Pala Remembered

When the news hit us on early Tuesday morning (24 June 2003) of Pala’s passing, many could not believe how life had been snuffed out so cruelly from a man so full of vitality and vigour in one swift blow.

Pala’s life truly touched many people in many ways. As much as he was loved by his family, he was also respected and admired by his peers at the Bar, colleagues and staff, and his clients. As someone noted of him, he always found time for people, whoever they were and however busy he was, to stop and have a chat, with no rush or looking at his watch. He also had a habit of sending personal notes and cards that is rare in today’s world of SMS and e-mail.

Lawyers and former pupils will remember him for his ever-willingness to share his knowledge and experience. He never thought himself above photocopying and faxing a relevant case authority or two to help a junior, or having a fellow lawyer come over to our Chambers in the death of the night to borrow a book from the library he was so proud of. He used to boast of having the best library in Colombo Court, and after we moved to The Adelphi, said it was second only to the collection at the Attorney General’s Chambers!

Pala staring in disdain at his thosai in New Delhi during the LAWASIA Business Law Conference

In court, he was known as someone who left no stone unturned in cross-examination. Clients he defended always came away feeling he did his best for them, regardless of the outcome. Pala was dead serious when he had a trial on, but he was always fair to his opponents, and respected the dignity of the court. However, those who knew Pala well also remember his wit and a quirky sense of humour which could border on the wicked and ridiculous. At his most relaxed, jokes and quips came easily to him, often accompanied by a cheeky grin.

An extraordinary visionary, whose ideas would come fast and furious during his waking moments, he confessed to keeping a stack of notepaper by his bedside to jot down his thoughts. Pala’s white notes with 1am or 3.45am scribbled on them were his hallmark in our office, and a constant source of stress for his colleagues receiving them first thing on a Monday morning — if for no other reason than for being unable to read his squiggly handwriting. His ability to go without sleep — and almost disgust (‘Yuks’ being the favoured expression) at any suggestion of food, was legendary.

The end of a workday would see him walking around our office picking up stray staples or paper clips from the floor. He would then clean everything off his desk, and wipe it down before putting everything back in its place. Pala called this his ‘ritual’, and nothing said to him during this time would register. After this, he would sit down and start on what we called the ‘night-shift’. This was in fact the best time of the day (or night, rather) to discuss anything with Pala, and be assured of his uninterrupted attention.

One habit of his which used to terrorise his chambering pupils, and cause discomfort to his legal assistants, was having him return a draft of a piece of work with a grade on a scale of 1–10. It was only after having worked closely with Pala that I realised he even graded his own preparation of a case on such a scale, and would not rest until he had brought it up to an 8 or 9 upon 10.

Despite having conducted numerous high-profile cases, Pala saw his appointment as Senior Counsel in 2001 as the zenith of his legal career. Coming from a relatively small firm, he saw his appointment as a signal to other like practitioners that it was not the size of one’s practice or available resources that mattered, but one’s tenacity and commitment to do one’s best that could push one’s practice up a notch. It was truly a proud day for him.

Pala’s three terms as President of the Law Society at the turn of the century (from 2000 to 2002) saw the Law Society achieve a new level of dynamism for the legal profession: he took pride in preparing his monthly President’s Message for the Singapore Law Gazette (‘SLG’) and gave considerable thought to each Message, right down to its title. His Messages struck a chord not just with members, but also with those outside the profession, and his last Message on leadership not being a spectator’s sport even saw republication in The Sunday Times as a feature. In fact, Pala was so proud of his Messages, one of his unfinished projects was to have them published in a book to be titled ‘As Law As It Gets’. Needless to say, he chose the title himself, and when asked who he wished to dedicate it to, quipped ‘To my First Love, The Law’.

Pala’s fortnightly ‘The President Listens’ sessions also allowed him to remain accessible to our Members at a personal level. The same approachable quality which endeared Pala to the Round Table at the Bar-room, saw members of different levels of seniority providing feedback to him on issues which concerned their practice. His was a hands-on leadership style.

The Presidency also gave Pala the opportunity to interact with international bar organisations, and he left an indelible mark abroad as well. His demise saw the outpouring of condolences from Bar leaders from China, Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and LAWASIA, with some even flying in to attend his funeral, and who in one accord, expressed their admiration of him as a lawyer and a person. Many remember him as an inspiring leader, and for his ever present concern for human rights and the rule of law.

