PM: Subjecting entire judiciary to RCI will hamper crucial court cases
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has noted that the allegations of judicial misconduct contained in an explosive affidavit did not mention specific judges.
“It was a general accusation. So if it is a general accusation, the entire judiciary will have to face the RCI (Royal Commission of Inquiry)...
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has noted that the allegations of judicial misconduct contained in an explosive affidavit did not mention specific judges.
“It was a general accusation. So if it is a general accusation, the entire judiciary will have to face the RCI (Royal Commission of Inquiry).
“If we do this, then crucial hearings which are ongoing can no longer proceed and this will deny justice to all quarters,” he told reporters in Malacca this evening.
Mahathir was asked if the government would expedite the formation of the RCI which he announced in February following Court of Appeal judge Hamid Sultan Abu Backer's affidavit.
Previously, de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong attributed the delay to an originating summons filed by former Sabah chief minister Yong Teck to challenge the constitutionality of the RCI.
However, a high-ranking government official told Malaysiakini last week that Putrajaya is planning to strike out the suit, which was described as “frivolous.”
Last Wednesday, Mahathir said the government was committed to establishing an RCI since this is what the public wanted.
He was commenting on a suggestion by retired judge Gopal Sri Ram (photo) that newly minted Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat carry out an internal inquiry into the allegations instead.
'Rulers cannot intervene in politics'
On a separate matter, Mahathir has said that it is perfectly fine for the Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar to invite both Umno leaders and Pakatan Harapan leaders to separate private Hari Raya Aidilfitri events.
“If he wants to invite (them) for Hari Raya to dine them, then it is okay.
“But I do not think he wants to become a politician because the rulers cannot intervene in politics,” he said.
He was replying to a question on whether the separate invitations to both sides of the political partisan was a breakthrough for bipartisan politics.
The Johor sultan had hosted Umno leaders for a Hari Raya event on June 8 and subsequently invited Bersatu state chiefs to another event today.
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