Assallamu alaikum wrm wbt
YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohamad Apandi bin Haji Ali
Attorney-General
Malaysia
YBhg Dato Roslan bin Abu Bakar
Chief Registrar
Federal Court of Malaysia
YBhg Datuk Azailiza binti Ahad
Solicitor-General
Malaysia
YBrs Dr Intan Murnira Ramli
President
Judicial and Legal Officers Association
Office Bearers and members of JALSOA
Ladies and Gentleman,
It is with great sadness that I stand here today, before this
august audience to pay tribute to a patriot to his country, a
mentor and teacher to his officers, a dear friend to most, if not all
of us.
Tuan Anthony Kevin Morais was the Deputy Head of the
Appellate and Trial Division, Attorney-General’s Chambers.
He came into the Division after a long stint in MACC.
Notwithstanding the fact that he had his MACC cases with him,
he made time of the officers in AnT (as the officers refer the
division as).
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It is rare that he missed the weekly briefing in AnT because his
presence has always been welcomed.
He would provide guidance to the DPPs in facing the courts the
following week. This is to the point that he would actually do his
research just to get the authorities in support of the line of
arguments. He even helped prepare written submissions when
the DPPs were so inundated with cases.
There has never been a dull moment with his presence.
Apart from being called “adiks”, he would call the lady officers
“girl” to show the close relationship he had with everyone.
Tuan Kevin Morais is one of his kind. Generous, kind, helpful are
but some of the adjectives to describe him. That is not all.
Outside official work, I love to tease him by declaring him “the
handsomest DPPs in “Chersoneses Aurea” (meaning “the Golden
Beach”, a name given by Ptolemy some few thousand years ago to
Peninsular Malaysia) and he would call me “the greatest tease in
the world”.
This kind hearted friend, now is no longer physically with us.
But he is a gem of a man, an epitome of integrity and a shining
example of perseverance in the pursuit of justice.
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He will be in our hearts till we are no more.
He will walk in the hallowed halls of the Palace of Justice and all
the courts in spirit. Every judicial and legal officer who believes in
the pursuit of Truth and Justice will be walking that example till
journeys’ end.
Ladies and Gentleman,
We all, did not only lost a friend but also a mentor. We lost one of
our own, a beacon of hope and strength to the evil that engulfed
men’s hearts.
Let us continue this journey that Tuan Kevin Morais was
steadfast in the path of Truth and Justice.
Let us be reminded that while we are not alone, we are also
besiege by dangers that lurk at every turns and corners.
Let us understand that the evil of men is not only is what they
did to Tuan Kevin Morais. The evil of men that is rooted from
abuse of power and corruption.
If we succumb to these in our everyday lives, and in our
profession, we are lost to the dark side.
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Let us build this service in a fraternity of legal and judicial
officers that puts the seeking of Truth and Justice as the
yardstick of every effort, every breath we take and every step we
make.
Ladies and Gentleman,
I cannot bear to see the photographs of what the evil men did to
the body of Tuan Kevin Morais.
I have seen hundreds of murder cases but none is as unbearable
as this one.
This is because Tuan Kevin Morais is one I have met and shook
hands with, I laughed at his jokes and teased him whenever
possible. One that I have learned so much from.
This man, now no more with us, is still my dear friend and
indeed to many of us too.
In tribute to this man, I say this.
In the ever loving memory of Tuan Kevin Morais.
A Gem of a Man. A giant that walked amongst the legal fraternity.
This passing will be mourned by more than one. The sadness
that enveloped our hearts will linger for years to come.
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It is what makes the man the tower he was and not what the evil
amongst men did to him.
His sincerity and amiableness was what that touched the depth
of our soul. Not the pomp and pageantry that others loved so
much.
The memories of such a gentle giant is here to stay no matter.
When it is forever so sweet and tender.
The winds of the yonder years has passed. The change of seasons
will follow. But what we have in the album of our hearts. Rest
with us till we depart.
Greatness is not what others say of you. Nor what that is sung in
hymns.
But those will surely invites tears to the eyes. Because truly we
find it hard not to cry.
Tis is folly of men whose evil hearts are blackened with hatred.
But the purity of that in yours will never be smudge.
In the ever-loving memory of Tuan Kevin Morais.
A Gem of a Man. The gentle giant that walked amongst the legal
fraternity.
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Farewell my friend.
Thank you.
AWANG ARMADAJAYA BIN AWANG MAHMUD
Deputy Director-General
Judicial and Legal Training Institute
Bandar Baru Bangi
6 October 2015
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