LETTER | Sabah lawyer and Warisan legal advisor, Chin Tek Ming, today congratulated the newly appointed judges to the highest echelons of the Malaysian judiciary and reiterated his longstanding call for greater representation of Sabah-born jurists in the nation’s appellate courts.

Chin extended his congratulations to Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh on his appointment as the 17th chief justice of Malaysia, Abu Bakar Jais as the new president of the Court of Appeal, and Azizah Nawawi as the chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak.

He also commended the appointments of eight new Court of Appeal judges and 14 High Court judges, expressing hope that the new appointees will discharge their judicial responsibilities “without fear or favour” and uphold the sanctity of the rule of law - one of the key pillars of Malaysia’s constitutional separation of powers.

While expressing support for the latest appointments, Chin reaffirmed the concerns he raised in his press statements dated June 9 and 14, where he highlighted the underrepresentation of judges of Sabah origin in the Federal Court and Court of Appeal.

“To this day, there remain too few Court of Appeal judges of Sabah origin, and there are none in the Federal Court. This imbalance must be rectified in accordance with the spirit and terms of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” he said.

He added that while Sabah has produced many capable jurists, few have been elevated to the apex courts, and this continuing disparity undermines the federal principle of equal partnership among the constituent regions of Malaysia.

In addition, Chin urged the government and the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) to consider appointing retired but experienced Sabah jurists to serve on the Commission.

“We have a wealth of legal experience among retired judges from Sabah, such as former chief justice Richard Malanjum and former chief judge David Wong, who can bring valuable insight and regional balance to the JAC,” he said.

Chin concluded by emphasising that judicial diversity, especially in terms of geographical representation, is crucial to reinforcing public confidence in the judiciary and ensuring that the administration of justice is reflective of Malaysia’s federal character.

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