
June 25 hearing for lawyer's bid to suspend JAC's activities
KUALA LUMPUR : The High Court will hear on June 25 a stay application by a lawyer to prevent the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) from carrying out its functions of recommending judges for appointment to the superior courts and filling administrative positions in the judiciary pending the outcome of the legal suit.
Justice Amarjeet Singh set the date following case management involving Syed Amir Syakib Arsalan Syed Ibrahim, who named the government and JAC as defendants in his originating summons.
The Bar Council has been allowed to intervene in the proceedings.
Amarjeet also set a timeline for the parties to file their affidavits and written submissions.
Federal counsel Safiyyah Omar, representing the government and JAC, said the defendants would oppose the stay application.
Lawyers Christopher Leong, Karen Cheah, and New Sin Yew appeared for the Bar Council.
In his stay application filed last week, Syed Amir said the Federal Constitution does not require the prime minister to rely on JAC's recommendations when advising the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to make the appointments.
Syed Amir, who is challenging the constitutionality of the JAC Act 2009, said Article 122B of the constitution allows the prime minister to make recommendations of his own accord.
Article 122B states that judges and administrative position holders shall be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong acting on the prime minister's advice, after consultation with the Conference of Rulers.
Syed Amir said he did not intend to suspend or paralyse judicial appointments, or obstruct the exercise of the constitutional functions of the prime minister or the king.
'This application is only intended to prevent any further reliance or implementation of the challenged legal framework pending the final decision of the court,' he said.
In his main suit filed last month, Syed Amir contended that the powers conferred on the nine-member JAC violate the doctrine of separation of powers and the basic structure of the constitution.
He is seeking a mandamus order compelling the prime minister and the government to strictly adhere to the judicial appointment process prescribed under Article 122B of the constitution.
He claims the JAC Act is inconsistent with Article 4, which states that the written constitution is the supreme law of the land.
Under the JAC Act, the commission proposes the nomination of judges to the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Federal Court.
It also recommends nominees for the posts of chief justice, Court of Appeal president, chief judge of Malaya, and chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak as and when they fall vacant.
Justice Amarjeet fixed July 16 to hear the main suit.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Penang DAP to file police report over ‘illegal' Umno Youth-led rally on upside-down flag controversy
GEORGE TOWN, Aug 14 — Penang DAP will lodge a police report against an allegedly illegal gathering organised by Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh in Kepala Batas this evening. Penang DAP chairman Steven Sim Chee Keong called on the police to take stern action against Dr Akmal for his clear defiance of police directive not to organise a rally over the upside-down flag issue. 'The rally by Akmal Saleh and his group is a violation of the law and a provocation that threatens public order,' he said in a statement issued today. He said the police should take action to send a signal that such acts of provocation will not be tolerated in this country, especially during Merdeka month which should promote unity, not division. Sim said Penang police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail had urged all parties not to gather at Kepala Batas today, but they ignored it. 'As part of the state government, Penang DAP fully respected the police's directives and did not mobilise our members or supporters to take part in the gathering,' he said. He said only local representatives were present to distribute the Jalur Gemilang in conjunction with Merdeka celebrations to foster patriotism and strengthen unity. Earlier this evening, Dr Akmal led approximately 200 people in a 1.4km march to the hardware shop in Kepala Batas over the upside-down flag issue. Dr Akmal had reportedly claimed that they only wanted to send a clear message about respecting the Jalur Gemilang and that it cannot be hung upside down. Earlier today, Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail had advised for the gathering to be called off as it could threaten public safety and well-being. 'To safeguard the safety of the local community and to prevent any form of unhealthy confrontation between opposing groups, PDRM advises all parties involved to cancel the planned gathering,' he said. Some of the shops in the area shuttered early to avoid being caught in the gathering. There was also heavy police presence in the area to control the crowd. The controversy arose after the hardware store in Jalan Bertam Perdana recently went viral for flying the national flag upside down. The 59-year-old shop owner, who was arrested and investigated over the incident, reportedly said it was an unintentional mistake while measuring the flagpole and that he had corrected the mistake later. Following the controversy, DAP announced that it would sponsor a giant Jalur Gemilang for the shop and mobilised Penang party members to distribute 831 flags.


Focus Malaysia
2 hours ago
- Focus Malaysia
Where were you when…?
