BY NOT extending the terms of the current Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and other senior judges, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is engaging in politics.
Concerned citizens who are asking for the extension of Tengku Maimun are not politicising the judiciary as alleged by Anwar but on the contrary doing the reverse by elevating the judiciary above the murky politics of the country.
If Anwar can renew the term of the controversial Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki for the third time, isn’t this politics?
Why should Azam be given an extension when he has been too long in the service and furthermore had dabbled in the share market earlier, something not expected of head of anti-graft agency in the country.
Unlike Tengku Maimun who had unblemished record as judge of high standard and integrity, Azam is nowhere in comparison.
Extending the term of Azam three times consecutively was a blatant political act of Anwar. Since the MACC has become subordinate to the executive in its prosecutorial functions, the extension of Azam’s term of office cannot be anything but political.
Bleak future for judiciary
Maybe Anwar wants the judiciary to be tame as other government agencies. Some are speculating that the civil suit by Yusoff Rawther against him might be the reason he wants a tame judiciary.
Even if the civil suit fails against Anwar, there is a fear that the details of the trial might prove extremely embarrassing for him.
I am not sure whether it is the ignominy of what details that might transpire in the future trial the reason why Anwar wants a immunity from the prosecution – not so much for him – but hilariously for the Office of the Prime Minister.
Twice former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad might have contributed to the defanging of the judiciary.
But Anwar’s reluctance not to extend the terms of the senior judges including Tengku Maimun is a clear clash of reducing whatever independence and sanctity that is left in the judiciary.
This one reason alone is sufficient to say that the judiciary is facing the biggest and most dangerous challenge from the government that came to power on the basis of reforms.
What we have is not reforms but reformati! Is the death of the judiciary imminent in the country? The judiciary that gave hope and meaning to democracy, justice and human rights might become another arm of the executive. – July 1, 2025
Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image credit: Badan Kehakiman Malaysia | The Malaysian Judiciary/Facebook; Anwar Ibrahim/Facebook
