Спри
to M. Pakker
х Legal Advisers- to note
DH Colvin Esq
SEAD
FCO
AR370/1
LIVED IN REGISTRY.
2 2 FEB 1990
DESK OVER
INDEX
CONFIDENTIAL
22/2
ngth putting backgrom
brief
British High Commission
Bandar Seri Begawan
Negara Brunei Darussalam
7 February 1990
Ins
де
(ar)
M
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
+ pa
dig,
過
63 2014 HKC373+
Dear David,
- 5 JUN 1990
BRUNEI: THE JUDICIARY
on lake..
1. In his speech at the Opening of the Legal Year, the Minister of Law expressed the hope that, by 1994, Hong/ Kong Judges in the Supreme Court will be replaced by Bruneians. This would be consistent with the Government's long-term policy of having Bruneian citizens holding important judicial positions, as with other legal appointments.
2. This is the first time Bahrin has made any public pronouncement about the future of the Judiciary. I called on him on 5 February to discuss how he intended to implement the policy and what the time frame was likely to be.
3.
Bahrin intends to shorten the High Court lists by the creation of Intermediate Courts. He envisages that only capital offences will go to the High Court and civil cases where a sum in excess of a fixed figure is involved. The Intermediate Court, partly modelled on the District Courts in Singapore and the Session Courts in Malaysia both of which Bahrin has recently visited, will sit under the two most senior of the eight existing Bruneian magistrates. The lists in the High Court and the demand on the Hong Kong Judges should be substantially reduced.
CONFIDENTIAL
/4.