COMMENT Since former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad tampered with the judiciary in 1988, many Malaysians have come to doubt the independence of our courts and whether they can be depended upon to dispense justice.

And, over the years, judicial decisions in major cases, especially those involving the government, have deepened the doubts.

Confidence in the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has also sunk to the lowest level. This has been compounded by its selective persecution of dissenters and opposition leaders; and suffers an oversight when it comes to favoured individuals.

For example, nothing ever came out of the VK Lingam case, despite the conclusions of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Lingam’s involvement in judge-fixing; as well as the AGC’s decision not to appeal the acquittal of Abdul Razak Baginda, one of the prime accused in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial...