight when he made an explosive judicial revelation during an election petition hearing in Sarawak by accusing Dr Mahathir of sending judges to boot camps.

His accusation was that selected judges were sent to the camp to ensure that they got the message in making favourable decisions for the administration of Dr Mahathir.

This saw Dr Mahathir lashing back at Justice Chin in his Chedet blogsite and denying the allegation of sending judges to boot camps with Dr Mahathir’s ex aide Matthias Chang even calling for the judge’s sacking.

Sabah lawyers said they have been hearing about Justice Chin’s intention to go for optional retirement since early this month but could not obtain confirmation as he was a judge who kept to himself.

They said if Justice Chin quit the judicial service where he could remain till the official retirement age of 66, it would be a big loss to the Malaysian judiciary because he was well respected and seen as a no nonsense judge in court.

Justice Chin, who was among the more senior of some 50 High Court judges in the country, began as a lawyer in the early 1970s and has unsuccessfully contested as a Berjaya party candidate twice in the elections.

He was later appointed Judicial Commission and rose to be High Court judge in early 1990s.