Judicial crisis should be nation’s top priority, says Rafizi
He expressed disappointment over the lack of a clear response or direction from the administration of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding the judiciary’s leadership vacuum and rising allegations of interference.
SUBANG JAYA – Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli has called for urgent attention to be given to the ongoing controversy surrounding Malaysia’s judicial institution, describing it as the country’s most pressing issue.
Speaking on behalf of PKR backbenchers, Rafizi expressed disappointment over the lack of a clear response or direction from the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim regarding the judiciary’s leadership vacuum and rising allegations of interference.
"As Members of Parliament (MPs), it is our duty to defend the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers between the three branches of government - the legislature, executive and judiciary," Rafizi said in a press conference, today.
He stressed that defending judicial independence was a core value of both PKR and the Pakatan Harapan coalition.
What began as a controversy over vacant top judicial positions, Rafizi said, has escalated into a full-blown crisis following the emergence of more troubling information in the public domain.
"These revelations risk damaging the government’s credibility and eroding public confidence in the independence of our judiciary," he warned.
Among the claims requiring official clarification, Rafizi listed:
- That judicial nominations submitted by the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) for the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court have not been acted upon promptly, worsening the current vacancies.
- That nominations for the posts of Chief Justice and President of the Court of Appeal were submitted to the Prime Minister before the retirement of Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, but appointments were not made in time.
- That a JAC meeting was recently convened without the required 10-day notice to re-nominate candidates for the vacant posts.
- That a Federal Court judge was summoned to a JAC meeting to explain allegations of attempting to influence a court decision and judge reassignment.
Rafizi revealed that a police report has already been lodged by an officer to the said judge, making the matter public knowledge.
He drew parallels between the current situation and the 2007 VK Lingam scandal, which also involved alleged manipulation of judicial appointments and decisions.
"The Federal Court judge involved in the current allegations was reportedly once a special officer to former Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, who was at the centre of the VK Lingam case," Rafizi said.
Calling for concrete action, Rafizi proposed the following:
- The establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate the allegations outlined;
- A formal request for the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform to investigate the matter, including summoning the Prime Minister to testify;
- A halt to any new nominations for top judicial posts until the investigations by the RCI and Parliament are concluded;
- A bipartisan campaign among MPs to rally support for the proposed actions;
- A series of nationwide public forums to raise awareness and engage citizens, starting in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor on July 13;
- A national online petition to gather public support in defending the judiciary's independence.
This issue, he said although it may seem minor compared to other issues, carried profound implications for the future of our democracy. He urged the people to remain vigilant and involved.
Rafizi was speaking on behalf of eight others which included Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Subang MP Wong Chen, Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail, Wangsa Maju MP Zahir Hassan, Balik Pulau MP Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, Sungai Siput MP S Kesavan and Batu Pahat MP Onn Abu Bakar.
At the same press conference, Nik Nazmi echoed Rafizi’s call, stressing that judicial integrity has always been central to PKR's mission.
"If we don’t raise this issue, I feel we are not fulfilling our duty as MPs.
"Some ask why this isn’t handled internally, but this is a national issue of significant magnitude. As government backbenchers, we have the right and a responsibility to speak up," he said.
He added that they had always maintained that backbenchers must be given room to voice their opinions.
He said if the party could tolerate differing views on other matters, then surely on an issue as serious and substantive as this, there should be room for open expression.
He believed the public appreciated such honesty.
Nik Nazmi affirmed that both he and Rafizi were not bound by Cabinet collective responsibility, as they speak in their capacities as MPs.
"This is our duty," he said.
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