Agong back in Johor, S'gor ruler urges no speculation amid judicial silence

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has returned to his home state of Johor, posting a photograph of himself horse riding and sharing thoughts on healthy living.

Several photographs of Sultan Ibrahim were shared on his official Facebook page today.

His Majesty had previously attended the much-awaited Conference of Rulers meeting, which began on July 15, with judicial appointments on the agenda.

In a statement this morning, Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who chaired the meeting, said that the pre-council meeting of the Conference of Rulers was held on July 15, followed by the 269th meeting the next day (July 16).

However, the original schedule of the meeting was from July 15-17. It is unclear if a statement on the judicial appointments will be issued later.

Sultan Sharafuddin said that the process stipulated under the Federal Constitution must be implemented transparently and carefully, to preserve the rule of law and uphold the principles of justice, which form the cornerstone of the nation’s governance.

“In this regard, all parties are urged to refrain from making any speculation and negative accusations without obtaining complete and verified facts regarding any matter,” he decreed.

The ruler said that among the main agenda items discussed were deliberations regarding the appointment of the chief justice, Court of Appeal president, chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak, and judges of the superior courts.

“In the deliberation process, I emphasised the need to comply with every legal provision, particularly under Article 122B of the Federal Constitution, which provides for the process and procedures for appointing senior judges of the superior courts.

“In this regard, I fully support the statement issued by the national palace dated July 10 which states that His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may appoint the chief justice, Court of Appeal president, and other important positions in the judiciary after receiving advice from the prime minister and after consulting with the Conference of Rulers,” he added.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that the Conference of Rulers is expected to make an official announcement on key judicial appointments on July 16.

He stated that this follows an extensive deliberation during the rulers’ meeting.

‘No unsuitable names presented’

The forthcoming decision, Anwar said, is expected to effectively dispel negative perceptions concerning judicial independence and allegations related to the potential appointment of an unsuitable individual.

Anwar acknowledged public concerns over the delay in appointing a new chief justice, creating a perception that some key appointments to the judiciary may have been compromised.

He also pointed out that the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said and Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar are aware of the facts and details, stressing no questionable names were presented to the Agong or Malay rulers for consideration.

On July 14, around 600 people participated in the “Walk to Safeguard Judicial Independence” led by the Malaysian Bar. Organisers estimated the turnout to be closer to 1,600.

They submitted a memorandum with four demands - filling top judicial vacancies, releasing minutes of a recent Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting, forming a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to probe judicial interference, and addressing overall judicial vacancies.

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