Former chief justice: Malaysia’s judiciary reputation being restored

MELBOURNE: Malaysia’s judiciary is reforming itself to restore its reputation and credibility, according to its former chief justice, Tun Zaki Azmi.

He will outline these reforms and discuss the separation of powers in Malaysia, particularly in relation to judicial independence, at the University of Sydney Law School today.

“Malaysia’s judges have frequently been charged with political interference. As a judge since 2007 and a member of Umno, Zaki has not been immune from allegations of interference,” the university said in a statement.

“This impression has endured at home and lingered overseas, notwithstanding a series of recent reforms and measures designed to restore the judiciary’s reputation and the credibility of the Malaysian legal system,” the university quotes Zaki, who was Malaysia’s chief justice from October 2008 until September 2011, as saying.

“In the 1980s, under then-prime minister ( Tun Dr) Mahathir Mohamad, the torch of judicial independence appeared to shine brightly with the judges expanding grounds for judicial review and declaring ( Dr) Mahathir’s Umno party an illegal organisation.

“...the judiciary has distanced itself from the executive and legislative branches of the Malaysian Government.”

Under Zaki’s leadership, appointments to the judicial bench had become more transparent and court delays, dramatically reduced.

His address, ‘ Rule of Law and the Independence of the Judiciary in Malaysia: New Government, Old Government, Does it really matter’ is expected to offer an informed view of the Malaysian judiciary and its role in upholding the country’s democratic process. — Bernama