PERIKATAN Nasional (PN) Members of Parliament have declined to support Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli’s call for the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into judicial appointments, citing concerns over the effectiveness and impartiality of such a move under the current administration.
PN chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the opposition bloc cannot endorse the initiative, echoing coalition chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s scepticism over Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s willingness to permit an investigation that could involve scrutiny of his own role.
“I confirm that some PN MPs received a letter dated 9 July 2025 from Rafizi titled ‘Support for Upholding Judicial Integrity’, which includes proposals concerning the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) and the exclusive authority of the Prime Minister in appointing top judges,” Takiyuddin said in a statement on Friday.
Earlier this week, Rafizi and eight other PKR MPs circulated the letter to all Members of Parliament, urging support for an independent inquiry to safeguard the judiciary’s integrity and transparency.
However, Takiyuddin stressed that PN MPs are not aligned with this approach, arguing that an RCI, under the current constitutional arrangement, would still be subject to the Prime Minister’s influence.
“An RCI is not, in our view, a sufficient or effective mechanism, as it still lies under the full discretion and control of the Prime Minister, who advises the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” he said.
“Therefore, PN MPs are unable to state their support for Rafizi’s proposal.”
PN’s position underscores the broader political impasse over judicial reform, with opposition parties questioning whether institutional checks and balances can function independently within the existing executive structure. - July 11, 2025
