A GROUP of PKR (KEADILAN) backbenchers have declared the unfolding controversy within Malaysia’s judiciary as the nation’s most urgent political issue, urging immediate government intervention to safeguard judicial independence.
In a joint statement released on 7 July 2025, nine Members of Parliament led by former PKR deputy President Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli said the federal administration under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had yet to provide a satisfactory response or clear direction in addressing the ongoing concerns.
“There has yet to be a satisfactory response or direction from the administration of the Honourable Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, regarding the controversy surrounding the judiciary,” the MPs said.
They warned that the lack of clarity was fuelling damaging speculation and eroding public trust in both the government and the judiciary.
Among the central issues raised was the alleged delay in acting upon judicial nominations submitted by the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), which has reportedly resulted in critical vacancies across the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court.
The MPs also claimed that nominations for the posts of Chief Justice and President of the Court of Appeal had already been decided by the JAC prior to the retirement of Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, yet the appointments were not executed, leaving a leadership vacuum.
Concerns were further raised about a recent JAC meeting reportedly held without the required 10-day notice, allegedly to revise or resubmit nominations for vacant posts.
More seriously, a Federal Court judge was said to have been summoned by the JAC to address allegations of attempting to influence the outcome of a case and interfere with judicial transfers. This allegation has since been supported by a police report lodged by a member of the judge’s staff.
The MPs compared the present crisis to the 2007 VK Lingam scandal, which revolved around allegations of undue influence in judicial appointments. They noted that the judge implicated in the current controversy once served as a special officer to Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, the then Chief Justice who was linked to the VK Lingam case.
In response, the MPs called for the immediate establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the allegations, similar to the one convened during the VK Lingam affair.
They also announced plans to formally request that the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections and Institutional Reform initiate an investigation, including summoning the Prime Minister to provide testimony.
They urged that no new nominations for judicial posts be considered until the completion of a thorough investigation and insisted that existing JAC nominations be honoured.
To galvanise wider support, the MPs said they would launch a cross-party campaign within Parliament, initiate public forums nationwide beginning with an event in Kuala Lumpur/Selangor on Sunday, 13 July 2025, and organise a national online petition to rally citizens around the defence of judicial independence.
Speaking at a special press conference alongside several PKR Members of Parliament in Puchong on Monday, Rafizi said: “The last time the judiciary was drawn into such a crisis was during the VK Lingam affair. Malaysians must not treat this issue lightly, even if it appears minor amid other national concerns."
The statement was signed by Rafizi Ramli (Pandan), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa), Wong Chen (Subang), Rodziah Ismail (Ampang), Zahir Hassan (Wangsa Maju), Bakhtiar Wan Chik (Balik Pulau), Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (Ledang), S Kesavan (Sungai Siput), and Onn Abu Bakar (Batu Pahat). - July 7, 2025
