JOHOR BARU: The Pakatan Harapan-led federal government should set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) immediately to look into allegations of “judicial rowdyism” if they are dead serious about bringing reforms into the country, says Johor Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM).
Its state chairman SK Song said there was an urgent need for the government to step in and act on what Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Dr Hamid Sultan Abu Backer alleged in his 65-page affidavit last week.
“It (the government) must act fast to resort to an internal inquiry or RCI or debate in Parliament, where no stone should be left unturned in this matter,” he told a press conference at the Southern Chinese Press Club here on Tuesday (Feb 19).
He added that if nothing were done, then our Judiciary would be the laughingstock of all judicial systems in the world.
Hamid Sultan had made shocking allegation in his affidavit, filed in court in support of an application by the daughter of the late Karpal Singh, Sangeet Singh Deo, to declare that the Chief Justice had failed to defend the integrity of the Judiciary in two cases.
He claimed that a scam was also carried out by nominees of politicians getting into contracts with the government. Once the government pulled out, the private parties would take the government to court to claim compensation.
The private parties created contracts with the government to defraud public funds and the apex court was perceived to be sympathetic to them, Hamid Sultan claimed.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said the government would study calls for an RCI to investigate Hamid Sultan’s allegations of judicial misconduct.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has also urged the public with information on the matter to lodge reports with the commission.
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