Now or never: Judicial reform call gains momentum with Chief Justice's push

SHAH ALAM - Malaysia’s long-overdue judicial reform has taken centre stage after Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat called for a review of the Prime Minister’s role in the judicial appointment process – a move hailed as both timely and essential by governance advocates.

In a statement, anti-corruption group #RasuahBusters welcomed the Tengku Maimun's remarks made on Apr 8, describing the move as timely and imperative.

"RasuahBusters welcomes this proposal, echoing our longstanding call for a more transparent and independent judicial appointment process and highlighting the urgent need to amend the Judicial Appointments Commission Act (JAC) 2009.

“Notably, this suggestion has also been raised by the Conference of Rulers and aligns with the people’s aspiration to see the nation’s final bastion of justice free from executive interference and political influence,” the statement read.

To uphold the highest standard of justice, the group said that the principles in judicial appointments must include safeguarding the independence of the commission from executive control, ensuring a diverse and balanced composition in terms of expertise and background, maintaining transparency and basing appointments strictly on merit, professionalism, integrity and qualifications.

“We trust that public confidence in the judiciary will be enhanced and potential conflicts of interest mitigated when the Prime Minister no longer holds centralised power in determining judicial appointments - the guardians of the law.

“RasuahBusters urges that this reform proposal be embraced with political courage and a spirit of maturity. It represents a crucial milestone in the country’s democratic evolution, serving as a defining moment for Malaysia’s institutional integrity and a testament to our collective belief in an independent judiciary,” it further said.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to supporting governance reforms under the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), pledging continued collaboration with civil society to build a more just and dignified Malaysia.

The JAC is required to send a list of candidates for the top post to the prime minister, who will tender his advice to the king. The law, however, requires the king to act on the prime minister’s advice after consultation with the Conference of Rulers.

However, the prime minister can bypass the JAC’s recommendation in deciding on appointments, especially for the four judicial offices.