Malaysian law minister Azalina Othman Said, who made history as the country¡¯s first female deputy speaker, is at the forefront of several large and international headline-grabbing developments ¡ª including the scrapping of the country¡¯s mandatory death penalty and a June victory in a protracted legal battle that has come to be known as the ¡°Sulu case.¡±
In Tokyo this week, Said ¡ª commanding two phones and a team of staff, as well as swapping chummy hellos with other delegates in town for a raft of meetings, including the ASEAN-Japan Special Meeting of Justice Ministers held Thursday ¡ª was enjoying Malaysia¡¯s latest arbitration victory. Overlooking a serene koi pond and traditional sculpted Japanese garden, the minister, who has practiced tae kwon do since she was 10 years old, is prepared to keep fighting.
¡°To be very honest, the decision doesn¡¯t surprise me or even my country. Because from day one, we knew that the arbitration award was a sham, it¡¯s a rogue arbitrator, it¡¯s a sham award,¡± she said, echoing her original statement following the Paris win.
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