No Interference In Judicial Appointments, Court Decisions - PM Anwar

PUTRAJAYA, June 30 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stressed that he does not interfere in judicial matters, including the appointment of judges or court decisions.

He said all appointments and extensions of service, including for judges, must follow procedures as outlined in the Federal Constitution. 

“If one understands the Constitution, then the process is clear. There’s a commission, there’s the Prime Minister, and there’s the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“If you look at the recent appointments, the list of candidates is submitted to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and then brought to the Conference of Rulers for discussion. So, all these procedures must be followed,” he said during a gathering with staff from the Prime Minister's Department here today.

Anwar also emphasised that any appointment or extension of tenure influenced by certain groups would tarnish the integrity of the judiciary.

“I believe that when institutions like the judiciary are politicised, decisions made could give the impression of betrayal,” he said. 

Anwar also said that judicial decisions are entirely within the jurisdiction of the courts, and he has never interfered in any judicial rulings.

“I’ve heard the issues being raised… but I have never interfered in judicial matters. Whatever decisions are made (by the courts), those are their decisions, but even that is being politicised,” he said.

Anwar also lamented the tendency of the public to interpret judicial decisions based on their own political leanings.

He referred to several recent high-profile cases, including those involving Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“We must respect the judges and the decisions they make. I’ve noticed people have double standards. They support a DNAA (discharge not amounting to an acquittal) in one case, but reject it (in another). 

“We can’t be like that. We must remember to uphold (the integrity of the judiciary), not follow political preferences,” he said.

On June 20, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted a DNAA to Najib in three charges involving RM27 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

Judge K Muniandy allowed the defence’s application for a DNAA after the prosecution admitted it was not ready to proceed with the trial, which had been delayed since 2019.

Meanwhile, on June 25, the Court of Appeal acquitted Syed Saddiq of four charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT), misuse of funds and money laundering involving Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (ARMADA) funds.

A three-judge panel comprising Justices Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin, allowed his appeal, overturning his Nov 2023 conviction by the Kuala Lumpur High Court, which had sentenced him to seven years’ jail, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 million fine.

-- BERNAMA