PUTRAJAYA: Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat has expressed her confidence that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would continue to uphold judicial independence.
She said this in her speech at the Opening of the Legal Year 2025 as she spoke of judicial appointments and the 1988 judicial crisis.
Tengku Maimun said that Anwar, who was then the opposition leader had raised an objection at the Dewan Rakyat in 2009 over the introduction of the Judicial Appointments Commission Act (JACA) 2009, which was regarded as a move to restore public confidence in the judiciary.
She said the need for JACA 2009 were grounded on many allegations and attacks against the government but many Opposition members expressed the sentiment that the introduction of the JACA Bill was merely a cover-up for all the past appointments.
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Anwar had then said that JACA 2009 was not enough to restore the independence of the judiciary.
"He went on to observe that there is a perception that persons who had decided in favour of the government were promoted.
"Anwar's observation then, relates directly to the fundamental aspect of judicial independence, in that perception plays a big part in it," she said.
From the judicial crisis in 1988, Tengku Maimun said the nation was now on the road to recovery in terms of public perception on judicial independence.
"Incidentally, 15 years ago, before JACA 2009 was enforced, the then leader of the Opposition made the comments that he did, as reflected in the Hansard, on the appointment of judges and judicial independence.
"I am certain that now, as prime minister, Anwar and his government will remain true to those comments by continuing to unreservedly remain committed to upholding the cause of judicial independence," she said.
