Latest news with #judicialcrisis
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Malaysia's ruling PKR in bind over judicial crisis, after Anwar's daughter joins protest
A fresh quandary may be brewing in Malaysia 's ruling People's Justice Party (PKR), after Deputy President Nurul Izzah Anwar joined a march calling for judicial independence while her party weighs disciplinary action on her peers for demanding an investigation into alleged meddling in the country's judiciary. Nurul Izzah, the daughter of Prime Minister and PKR President Anwar Ibrahim , joined nearly 1,000 lawyers in a march on the prime minister's office on Monday afternoon to protest against alleged executive interference in the appointment of the chief justice. Public attention on the issue intensified over the weekend when purported minutes of a Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting in May were publicly leaked, exposing alleged attempts to fix judicial appointments. PKR Deputy President Nurul Izzah Anwar with members of the Malaysian Bar during a march for judicial independence on Monday. Photo: Handout Nurul Izzah's presence at the march, however, sent the party into a tailspin after it launched an internal probe into calls by more than a dozen divisions to suspend her predecessor, Rafizi Ramli, and eight other party leaders, for questioning the government's handling of the judicial crisis. 'Izzah's attendance puts the party in an awkward position, given the official party line so far is to deny that there is a crisis in the judiciary,' Rafizi told This Week in Asia. 'Her attendance means she endorsed the [Malaysian Bar's] demands, including the setting up of the [Royal Commission of Inquiry] which I advocated; and Anwar is known to oppose it.' In a statement on Monday, Nurul Izzah called for an independent tribunal made up of senior judges to investigate alleged attempts to fix judicial appointments, stressing that it would 'go a long way to preserve the faith in our systems'. Her position, however, appeared to contradict her party's view on her fellow leaders, who had asked for something similar just a week earlier.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Malaysia's judicial crisis escalates with leaked memo claims against top judge candidate
Malaysia 's judicial crisis deepened over the weekend after a leaked memo revealed serious allegations against Federal Court Judge Terrirudin Salleh, ahead of a lawyers' march to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim 's office on Monday to protest against alleged executive interference in the judiciary. Anwar has come under mounting pressure over the scandal, with lawmakers from his own party breaking ranks to demand that he 'clear the air', warning that judicial integrity is now 'the biggest issue' facing the country. The document, which comprises minutes from a classified Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting in May, was uploaded to social media on Saturday. It seemingly substantiates earlier claims of misconduct against Terrirudin, a former attorney general and rumoured front runner for the judiciary's top post. Previously reported allegations that the leaked memo corroborated included claims that Terrirudin pressured then-chief justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat to rule in favour of certain parties in an unspecified case and pushed for the reappointment of judges linked to ongoing trials. Terrirudin's former office, the Attorney General's Chambers, has since dismissed the claims as 'speculation'. Teriuddin Salleh is the rumoured front runner for the post of chief justice. Photo: Federal Court of Malaysia Former deputy law minister Ramkarpal Singh said the allegations 'strike at the very core of the integrity' of the judiciary and urged the prime minister to suspend Terrirudin's candidacy for higher office until the matter was investigated.
Malay Mail
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
No judicial crisis in Malaysia, says AGC amid calls for RCI over top court vacancies
KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) has dismissed claims that Malaysia is facing a judicial crisis, rejecting calls for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) or a parliamentary select committee to investigate judicial appointments. In a statement today, the AGC said the current situation does not constitute a constitutional crisis, and that the appointment process is proceeding in accordance with the Federal Constitution, according to a report published today in Free Malaysia Today. 'Discrepancies in timing or procedure related to appointments do not automatically amount to a constitutional crisis,' the AGC said. Citing Article 122B, the AGC explained that superior court judges are appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the prime minister, following consultation with the Conference of Rulers. While Parliament may review governance issues, the AGC warned against politicising the roles of the prime minister or the King, saying such matters must be handled in line with constitutional principles. The statement follows demands by Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and several PKR lawmakers for an RCI amid delays in naming new top judicial figures, including the chief justice. Responding to claims of procedural flaws, including alleged short-notice meetings by the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), the AGC said such meetings are valid if members agree and no clear evidence of misconduct is present. The AGC also rejected 'speculative' accusations that a Federal Court judge influenced judicial decisions or postings, adding that JAC deliberations are legally protected and should not be misinterpreted as wrongdoing. It further said comparisons to the VK Lingam case in 2007, which resulted in an RCI, were 'unwarranted' due to the lack of solid evidence in the current situation. The AGC urged all parties to respect the separation of powers and avoid public pressure or political rhetoric that could compromise institutional credibility. Concerns over a judicial crisis arose ahead of the mandatory retirement of then Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim last week. Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Seri Hasnah Hashim is now acting chief justice, while Federal Court judge Datuk Zabariah Mohd Yusof is serving as acting Court of Appeal president. Sarawak PKR information chief Abun Sui Anyit also said calls for an RCI were unnecessary, pointing to Article 131A of the constitution, which allows a Federal Court judge to assume interim duties to maintain judicial continuity. He stressed that judicial appointments involve four key institutions — the JAC, the prime minister, the Conference of Rulers, and the King — and are not solely decided by the executive.
