Table motion to extend CJ's tenure, Zaid tells opposition leader
Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has called for an extension of outgoing Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat’s tenure to preserve the independence of the judiciary.
Responding to the joint statement by nine former Malaysian Bar presidents, he urged opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin to table a motion in Parliament on the extension.
Summary
Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim wants opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin to table a motion in Parliament to extend Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat’s tenure.
He says the statement by the nine former Malaysian Bar presidents that the past three governments did more to uphold judicial independence is a “damning indictment” on the prime minister.
Zaid is confident that the motion will pass because the majority of MPs want good judges.
Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has called for an extension of outgoing Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat’s tenure to preserve the independence of the judiciary.
Responding to the joint statement by nine former Malaysian Bar presidents, he urged opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin to table a motion in Parliament on the extension.
“Although judges retire at 66, the government can seek the king’s agreement to extend her services by contract.
“That is the only way we can retain her reign, keeping the judiciary independent and, more importantly, ensuring the best judges are promoted on merit,” he said on X.
Zaid is confident that the motion would be passed because the majority of MPs want credible, intelligent and independent judges to sit on the bench.
He also described the statement by the former Malaysian Bar presidents who expressed concern over the government’s interference in the appointment of judges as a “daming indictment” of Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister.
“There you go. When I suggested he (Anwar) should resign over the addendum issue (related to former premier Najib Abdul Razak), you said I was extreme
“Now, even the whole judiciary is threatened, described by the nine (former) Bar presidents as far worse than under Dr M’s (former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad) rule. That is saying something,” he added.
Past 3 govts did better
In their statement, the former Malaysian Bar presidents said the Madani government is widely perceived to be falling short when it comes to upholding judicial independence compared to the previous three administrations.
“The pressures put on the judiciary in the last several years by external forces were clear to many of us, who know the signs only too well.
“It is widely perceived that the previous three governments valued and respected judicial independence more than the current government, which is extremely disappointing, to say the least,” they said in a statement.
The nine who inked the statement were Zainur Zakaria, Mah Weng Kwai, Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari, Yeoh Yang Poh, Ambiga Sreenevasan, Ragunath Kesavan, Lim Chee Wee, Christopher Leong and Steven Thiru.
Their statement came in the wake of Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat’s comments about interference in the judicial appointments process under the Judicial Appointment Commission (JAC) Act 2009.
In a speech during the Opening of the Legal Year on Jan 8, the chief justice reminded Anwar to uphold judicial independence and cited his comments on the matter when he was the opposition leader.