Before becoming a Council Member, Pala could always be counted on to act for lawyers facing disciplinary problems. He had a genuine concern for his brethren in the profession. He served several terms as Chairman of the Criminal Practice Committee of the Law Society. As Chairman of the Publications Committee from 1997–1999, he was tasked by past-President George Lim to resuscitate the SLG and in true Pala-style, rose to the occasion, and we now have a magazine that enjoys an interested readership here and abroad — a veritable asset of the organisation. In fact, it was Pala who initiated the penning of Obituaries such as this in the SLG for lawyers who have passed on, as a way of honouring their contributions to the profession.

As Chairman of the Premises Committee, he helped realise the Law Society’s dream of owning its own premises, by securing unanimous support of members at our Annual General Meeting in 1995 for the imposition of a building levy, including even the support of those who had earlier opposed such a purchase in 1979. Pala called our premises ‘The House that Dreams Built’.

Pala was indeed an effective fund-raiser and never hesitated contributing to a good cause or persuading others to do so. Projects of the Law Society such as its Law Awareness programmes, the Law Society Charity Golf Tournaments to raise funds for its Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (‘CLAS’) and Bench and Bar Games often saw Pala picking up the phone to call in for donations and pledges. His own University of Singapore Class of 1972, 30th Anniversary Dinner held to raise funds for the Class of 1972 Visiting Professorship raised a commendable amount under Pala’s Chairmanship. For these, and many things, Pala’s contribution to the society, the legal profession as a whole, and lawyers individually, was immense. Pala’s Midas touch achieved its goal with each project he undertook because of his passion and dedication to see it through, and well.

Football was Pala’s other passion. One of the pioneers involved in the Singapore Professional Football League, he was proud of being behind its very own first Rulebook and commemorative coffee-table publication, ‘Kick-off’, and was pleased to have our Prime Minister autograph copies of the same for charity. By 2003, Pala had held the positions of Honorary Legal Advisor to the Football Association of Singapore (‘FAS’), FAS Council Member and Vice-President. In 1999, he was made Chairman of the Goal 2010 Football Excellence Committee. He was even advisor to the women’s football league.

On the sidelines, cheering for the Law Society

Pala felt deeply for the game, being an avid Manchester United fan, but above that, he felt deeply for the people behind the game. Apart from considering higher policy matters in the official positions he held, he even looked into basic requirements of the players, for example, that the NFA Under-16 school-boys, playing near old school grounds near Jalan Besar had proper rest-rooms so that they were not reduced to ‘watering the grass’. He quipped that their health, as much as — on a lighter vein — the health of the field, was at stake.

Pala placed great importance on lifelong learning. Conquering the computer was one of his proudest achievements. I still remember the time when, as a pupil in our Chambers, I found him trying to amend a letter prepared by his secretary on her computer, by typing on the keyboard of her electronic typewriter, and wondering why the amendments were not registering. He looked sheepish when I told him the reason. With his dedicated secretaries, and ever-streaming hoard of pupils at his beck and call, Pala never saw the need to have to pick up any computer skills until sometime before the new Millennium was upon us. I seem to recall it resulting from a fellow Council Member’s comment to the effect that a particular computer application was so simple that even Pala, (then a self-confessed computer illiterate), would understand it. Pala was fired into action by that remark.

So while the world was concerned about the Millennium bug, he resolved to fight his technophobia and purchased a laptop to get himself started. With characteristic determination, he sent off his first e-mail well before 2000, and by the Opening of the Legal Year 2001, astounded his detractors by whipping out a HP Journada and delivering his Speech from it. Thereafter, there was no turning back for him.

In fact, we almost felt like Dr Frankenstein — having unleashed a monster — when computer glitches prevented Pala from accessing his e-mails, and growls of frustration emanated from his room. No computer consultant was spared until he got the system up and running. Pala’s computer withdrawal symptoms were second only to his withdrawal symptoms from not smoking on long-haul flights. A happy by-product of his efforts at overcoming his computer mental block was it enabled him to simultaneously keep in close touch with his three children who were studying or working abroad, via e-mail. As late as May this year, Pala put aside 21 hours to attend computer classes at night with members of our Chambers to upgrade his knowledge of programs relevant to a law practice. This was even whilst having an on-going trial in the High Court.

