LETTER | Lately, there have been statements from various groups on the government’s decision not to extend former chief justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat’s tenure. She retired on July 1, 2025.

Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin has criticised the government’s decision not to extend Tengku Maimun’s tenure, saying it signals a lack of consideration for the future of the country’s legal system.

For weeks, before her impending retirement, questions had arisen among legal practitioners and politicians over the lack of an extension for her and an announcement of a successor.

The DAP came out late with a statement saying that the judiciary is of paramount importance, and reiterated its position that the extension” of the tenures “would be consistent with the reformist agenda of the Madani government”.

It is obvious from these statements that Tengku Maimun has shown integrity and defends judicial independence. 

The question is, does the Malaysian public’s trust in the judiciary have to be confined to individuals, or would it be better if judges are able to safeguard the independence and integrity of the judiciary?

Is the judiciary not a guiding light to the objectivity of constitutional principles?

What the public aspires for is not only judges with integrity but also for them to collectively safeguard constitutional principles that make the judiciary truly independent.

If this were the case, the retirement of the chief justice would not have been an issue to the people, since whoever comes after would carry on the torch of justice through a balanced and enlightened interpretation of the Constitution that protects the life and liberty of all Malaysians.

Therefore, the Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue believes that it would be wise for judicial appointments to be separated from the preferences of the prime minister or politicians who have their own agendas.

The judiciary is the carrier of holistic constitutional principles; it cannot be a playground of partisan preferences or ideological battles.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.