Judicial appointments show no interference, says Anwar
PUTRAJAYA: The selection of the new Chief Justice and other top judges should put to rest claims of interference in judicial appointments, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said delays in announcing the new judges were due to the lengthy appointment process.
“What crisis is there? I did not expel any judges, nor did I refer any to the tribunal.
“I did not interfere in any decision and I did not order any judges, as happened in the previous administration, because the independence of the judiciary must be upheld,” said Anwar when met after Friday prayers at a mosque in Putrajaya yesterday.
Yesterday, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, approved the appointment of Court of Appeal judge Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as the new Chief Justice of the Federal Court.
Also appointed were Federal Court judges Datuk Abu Bakar Jais as Court of Appeal President and Datuk Azizah Nawawi as the Chief Judge of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak.
The announcement of judicial appointments was initially expected on Wednesday.
The Star had reported that Wan Ahmad Farid was the front-runner for the Chief Justice post.
Anwar stated the appointments were in line with Clause (1) of Article 122B of the Federal Constitution, following the advice of the Prime Minister and after consultation with the Conference of Rulers.
“With this explanation, I hope the slander that was raised previously is addressed,” he said.
Anwar addressed the spread of misinformation, highlighting that rumours of a former attorney general being proposed as a top judge were flawed and politically motivated by some lawyers.
“For weeks, I was criticised. Now I can say (Tan Sri) Terrirudin (Mohd Salleh), the former attorney general, who served excellently, is now a Federal Court judge.
“But because he had many more years left (to serve), his name was never even proposed.
“So where (did this allegation) come from? It was disseminated among several senior lawyers who are playing politics. I don’t believe this is a view represented by all,” said Anwar.
He also called for an end to the culture of slander, adding that people must not spread unfounded allegations.
He emphasised the importance of the judiciary as a pillar of a sovereign, independent country practising parliamentary democracy.
Anwar also congratulated Wan Ahmad Farid, Abu Bakar and Azizah on their appointments.
The position of Chief Justice became vacant following the mandatory retirement of Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, the country’s first woman to serve in the role, on July 2, while Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim retired as Court of Appeal President on July 3.
Recently, the Malaysian Bar held a peaceful walk to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) at the Palace of Justice.
It handed over a memorandum to the PMO, calling for the judicial leadership positions to be filled as soon as possible and for the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate possible judicial interference.
Last week, a group of PKR MPs led by former party deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli also called for an RCI to look into the “crisis” in the judiciary.
