After 'mother of all judicial scandals', Latheefa wants PM's powers stripped

Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) co-founder Latheefa Koya has urged the government to urgently table a Constitutional Amendment Bill to strip the prime minister and the executive of all influence in the appointment of judges.

“It is a simple amending bill, it can be brought and passed in the session of Parliament commencing in a few weeks.

“The new amendment must be the absolute priority in this coming session of Parliament. Nothing else will assuage public concern and anger,” she said in a statement.

Latheefa was responding to the leak of purported Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting minutes, describing the revelation as the “mother of all judicial scandals.”

Malaysiakini reported last night that an alleged excerpt from the JAC meeting minutes in May has been leaked on social media.

The classified document appears to contain allegations echoing those in a leaked police report lodged in June on behalf of a senior judge.

‘Shocked and horrified’

Referring to the leak, Latheefa said it has left Malaysians “shocked and horrified”.

“It confirms what everyone has already long guessed: executive interference in the judiciary. All the repeated denials and claims of correctly following the procedures laid down in the Constitution are lies.

“The contents of the leaked document have now unleashed the mother of all judicial scandals. It cannot be put back in the bottle; it is out, and the public has seen it. Public confidence in the judicial institution will plummet as a consequence,” the lawyer added.

Latheefa said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his administration must “bear full responsibility for this disaster”.

“Can we ever trust this government to safeguard the integrity of the independent institutions of the country?” she asked.

“The only way to resolve this matter and regain public confidence in the judiciary is to table the Constitutional Amendment Bill, which entirely removes the power of the prime minister or the executive in the appointment of judges.

“If this prime minister and this government will not table this bill, then the only conclusion must be that they are unfit to govern this nation,” she added.

Latheefa also called for a thorough and independent investigation into all the “shocking allegations” contained in the leaked minutes.

“The probe must be instituted at the highest levels and be transparent and public,” she added.

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