Salleh was sacked, says Dr M

If Salleh was sacked as claimed by former PM, then Nazri was misleading parliament into believing that the judges went into early retirement. This is irresponsible and blatant disregard to laws of our country. As such Nazri should be referred to Parliaments privilege committee for stern action.

PUTRAJAYA: Tun Salleh Abas was sacked as lord president but obtained a pension on grounds of compassion, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He refuted the suggestion made by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, who said Salleh and two of the five other judges involved in the 1988 judicial crisis had not been dismissed but were asked to retire early.

"The judges were sacked as far as I know," Dr Mahathir said.

"The pensions were given on compassionate grounds.

"Now, he (Salleh) gets RM5 million and I'd like to congratulate him for that," he said with his trademark sarcasm.
He said the decision to allow Salleh's pension followed an appeal after his sacking in 1988.

"There was an appeal and we thought despite the fact that he was sacked, he had rendered service to the government for the years he was there.

"To cut him off completely and deny him pension would be very cruel, so it was decided that he and the other judges were paid their pensions," he said at the youth values and future leadership forum and the launch of the 2008 Salman Sayang Malaysia Charity Triathlon at the Perdana Leadership Foundation yesterday.

Salleh was removed from office for misconduct by a six-member tribunal.