PUCHONG: Several government backbenchers propose for the Prime Minister to be summoned by the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) following the current judiciary crisis.
Pandan MP Datuk Rafizi Ramli stated that nine MPs, including himself, will officially file a request for a proceeding and investigation to be conducted by the Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform special select committee.
He noted that urging a proceeding against a prime minister is an unprecedented move.
"We will write the request officially to the committee’s chairman William Leong and all members of the PSC," he told reporters here on Monday (July 7).
He also said that the MPs urged for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to be established to scrutinise the matter.
"We propose for the RCI to be established and investigate claims that had been making rounds," he added.
He was referring to claims saying that the government failed to take actions when the nominations for the new judges had been submitted to the Judiciary Appointments Commission (JAC), leading to the void of the post.
He also said that the JAC had been called for a meeting last Friday, however, it did not fulfil the 10-day notice requirement.
"In the meeting, a Federal Court judge was called to give statements regarding an allegation of influencing a case decision and change of judges.
"This matter was confirmed when a police report was filed by an officer of the judge and currently is known publicly," the former PKR president added.
He said that the last time that the judiciary branch was implicated in similar allegations was during VK Lingam’s video scandal in 2007.
"Therefore, I’m appealing to the government to not bury our heads in the sand, it is not going to go away.
"The judiciary crisis that is happening now is similar to what had happened before (in relation to VK Lingam’s scandal)," he added.
He also said that the group would work together with other MPs across political parties to get their support for the proposals.
Rafizi also said that public forums would also be held nationwide to provide awareness and gain the support of the rakyat, beginning with Kuala Lumpur and Selangor on Saturday (July 13).
"An online petition will also be mobilised throughout the country to express the public's wishes to protect the judicial institution," he added.
Also at the press conference were Subang MP Wong Chen, Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail, among other senior PKR backbenchers.
Wong said that a PSSC proceeding was an appropriate platform to scrutinise the matter as it also involves Opposition MPs.
"This is a bipartisan constitutional issue, it goes beyond party matters.
"This is our duty as MPs to uphold the separation of powers," he said.
The members of the PSSC were Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka), Datuk Seri Richard Riot (GPS-Serian), Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Warisan-Kota Belud), Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau), Zahari Kechik (PN-Jeli), Datuk Seri Hasni Muhammad (BN-Simpang Renggam) and Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut).
Former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat ended her service as the nation’s 16th Chief Justice on July 2.
She had made history as the first woman Chief Justice when she was appointed to the post in May 2019.
Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim has assumed the role of Chief Justice temporarily as the post has been left vacant without any announcement of a successor.
Last Thursday (July 3), Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said that the appointment of a new Chief Justice was raised during the Cabinet meeting but it was not discussed in detail.
