MILESTONES
This last year marked
the passing of three of our collegues, first Y.B.
Ariffin bin Hj. Daud, member of the Honourable
Society of the Inner Temple, London, Advocate & Solicitor practicing
under the name of Ariffin & Co., Bukit Mertajam.
Formerly from the Judicial and Legal service, and one time Magistrate, was
a popular member of the Penang Bar.
This was followed by Choo Hon Choy of Lincoln's Inn who was a partner
of Ooi Lee & Co. He was the more popular member, called to the Bar on the 28th July, 1984, struck down in the prime of his youth, but his friends know
that he lived life to the full.
We also lost one of our more colourful senior members, R.K. "Sharma" as he was popularly known to his friends, practised under the name of Sharma & Co., (Amalgamating Hogan, Adams & Allen) also of Lincolns called to the Bar on the 27th January, 1958, once active in the Lions Movement in Penang, one of its
early founders. Dubbled a little in politics, helped form the uneventful, "ADMO" the acronym for Alliance Direct Membership Organisation, an early attempt for non-Malays, non-Chinese, and non-Indians to join the Alliance movement.
A movement which was principally a coalition of Chinese, Indian and Malay parties. It never made an impact, being
overshadowed by the early demise of the Alliance after the 1969 General Elections. Sharma used to identify with the Caucusus region
of central europe.
Footnote: This year's Bar Committee was innovative in that the
out-going Chairman invited the members to observe two minutes silence on the passing of Choy and Sharma. He obviously overlooked Ariffin Daud,
we believe this was a genuine oversight. Maybe, we will remember to observe an extra minute's silence for Ariffin at next year's AGM.
On second thoughts,
perhaps one minute will do, if you get my drift!
(22nd March, 1999)