In a letter released yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong thanked outgoing Attorney-General V K Rajah for his outstanding contributions in 13 years of public service.

“Many of your judgments have shaped the development of Singapore law,” said the Prime Minister.

He said Mr Rajah had been asked to continue in the post but had turned down the option to “pursue a more active role in the arbitration sector”.

Mr Lee singled out Mr Rajah’s decisions in criminal law, citing his landmark rulings on criminal liability for common intention, as well as aspects of the law on sentencing. Mr Lee noted: “These judgments reflected your commitment to a fair criminal justice system that tempers justice with compassion.”

Mr Lee said he respected Mr Rajah’s decision to move on, and looks forward to his contributions in his new capacity to promote Singapore as an international arbitration hub.

Mr Rajah will hand over the reins to Mr Lucien Wong on Jan 14, when he turns 60.

Outside the courtroom, Mr Rajah also contributed to enhancing the administration of justice and keeping the legal sector vibrant through his work on various committees, said Mr Lee.

The most significant of these was the Committee to Develop the Singapore Legal Sector, which, among other things, recommended liberalising the Republic’s legal services and build up its exportable legal services in the areas of mediation and arbitration.

In 2013, Mr Rajah also chaired the 4th Committee on the Supply of Lawyers, which led to the establishment of Singapore’s third law school at UniSIM, noted Mr Lee.

The school, which will specialise in criminal and family law, enrols its first cohort this month.

Mr Lee added that Mr Rajah chaired a committee in 2004 to promote the use of Singapore law in the region and over the past decade, initiatives started have “helped raise the profile of Singapore law beyond our shores”.

Turning to his appointment as Attorney-General in 2014, which was “warmly received” by the legal fraternity, Mr Lee said Mr Rajah was “steadfast in upholding justice and fairness as guardian of the public interest”.

Mr Lee noted that Mr Rajah “emphasised fair prosecution and outcomes, even when cases did not go in the Chambers’ favour”.

He cited the Chambers’ unprecedented move in 2015 to appeal for a reduced sentence on behalf of an accused person.

Thanking Mr Rajah for his years of dedicated service to Singapore, Mr Lee said: “In every appointment, you have carried out your duties with dynamism and commitment. You have improved our legal system and made a difference to future generations of lawyers.”

Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by Today

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