THERE'S a question that often arises when something big happens — a historic moment, a national milestone, a collective high. It usually begins like this: 'Where were you when…?' Most of the time, it's not about geography. It's about memory. About anchoring ourselves to something larger. About remembering not just what happened, but how it made us feel. For me, one such moment was the night of the 1992 Thomas Cup finals. Malaysia versus Indonesia. Badminton, of course. It was a Saturday, and I was a 17-year-old schoolboy at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar. I watched it from the common room of our hostel, surrounded by boys in kain pelikat, clutching pillows, Milo mugs and SPM notes, all eyes fixed on a grainy television screen that struggled to keep up with the speed of the shuttle. We won. We brought the cup home after 25 years. And for a few beautiful hours, everything else faded—prep class, homesickness, SPM trial stress—replaced by a kind of joy that felt bigger than sport. Bigger than school. Something national, something shared. That moment, and others like it, become personal chapters in a larger story: the story of how we remember Malaysia. Another such chapter came in May 2018, when Malaysians went to the polls in what would become one of the most significant general elections in our history. For the first time, the ruling coalition was changed. Not through force, not through upheaval, but through the quiet, determined power of the vote. People queued in the heat, some for hours. Some travelled across borders, taking buses and flights home just to mark an X on a ballot. There was tension, yes. But there was also something else: hope. Hope that this country belonged to its people. That we were no longer just passengers, but co-pilots. That power could change hands peacefully. That we, the rakyat, are the ones responsible in deciding the direction of this country moving forward. You didn't need to be in Putrajaya or Dataran Merdeka to feel it. You could have been watching from a living room in Penang, or a mamak in Johor Bahru, or a hostel room in Sarawak. It didn't matter where you were; because the moment definitely reached you. That's what makes these memories powerful. They become shared reference points in the timeline of our lives. Of course, not every Merdeka memory is tied to politics or spectacle. Sometimes, it's quieter. A flag being raised in your neighbourhood. A conversation over teh tarik about what independence really means. A late-night drive on empty roads, with patriotic songs playing softly on the radio. These small moments matter too. Because nationhood is built not just on events, but on experience. It's not just the milestones we remember; it's the way they made us feel connected. Even when we were far apart. And that's the thread I keep coming back to: our shared experiences. You and I may have grown up in different towns, spoken different dialects, attended different schools. But the moment the Sidek brothers stepped onto the court, or when the results rolled in after GE14; we were there, in spirit, together. And yet, these memories, whether personal or collective, are slowly fading. We live in a time of fast timelines and short attention spans. Moments come and go, swallowed by algorithm and speed. The things that once glued us together are being replaced by smaller, more personalised stories. Of course they are important, yes, but they are also often disconnected from the whole. That's why I believe now, more than ever, we need to start recording our stories. Not for history books, but for each other. For the generations who didn't grow up with the Thomas Cup, or the Reformasi years, or who never saw a transfer of power that felt truly earned. It doesn't have to be big. Just honest. Write about where you were when something mattered. Tell your children what Merdeka meant to your parents. Share with a friend that memory you've always carried but never voiced. Because if we don't pass these stories on, who will? So this Merdeka, ask someone: 'Where were you when…?' and listen carefully. Then share your own. Memory, like nationhood, lives best when it is passed from hand to hand. ‒ Aug 14, 2025 Ir Dr Nahrizul Adib Kadri is a professor of biomedical engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, and the Principal of Ibnu Sina Residential College, Universiti Malaya. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: NST

Malay Mail
3 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Tok Mat: Malaysia and Asean push for transparency in Myanmar's election plans and Rohingya crisis during Sept 19 visit
SEREMBAN, August 14 — Malaysia's Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said his official visit to Myanmar on Sept 19, together with his counterparts from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, will, among other matters, discuss the methods for implementing the planned elections in the country. Mohamad said the delegation's meeting with Myanmar's Acting President aims to ensure that the elections, scheduled for the end of this year, truly benefit the people of Myanmar. He added that the outcome of the visit will be presented to the leadership during the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur from Oct 26 to 28. According to him, Myanmar must also fully comply with the Five-Point Consensus (5PC), which includes a ceasefire, inclusive dialogue, and unhindered humanitarian assistance, as key steps towards restoring peace and stability in the country. 'As long as the security and political stability situation in Myanmar has not been restored and a democratically elected government not formed, the Rohingya refugee issue cannot be resolved. Bangladesh is currently managing 1.3 million Rohingya in their country, particularly in the Cox's Bazar area. 'Malaysia is no exception — we are hosting nearly 150,000 Rohingya refugees. As a member of the United Nations (UN), we are accepting them only on a temporary basis, not permanently,' he told reporters after officiating the handover of the Covered Open Multipurpose Hall at SK Lavender Heights in Seremban today. Mohamad said he also wants clarification on whether the elections will be held nationwide, given that there are still 63 towns or areas under a state of emergency imposed by Myanmar's National Defence and Security Council (NDSC). On July 31, it was reported that Myanmar's junta announced the establishment of a new body to organise a general election at the end of this year, effectively ending the state of emergency in force since the 2021 coup. Following the formation of the new Security and Stability Commission, also chaired by Min Aung Hlaing, the junta declared that the state of emergency was officially lifted. — Bernama