MEMBERS of the Malaysian Bar will join the “Walk to Safeguard Judicial Independence" starting from the Palace of Justice, Putrajaya to the Prime Minister's Office this afternoon.
The 2.6-kilometre march starting at 2pm will end with the submission of a memorandum containing four demands to the Prime Minister's Office.
The demands include filling the top judicial vacancies, disclosing the minutes of the recent Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting, forming a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate judicial interference and addressing the overall judicial vacuum.
Malaysian Bar President Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab said in a statement on July 9 that the march was not about specific individuals, but rather for the integrity of the judicial institution.
According to him, the march was not just for lawyers, but for every Malaysian who values justice.
"When the independence of the judiciary becomes fragile, the entire nation bears the consequences.
"The march is a legal, peaceful and symbolic action that reflected the legal profession's strong commitment to defending the Federal Constitution, the doctrine of separation of powers and the rule of law.
"It is a collective statement that the independence of the judiciary is not something that can be negotiated and it must be protected from any external influence, whether political, Executive or otherwise," he said as reported by Berita Harian.
In the statement, the Malaysian Bar strongly rejected a news report that described the march as a form of protest against the government's decision not to extend the term of the former Chief Justice and President of the Court of Appeal.
According to the Malaysian Bar, any attempt to describe the march as a protest is deemed misleading and undermines the body's stance.
"The Malaysian Bar's focus is on structural and systemic issues affecting the Judiciary. This includes recent developments involving delays in appointments without any explanation as well as worrying references to possible interference in judicial affairs which have raised serious concerns," it said.
The last time lawyers held such a march was on June 17, 2022 to protest the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announcement regarding the investigation into then High Court Judge, Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali (now Court of Appeal Judge). – July 14, 2025
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