Why The Silence On Dr M S Interference Najib Asks Ex Judges

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Former prime minister Najib Razak said two retired judges had remained silent on revelations that Dr Mahathir Mohamad had intervened in the appointment of judges. (Reuters pic)PETALING JAYA: Najib Razak has questioned two former top judges over their purported silence on former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s interference in the judiciary.
This comes after retired judges Gopal Sri Ram and Mohd Hishamudin Yunus said the prime minister should have no role in the appointment of judges.
They had said this in commenting on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the federal government and Pakatan Harapan (PH), which touches on judicial independence among other issues.
Under the Federal Constitution, the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), an independent body, is tasked with the appointment of judges.
In a Facebook post today, Najib said he agreed with Sri Ram and Hishamudin but questioned why they had remained silent on revelations that Mahathir had intervened in the appointment of judges.
He cited an excerpt from former attorney-general Tommy Thomas’s book that he and Mahathir had discussed the appointment of judges after the PH administration swept to power.
“Do the former judges agree that a royal commission of inquiry needs to be established immediately to investigate the interference of the 7th prime minister and the AG in the judiciary, as revealed by Thomas?”
Prior to this, Umno had called for an RCI (royal commission of inquiry) to look into the claims in Thomas’s book.
Among them includes his admission to having had discussions with Mahathir, when both were in office, on the appointments of the chief justice, the Court of Appeal president and the chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak. - FMT

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