Judicial appointments: Don't ruin your legacy, Rafizi warns PM

Summary

• Rafizi says Anwar’s alleged plan to elevate a certain judge to CJ will see latter’s reform efforts go to waste.

• Former minister says the govt has a duty to address all concerns on the present judicial scandal.

Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli last night urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim not to meddle with judicial appointments, warning that it would only tarnish the latter’s legacy.

Speaking at a forum on the judiciary, he said Anwar would put to waste his reform efforts should the premier proceed with an alleged plan to elevate a certain judge to be the chief justice.

“I also hope my dear prime minister, do not brush it (off), do not put this aside.

“You can explain to MPs, explain to the cabinet and the public, and answer to Parliament, but the substance of the issue is, if you proceed with this appointment as we all know, the damage... You don’t want (this) to be your legacy.

“This is my message to Anwar. You don’t want it to be your legacy, whatever it is. For many decades in the future, people will remember Anwar as the one person who made a U-turn on the judiciary.

“What a waste. After all these years, why? This is my question: why?” Rafizi asked.

The former economy minister was referring to his prediction that a senior judge who has been accused of alleged judicial interference is poised to take over as chief justice by year’s end.

Concerns about the judge were intensified after purported Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting minutes from May were leaked on Saturday.

The document appeared to corroborate allegations of judicial interference that surfaced last month after a police report lodged on the judge’s behalf was also leaked.

Police have since launched an investigation under Section 8 of the Official Secrets Act, among others, with a focus on determining how the classified document had leaked out on social media.

‘Address all concerns’

Commenting on the police probe, Rafizi said, while he understands the police have a duty to investigate when they receive a report, it should not be the only government response to the issue.

He stressed that Putrajaya has the responsibility to answer and address all the other concerns raised.

“The government has to react to all the issues in regards to the judiciary, which has now become a big problem.

“If they do not tread this carefully and focus only on OSA, it would only attract more negative reactions to the government,” the Pandan MP said.

When met by reporters after the event, Rafizi was also asked to comment on calls by some 30 PKR division leaders for the party to suspend him and eight other PKR MPs over their push for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the crisis.

To this, he said it was within the leaders’ right to make such calls but reminded them that PKR is a “parti reformasi” (reformist party) which celebrates differences in opinion.

Rafizi pointed out that the MPs also have a responsibility as elected representatives, where they must speak up when necessary.

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