KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 31): Politicians, lawyers, judges and former judges came to the Nirvana 2 memorial centre to pay their last respects to former federal court judge Datuk Sri Gopal Sri Ram, who passed away on Sunday (Jan 29).

Members of the public and his close colleagues had turned up as early as 7am on Tuesday (Jan 31) to bid the legal legend farewell and offer condolences to his family.

Among those in attendance was Sri Ram’s long-time friend and lawyer Datuk V Sithambaram, who also prosecuted in the SRC International Sdn Bhd trial, the first in a series of cases linked to the troubled 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) fund.

Speaking to the media afterwards, Sithambaram described Sri Ram as a lawyer who could “make a serious point with a sense of humour that you will remember. And he could make a complex issue, a simple one for the layman”.

Sithambaram said he had known Sri Ram for over 44 years and they had collaborated on many civil matters together in court, adding that his late friend was a “born teacher”.

“He loves to teach and see others improve.... he always wants to share and wants everyone to be a good lawyer,” Sithambaram said.

Sithambaram said that Sri Ram is a hard worker who continued to toil until his final days, and that the law was his true calling.

“For me, it’s a passing of an era; there will never be another lawyer of his standing, calibre and wit,” he said.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Ramkarpal Singh also spoke of Sri Ram’s “good sense of humour” which he would cherish.

“[It is] Certainly a great loss to the profession and also the country,” Ramkarpal said when met by reporters.

A host of senior current and former judges, prominent lawyers and politicians also showed up at the memorial centre.

Among those in attendance were former Federal Court judges Datuk Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin and Tan Sri Zainun Ali, as well as current Court of Appeal judges Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said, Datuk Yaacob Md Sam, Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, Datuk P Ravindran, Datuk Wong Kian Kheong and Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.

Also present were High Court judges Datuk Ahmad Bache, Roz Mawar Rozain, Datuk Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin, and Atan Mustaffa Yussof Ahmad.

Gobind Singh Deo and Ronnie Liu also came to pay homage to Sri Ram, whom Gobind described as someone who was a “great teacher” to him.

Deputy public prosecutors Ahmad Akram Gharib and Mustafa P Kunyalam, who had most recently worked with Sri Ram in the 1MDB-Tanore trial, also came to pay their last respects.

Also spotted were renowned lawyers Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Taik, Datuk DP Naban, Datuk N Sivananthan and Datuk Dr Gurdial Singh Nijar.

Former Barpresident Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, former Klang Member of Parliament (MP) Charles Santiago, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Sangeet Kaur Deo, lawyer Datuk Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and former MACC chief Latheefa Koya were also present.

Former Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun, his brother and current Attorney General (AG) Tan Sri idrus Harun, and former AG Tan Sri Tommy Thomas also attended.

Visitors continued to trickle in between 12.30pm to 1pm. By 1.30pm, most of those who attended either left or went to the Shah Alam Memorial Park.

At 2pm, the funeral cortege journeyed to the park, where Sri Ram’s remains were cremated.

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Gopal Sri Ram passes away