LETTER | Time for Azalina to walk the talk

LETTER | A year ago, during her speech at the Universiti Malaya Law Faculty Jubilee celebration on June 17, Azalina Othman Said said the below.

“If laws are established for the rakyat, then laws must evolve just as society progresses according to the values of the time. Archaic and regressive colonial-era laws should and must be repealed.

“Let us start with setting up a Law Reform Commission, an independent body that is not under the AGC, but led by pre-eminent members of the judiciary, the Bar Council, and academia.

“The Law Reform Commission will not only complement the work of the AGC but will also increase the efficiency of law-making processes. Retired judges, academicians, and politicians have years of accumulated experiences that we can draw upon, let us not waste great talents and minds.”

After calling for parliamentary reforms as well, and perhaps all pent-up, she ended her speech as follows.

“As we celebrate UM Law Faculty’s 50th Jubilee, it is perhaps timely to remind eminent alumnus (sic) to walk the talk. There is no point in being the product of tradition and success, and yet still being cautious of implementing changes needed to bring Malaysia on par with other developed nations.

“Aristotelean scholars, known as Peripatetics were known for their philosophical long walks. It is said that, if you’re going to talk the talk, let’s walk the walk. But for many Malaysians, suffice to say, we are tired of the ‘talking’. As ‘lawmakers, let’s walk the Talk!”

Azalina at that time was then prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s special adviser on law and human rights. It is time that she walks the talk.

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