HIS Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan’s unusually candid remarks on the latest nomination to the Judicial Appointments Commission have recast a political dispute as a matter of institutional integrity, sharpening scrutiny of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s reform narrative.
Media inquiries into the growing controversy over the Prime Minister’s decision to appoint former Federal Court judge Tan Sri Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh to the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) now come against an altered backdrop, which Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli sees as a rare and pointed public intervention by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan that has elevated the issue beyond routine political disagreement.
The Pandan MP, in a statement on Thursday, said: “Rulers seldom issue public commentary on executive decisions, let alone on appointments touching the workings of the judiciary.
The Negeri Sembilan Ruler’s statement, therefore, carries considerable constitutional weight and cannot be treated as a matter of mere protocol, Rafizi said.
Rather than dissipating quietly — as the Prime Minister and his advisers might have hoped — the episode has struck a nerve within a constituency long central to Pakatan Harapan and PKR’s support, he added.
Rafizi explained that among the coalition’s core supporters, the independence of the judiciary has always been a defining concern.
“The professional middle class, especially legal practitioners, were among the earliest proponents of the reform movement, shaped by their unease with state and judicial conduct in earlier eras.”
It is this community that now appears unsettled, with some interpreting Teriruddin’s appointment as tacit confirmation of an earlier intention to position him for the highest judicial office, a claim first aired in June, Rafizi said.
“Such perceptions — however gradually they take root — risk diminishing the reformist credibility that remains the lifeblood of PH and PKR’s political appeal. This credibility is especially vital should the coalition seek a renewed mandate,” he added.
He cited that compounding matters is the continuing absence of any investigation into allegations contained in the leaked JAC minutes.
The lingering vacuum has created a form of double jeopardy for the government, trapping it between unresolved claims and the optics of moving ahead regardless.
On one hand, doubts around Teriruddin’s suitability remain unaddressed; on the other, his elevation to the JAC projects an image of unwavering determination on the Prime Minister’s part to advance him towards a pivotal judicial post, notwithstanding the outstanding allegations.
“The convergence of a royal admonition, an appointment already viewed as contentious, and allegations left hanging has placed the administration in a precarious position — at a moment when its reformist credentials are not merely political branding but a test of trust and legitimacy,” Rafizi said.
On Monday (Nov 24), news reports cited The Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, His Majesty Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, urging the government to provide an immediate and reasoned response to objections over the appointment of Terrirudin as the eighth member of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC).
Speaking at the Negeri Sembilan Bar’s 60th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Tuanku Muhriz stressed that judicial independence must be protected from external pressures, adding that the process of appointing judges must remain free from executive influence.
He noted that he had repeatedly called for JAC reforms, and revealed he had been informed of the latest appointment just a day earlier.
“The Bar Council has strenuously objected to this recent appointment. There needs to be a reasoned response to the objection raised by the Bar Council,” Tuanku Muhriz said.
A former lawyer, the Ruler also reminded judges to decide cases solely on facts and the law, while emphasising the essential role played by a competent and principled Bar.
Although he did not mention the appointee by name, Tuanku Muhriz was understood to be referring to Ahmad Terrirudin, who succeeded retired Federal Court judge Datuk Zabariah Mohd Yusof despite several more senior Federal Court judges being available. - November 27, 2025
