The move to appoint Chief Justice Md Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal president Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin as additional judges in order to extend their tenures was not a smart one to make, said former chief justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad.

The move, he said, "is not good for the Malaysian government's image, not good for the image of the judiciary and not good for the integrity of the judges involved".

In a blog posting today, Hamid said the extension gave the impression of political meddling by the government.

"This was not a smart move. This made it look as though the Malaysian government, in the current political climate, wants them to retain their positions," he added...