Judicial appointments: 'PM has nothing to hide from Parliament'

Summary

• Rafizi Ramli hopes Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will agree to face a PSSC to address issues surrounding judicial appointments.

• The former minister and other PKR backbenchers are calling for a PSSC and RCI to investigate recent allegations related to the JAC.

• The proposed inquiries aim to reveal more information and prevent speculation that could negatively impact public perception and legal practitioners' views on judicial independence.

Former economy minister Rafizi Ramli expressed hope that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will accept any request to face a proposed Parliamentary Special Select Committee proceeding on issues surrounding judicial appointments.

Speaking during a press conference with six other PKR backbenchers today, the Pandan MP also denied attempts to allege interference by Anwar in top judicial appointments.

“That’s why it’s best for these proceedings to go ahead as we suggested.

“At the parliamentary level, I believe the prime minister has nothing to hide, and I hope that if the PSSC on Institutional Reform calls him to clear the air, the prime minister can attend,” said the former PKR deputy president.

He earlier read out a joint statement by nine PKR lawmakers whose demands include a proceeding of the PSSC led by Selayang MP William Leong, as well as a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate recent allegations linked to the functions of the Judicial Appointment Commission.

Judicial interference

When asked again whether he felt Anwar attempted to interfere in the judicial appointment process, Rafizi said, “These are questions that are trying to put words into our mouths.

“Nothing here alleges anything beyond the facts,” he said, adding that the proposed PSSC and RCI were intended to reveal more information than what little is known.

“Whatever we say here, what we want to emphasise is that it’s not good to leave things hanging. Because information is already out there. And this information, at the moment, will invite even more speculation.

“If this speculation isn’t properly managed, it will affect public perception and the views of legal practitioners regarding the independence of the judiciary, and so on,” he said.

“I want to know as much as you all do… I want to know whether there was any interference or not. I want to know what happened, but I am not in a position to get the information.

“That’s why the best way to clear the air is to go through an RCI and PSSC. When that happens, I hope the prime minister can come forward, dispel the rumours, and we can move on from there,” he stressed.

Other MPs who spoke up in support of the RCI include Subang MP Wong Chen and Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Wong Chen noted the PSSC serves as a bipartisan platform to address related issues, while Nik Nazmi said Anwar’s role to face parliament scrutiny will be in line with his other commitments to institutional reforms.

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