Constitutionalism and the independence of the judiciary must be protected

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“BEING a judge is a tireless, thankless, and challenging profession. No matter which way you decide, there will always be at least one disgruntled party. You are constantly under watch and scrutiny, not only from the litigants that seek justice before you but from the entire public that remunerates you and trusts that you will set aside your own persona, your own ideals, and your own personal biases in favour of something much larger that you: the Constitution and the law.” – Excerpt from the speech of the Chief Justice of Malaysia, Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, at the opening of the Legal Year on Jan 8, 2025

Constitutionalism and the independence of the judiciary took centre stage in the speech of the Chief Justice on Jan 8. A little history and a little nostalgia, delivered with cold, hard truths, brought to the fore the challenges that befell the judiciary in the last six years. These are challenges that only an independent and fearless judiciary, true to the rule of law, could have navigated. The Chief Justice’s leadership during this time, together with the support and conduct of the judges, were defining.