KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Law Society (SLS) has described the appointment of the first Sabahan, Datuk Mariati Robert, to the Judicial Appointments Commission as "a long awaited step towards lasting change."
SLS president Datuk Mohamed Nazim Maduarin said Mariati's, the former Sabah Attorney General with over five decades of being part of the bar, appointment was a meaningful step forward and long overdue.
"Mariati brings extensive legal experience and a deep understanding of Sabah's laws, institutions and communities to the Commission's deliberations," he said in a statement on Sunday (Nov 1).
"Sabah's distinct legal heritage forms part of the foundations upon which Malaysia was established. Its legal experience deserves a sustained place in the institutions that shape the administration of justice throughout our Federation.
"That experience matters. The selection of judges requires an appreciation of the people they serve, the laws they apply and the different conditions in which justice must be delivered. Bringing those perspectives into the process strengthens our national institutions," Nazim said.
Datuk Mariati assumes this responsibility as an independent member of the Commission.
Nazim said her experience will enrich its deliberations, alongside the obligation shared by every member to uphold merit, integrity and judicial independence.
"SLS welcomes this development with hope and resolve. We look towards enduring institutional arrangements that ensure Sabah's legal experience continues to inform the judicial appointments process across successive appointments and terms," he said.
SLS also congratulated Tan Sri Idrus Harun, Tan Sri Zainun Ali and Professor Dr Hartini Saripan on their appointments to the Commission.
"Today gives us reason to believe that progress is possible. The responsibility now is to make it last," he added.
