The Straits Times, October 30, 2007
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
KUALA LUMPUR - AN INFLUENTIAL Malaysian ruler, Perak Sultan Azlan Shah, who was once a highly respected chief justice, has unexpectedly joined calls for judicial reform, noting public 'disquiet' following recent 'disturbing events relating to the judiciary'.
Addressing the same Malaysian Law Conference yesterday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi did not respond directly to criticisms of the judiciary.
Instead, he took aim at lawyers, criticising them for going overboard by holding a public demonstration last month to push for judicial reform.
Malaysia's nine rulers do not usually speak out on political matters but Sultan Azlan Shah, in a speech that drew a standing ovation, had earlier spoken of the need for the judiciary to regain public confidence.
He said: 'I have found it necessary to speak at some length on these matters because it is my earnest hope that the Malaysian judiciary will regain the public's confidence.'
He also said: 'A judiciary loses its value and service to the community if there is no public confidence in its decision making.'
The Bench was rocked recently when opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim revealed an explosive video clip of a lawyer boasting about using political connections to get certain judges promoted.
That only fuelled a crisis of confidence following allegations about certain judges' close ties with powerful businessmen, and heightened calls from the Malaysian Bar - which represents 12,000 lawyers - for an overhaul of the system of judicial appointments.
And just last Friday, a human rights lawyer handed the King a 5,000-signature petition calling for reforms.
Adding to the beleaguered judiciary's problems, the last few years have seen a growing perception that judgments involving religious disputes are being delivered along religious lines.
In the face of such problems, Sultan Azlan Shah, who headed the judiciary in the 1980s, told the conference: 'I am driven nostalgically to look back at a time when our judiciary was the pride of our region, and our neighbours spoke admiringly of our legal system.'
And in remarks directly addressed to serving judges, he reminded them that they are judges for all Malaysians and asked them to be sensitive and impartial when dealing with all parties, irrespective of race, religion or creed.
Despite not normally rocking the boat, the sultans collectively showed their strength earlier this year when they refused to endorse a government choice for a top judicial post.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister said the Malaysian Bar should not be unduly negative, adding that the government took its views seriously.
And he remained optimistic about the future, saying that the lawyers had acted prematurely by demonstrating.
'A demonstration gives the impression that a problem has reached an intractable impasse even when, in reality, it has not,' he said.
Malaysia's de-facto law minister Nazri Aziz, also appeared to have brushed off Sultan Azlan Shah's criticisms, saying: 'That is an opinion of some people, not necessarily the majority.'
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
KUALA LUMPUR - AN INFLUENTIAL Malaysian ruler, Perak Sultan Azlan Shah, who was once a highly respected chief justice, has unexpectedly joined calls for judicial reform, noting public 'disquiet' following recent 'disturbing events relating to the judiciary'.Addressing the same Malaysian Law Conference yesterday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi did not respond directly to criticisms of the judiciary.
Instead, he took aim at lawyers, criticising them for going overboard by holding a public demonstration last month to push for judicial reform.
Malaysia's nine rulers do not usually speak out on political matters but Sultan Azlan Shah, in a speech that drew a standing ovation, had earlier spoken of the need for the judiciary to regain public confidence.
He said: 'I have found it necessary to speak at some length on these matters because it is my earnest hope that the Malaysian judiciary will regain the public's confidence.'
He also said: 'A judiciary loses its value and service to the community if there is no public confidence in its decision making.'
The Bench was rocked recently when opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim revealed an explosive video clip of a lawyer boasting about using political connections to get certain judges promoted.
That only fuelled a crisis of confidence following allegations about certain judges' close ties with powerful businessmen, and heightened calls from the Malaysian Bar - which represents 12,000 lawyers - for an overhaul of the system of judicial appointments.
And just last Friday, a human rights lawyer handed the King a 5,000-signature petition calling for reforms.
Adding to the beleaguered judiciary's problems, the last few years have seen a growing perception that judgments involving religious disputes are being delivered along religious lines.
In the face of such problems, Sultan Azlan Shah, who headed the judiciary in the 1980s, told the conference: 'I am driven nostalgically to look back at a time when our judiciary was the pride of our region, and our neighbours spoke admiringly of our legal system.'
And in remarks directly addressed to serving judges, he reminded them that they are judges for all Malaysians and asked them to be sensitive and impartial when dealing with all parties, irrespective of race, religion or creed.
Despite not normally rocking the boat, the sultans collectively showed their strength earlier this year when they refused to endorse a government choice for a top judicial post.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister said the Malaysian Bar should not be unduly negative, adding that the government took its views seriously.
And he remained optimistic about the future, saying that the lawyers had acted prematurely by demonstrating.
'A demonstration gives the impression that a problem has reached an intractable impasse even when, in reality, it has not,' he said.
Malaysia's de-facto law minister Nazri Aziz, also appeared to have brushed off Sultan Azlan Shah's criticisms, saying: 'That is an opinion of some people, not necessarily the majority.'
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