Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who retires on July 1, and Federal Court judge Nalini Pathmanathan, who is set to step down in August, have been steadfast bulwarks against creeping authoritarianism and political pressure, said former law minister Zaid Ibrahim.

Zaid said it “stings” that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim appears unwilling to grant even a modest extension to Tengku Maimun, given her exemplary defence of judicial independence.