PM: Govt to study any proposal for RCI into alleged judicial misconduct

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will study any proposal to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into a recent claim of judicial misconduct, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday.

Dr Mahathir said he was aware of the claim by Court of Appeal judge Datuk Dr Hamid Sultan Abu Backer in an affidavit where he made the allegation.

“Yes, I know that this man (Hamid) has voiced out (on this issue). I’m not in a position to comment on this because we don’t really run down the judiciary openly. But, of course, we have our private opinion.

“Any proposal made to the government will be studied and, if necessary, we will (set up an RCI),” he said on whether the government would establish an RCI on the matter.

He said this after chairing a Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Supreme Leadership Council meeting here.

Hamid, in a 63-page affidavit filed yesterday in support of an application by Sangeet Kaur Deo, the daughter of late lawyer Karpal Singh, claimed numerous incidences of alleged judicial interference within the judiciary, including judicial interference in Karpal Singh’s sedition appeal decision at the Court of Appeal.