Bersih welcomes appointment of Malaysia's three top judges
The Bersih steering committee expressed hope that Wan Ahmad's firm stance in upholding the country's principles of sovereignty would continue in his tenure as Chief Justice, adding that Wan Ahmad Farid, who had been part of the political paty Umno, had recused himself from hearing former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's case as a High Court judge in 2022.
"Such a stance is vital to ensure that the public respects the judiciary as a body that upholds the principle of legal sovereignty,' the committee said in a statement on Friday (July 18), adding that it was vital for Wan Ahamd to avoid causing negative public perception towards the independence of the judicial institution.
The appointment of the top three judges, Wan Ahmad Farid as Chief Justice, Datuk Abu Bakar Jais as president of the Court of Appeals and Datuk Azizah Nawawi as Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, was made public on Thursday (July 17).
The appointments were made based on Clause (1) of Article 122B of the Federal Constitution, after obtaining the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the Prime Minister and after consulting the Conference of Rulers.
They are set to receive their letters of appointment and take their oaths of office in front of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia at Istana Negara on July 28, 2025.- Bernama
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Malay Mail
4 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
The future, with fewer bigots and Chinese, will have more Malaysians
AUG 7 — There was a kerfuffle in Dewan Rakyat this week. It's been polite days in the house but on Monday, Pendang got Jelutong's knickers in a knot by warning racial inequalities in a careless 13th Malaysia Plan may result in another May 13 riot. When and if Malays are left behind. Three times, May 13 was mentioned in that news report covering the petty parliamentary exchanges between legislators Awang Solahuddin Hashim and Jelutong's RSN Rayer. The portal is traditionally pro-Umno. The story was fine, it was the headline which caught me strange, or reactions to it. 'Pendang MP's May 16 tragedy quip if 13MP sidelines Bumiputera causes a ruckus (Kaitkan tragedy 16 Mei dengan RMK13 ketepikan Bumiputera, ucapan Ahli Parlimen Pendang cetus kecoh) Without intending it informs more about the present. For, the headline somehow misunderstood May 13 as May 16. Until a short while ago, there were two kinds of Malaysians. Those who lived through the race riots in 1969, and those who lived their lives learning about the race riots as a cautionary tale. The columnist falls in the latter. For a fair bit they both inhabited the land. Apparently, as a natural function of time, a new generation sprung and eventually nudged into play the game. These younger ones know somewhat about the riots as historical information. However are not encumbered by it. They will soon dominate the population as the first generation of Malaysians to slip away from centre-stage. The younger, uploading editors did not fret that they got the 13 as a 16. It is an error, and errors happen on the news floor, it is not a mortal sin to them. Forty-eight hours later, the headline remains uncorrected. Nobody alerted anybody. They did not grow up when May 13 meant May 13. What a wonderful reality to wake up to. Generation oldest would be incensed. Up in arms about it if nap time did not interfere. And their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, from the youngest generation remain lukewarm about the distant past. And they'll be increasingly in charge until the next generation comes in to replace. To the generation yet to emerge, it would be cold news. It's not only the overlook about the headline, there is a sense that the conviction that the hateful can shout in the dark and wait for a pliant lynch mob is fast expiring. The spectre of May 13 is not quite a thing to many, surely not as much as Anwar Ibrahim being imprisoned in 1998 or Mahathir Mohamad being PM again in 2018 or Muhyiddin Yassin the lockdown watchman in 2020. The recent past to them matters more than what grandma told mama. And in a further future, our recent past is a distant past and for other grandmothers to retell. That is expected, which leads to the material focus of the report and another recent development. Does — as Awang Solahuddin Hashim the two-time parliamentarian from Kedah does here quite inelegantly — scaring people about irrational fears still work anymore? A row of Jalur Gemilang flags adorns a building in Kuala Lumpur, celebrating Malaysia's Independence Day August 5, 2025 — Picture by Raymond Manuel He reminds the rakyat that a government which fails to immerse itself in Malay survivalism in a phase of faceless enemies at home results in comprehensive betrayal at levels only witnessed in scripture. Awang used the general mention of funding for Chinese New Villages and entrepreneurship as a segue to insist Malays are being left out. It bordered on pretending New York was geographically situated besides New Caledonia. He had no specifics, probably overwhelmed by his own allegations. The fact he is a PAS MP does him few favours, though it confirms stereotypes. This leads to the other press report mentioned. The one which stipulates in 2059 the Chinese, those alleged to be prime persecutors of Malays by the Malay right, slides down to 15 per cent. From close to a majority in pre-war Malaya, to 3 in 20 Malaysians in another 25 years, the presumed yellow terror seems less intimidating even to the completely racist. How much longer will Awang and his ilk milk racial insecurities and social upheavals? Historians may mark 2022, the last general election, as the final push by ethnic purists to pursue power in the country. Pendang proves he is the past. The other half of Perikatan Nasional (PN), Bersatu's senior leadership, toned down rhetoric and asked for better parliamentary processes, committees and even considered equitable economic restructures to fit all Malaysians. They realise madness as a method has limited applications. The shifts in demography, upping four in five Malaysians to be Bumiputera in 2060, turns arguments about a potent foe against Malays sitting in our midst more and more ludicrous by the year. There is social media evidence to the contrary currently but it'll over time dissipate. Not because the column is an oracle but the numbers do not lie. The real opponent for Malaysia is a larger world, filled with competition, as seen with the contest among countries to end up with lower tariffs when exporting to the United States of America. For Malaysia's sake, whether a future child is one or in the four in five, future tariffs and economic battles are the same. In the future it's about when and if Malaysians are left behind that should worry Malaysia. That works better when Malaysians look less wearily at each other and remember they are allies regardless of demography. Improving a Chinese New Village is improving a part of Malaysia which has Malaysians in them. That is true today, and no less true in 2059.
