Anwar denies last-minute switch in CJ pick, says vilified for one week just because process was still ongoing
He said today that the appointment had already been submitted and approved by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong earlier in accordance with the Federal Constitution.
'They said the [judicial] system was compromised. There were those who wanted to politicise the issue,' he said at the monthly assembly of the Prime Minister's Department as quoted by New Straits Times.
'For a week, we were criticised, with claims that the prime minister did not respond. How could I respond at that time when the [judicial appointment] process was still ongoing?'
He explained that under Article 122B of the Federal Constitution, the appointment of the Chief Justice requires the prime minister's recommendation and the King's consent after consultation with the Conference of Rulers.
Court of Appeal Judge Wan Ahmad Farid will be sworn in as the country's 17th Chief Justice on July 28, succeeding Tengku Maimun, who retired on July 2.
Datuk Abu Bakar Jais has been appointed as the new president of the Court of Appeal, while Datuk Azizah Nawawi has been appointed Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak.
Anwar said earlier this week that 8 newly appointed Court of Appeal judges and 14 High Court judges are scheduled to be sworn in on July 28, with no judges removed.
The appointments came following a purported leak from a Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting, which came hot on the heels of allegations that there had been attempts to influence the appointments of new judges.
The claim later prompted nine government backbenchers to call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry, with Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail confirming an investigation into the matter.
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