It has been an honour and privilege for me to have worked alongside Pala for the past 11 years since my ‘birth’ as a lawyer in our firm (after having chambered there). We shared a common interest in community work and served on the Law Society Council together, and Pala even involved me in his football activities. Working closely with Pala gave me a rare insight into the person that he was.

Pala had a sentimental side to him which only those close to him, and clients having the opportunity to see his office, knew of. Apart from photos of his wife, and his children from toddlers to adults, Pala surrounded himself with mementoes from clients like a framed tapestry from the family of Bobby Chung, whom Pala defended and saved from the gallows very early in his practice in 1980 as a defence counsel; a watercolour sketch of Michael Fay in court, presented to him by a foreign correspondent; holy water from Lourdes and even a golden statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy — gifts from grateful clients who revered him. Other memorabilia from his trips and projects, beautiful paintings and of course, his beloved books, made up the rest of his office décor, apart from his files.

He had great admiration for Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi and the late Princess Diana. He loved beautiful things and beautiful words and would be moved by a well-written piece of prose or poetry. His greatest wish was to write his memoirs recounting his many cases, and he was thrilled when asked to be legal advisor to the television series ‘True Files’, which chronicled well-known criminal cases.

Pala saw his role in society as being more than a lawyer. Especially when dealing with a criminal or matrimonial matter, his interest when beyond the immediate client. He took an interest in what the client’s family, in particular their children, was going through. Having a soft spot for children, it was not uncommon for him to counsel clients’ children and take an active interest in their well-being. Even well after representing a juvenile client, he would continue to keep tabs on the lad. A former teacher, he was a caring mentor and never hesitated when approached for guidance.

Celebrating CLAS’ 15th anniversary with other past Presidents

Pala was a kind man, whose wicked wit and quickness in manner belied a sentimental soul who felt deeply about things. When he was asked in 1998 to leave his Colombo Court premises, which had housed his Chambers since he set up his own practice in 1979, it was a great blow to him. His defiant words reported in the newspapers at that time were ‘We shall not simply move out’.

But when it became apparent that the move to neighbouring The Adelphi was inevitable, I still recall him sitting on the carpeted floor of the empty office in Colombo Court after everything had been moved out, picking up staples, and giving the office premises a final vacuum. When I asked him why he was doing that as the building was going to be demolished anyway to make way for the new Supreme Court building, he told me quietly that he wanted to perform this last rite as the office had served him and his family well for the duration of his practice. I was very humbled by his reply. Ironically, Pala, as President of the Law Society, was subsequently asked to sit on the New Supreme Court Design Advisory Panel and did so.

Without a doubt, all those who worked with, for and alongside Pala would agree that he was a hard and driven taskmaster. His strive for perfection either inspired others to greater heights or demoralised them as they faced their own inadequacies. One of his favourite books was ‘An Enemy Called Average’ by John Mason.

But what inspired me most about Pala was that he never asked of anyone what he himself was not prepared to do, be it in his legal practice or his voluntary work. He truly walked the talk. That was ultimately what set him apart from many leaders, gained him much admiration, and inspired many alongside him to aspire to greater heights.

“Come to the edge,” he said.
They said, “We are afraid.”
“Come to the edge,” he said
“It’s too high,” they said.
Then they came.
He pushed them
... and they flew.

— Guillaume Apollinaire, French novelist

In fact, if he had one fault, it was his inability to let go. It took a lot to be able to inspire such total confidence in Pala as for him to leave you alone to complete a task. This annoyed some, who blamed him for micro-managing, but in times of a crisis, it was always reassuring to know Pala could always be counted on to give practical help in solving it, no matter how busy he was.

It is indeed hard to believe that we will never hear one of his characteristic quips or see his cheeky grin or frown of concentration again, or watch him puff his cigarette during one of his smoke-breaks outside the Havelock Road court-house or Supreme Court premises. As I saw him in his final rest, I realised that it was only in death that I have ever seen this man so still.

On Saturday morning (28 June 2003), the day we closed our Chambers in Pala’s honour, I found this poem in a book in Pala’s room at the office. It spoke to me as I imagined Pala would have, had he a chance to say a last good-bye. I hope it also comforts all of you who loved Pala:

God Bless you, Mr Pala. You shall be dearly missed, but your spirit and our memories of you will remain in our hearts for the longest time.

Malathi Das
Palakrishnan and Partners