The Star
43 minutes ago
- The Star
Looking abroad for judicial appointment reform
THE government is undertaking a comprehensive, evidence-based comparative study of judicial appointment models from other countries to enhance the transparency and independence of Malaysia's judicial appointment process, Parliament was told. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the comparisons were done with the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and India. She said the effort is being led by the Legal Affairs Division under the Prime Minister's Department and involves inclusive engagement sessions with key stakeholders. 'They include the judiciary, Bar Council, MPs from both sides, institutions of higher learning, constitutional experts, civil society organisations as well the public. 'This approach is intended to ensure that judicial appointments are carried out in a more transparent and independent manner, in line with the principles of the Federal Constitution,' she said in a written reply to Hassan Abdul Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang) on measures to improve the judicial appointment process to uphold the doctrine of separation of powers.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
New CJ vows to put justice before politics
Judicial milestone: Wan Ahmad Farid (centre) at a ceremony honouring his appointment at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya. Also present are Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim (left) and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Azizah Nawawi (right). — Bernama PUTRAJAYA: Newly minted Chief Justice Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh has vowed to safeguard the independence of the judiciary amid criticism on his background in politics. Referring to his time in the legislative and executive branches, Wan Ahmad Farid acknowledged his long and varied career, describing it as 'something that I could not erase'. 'I have served in all three branches of the government. I cannot erase my history, political or otherwise. 'But as I assume this most solemn amanah (trust), and for as long as I occupy this chair, I give you my unconditional pledge in the name of God, that I will vigorously protect and relentlessly safeguard the independence of our branch of government with every fibre of my being,' he said in his maiden speech as the country's top judge at a ceremony honouring his appointment yesterday. Wan Ahmad Farid quoted French philosopher Montesquieu, who said that 'there is no liberty if the judiciary in power be not separated from the legislative and executive'. He also called for fellow judges, judicial officers, the Attorney General's Chambers, the Malaysian Bar, the Sabah Law Society, the Advocates Association of Sarawak and other stakeholders to work together with him. 'I pledge to do my level best towards the betterment of the Malaysian judiciary and its independence. 'Let there be a strong message of the independence of the judiciary which shall continue to be loud and clear, echoing not just through the halls of the Palace of Justice and other courthouses but also through all corners of society and all the corridors of power in our country,' he said. Wan Ahmad Farid also said the adoption of technology in courtrooms will continue to enhance the efficiency of the court system and allow better access to justice. 'The judiciary will closely follow technological developments and in particular, the impact of the evolution of artificial intelligence. 'We will ensure that our judges are sufficiently equipped not only to use technology in courts but also to manage issues relating to technology,' he added. On July 28, Wan Ahmad Farid, 62, took the oath of office as the 17th Chief Justice at Istana Negara. The former Court of Appeal judge was also given the instrument of appointment as a Federal Court judge during the ceremony. His appointment came after weeks of speculation following the mandatory retirement of his predecessor, Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, on July 2. Wan Ahmad Farid began his legal career as an advocate and solicitor with Messrs Adnan & Wee in Kuala Terengganu between 1987 and 2003. He was also the political secretary to the late prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi between 2003 and 2008. Between 2008 and 2009, he held a short stint as the deputy home minister. He returned to legal practice between 2011 and 2015 as a partner at Messrs Wan Farid & Surin in Kuala Lumpur before being appointed as a Judicial Commissioner, serving in the High Courts of Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Baru until 2019. He was then elevated to the High Court from 2019 to 2024, with postings in Kota Baru, Shah Alam (Special Powers Division) and Kuala Lumpur (Special Powers Division 3).
