Anwar: I kept silent out of respect for judicial appointment process
He added that this was part of observing a system of checks and balances as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
"For a week, the opposition attacked me, calling me a destroyer of the judiciary. But which judge have I removed? Who has been dismissed? None," he said.
Anwar said he remained silent because the appointment process required the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
"I receive the names from the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), evaluate them, submit them to the King, and upon His Majesty's approval, they are discussed at the Conference of Rulers.
"Only after I meet with the Rulers to provide an explanation, and the King gives his consent, can I respond," he said.
Anwar was speaking at the launch of the Bumiputera Master Plan, Tunas Madani, and the JKP Sdn Bhd Housing Project at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Penang today.
Yesterday, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, consented to the appointment of Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as the new Chief Justice.
According to a statement from the Chief Registrar's Office, the decision was made based on the advice of the prime minister and after consulting the Conference of Rulers, in line with Article 122B(1) of the Federal Constitution.
His Majesty also approved the appointments of Datuk Abu Bakar Jais as President of the Court of Appeal, and Datuk Azizah Nawawi as Chief Judge of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak, replacing the current officeholder who is set to retire.
The appointment and oath-taking ceremony will take place on July 28, 2025, at Istana Negara.
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Free Malaysia Today
36 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
5 simple questions on the ‘Turun Anwar' campaign
I very much hope the authorities will not hinder the 'Turun Anwar' rally — set for this Saturday, July 26 — as I am curious to see who will attend. Will electoral reform group Bersih mobilise? I am very sure Perikatan Nasional will mobilise its supporters. That means thousands of PAS supporters will likely turn up in support of their own leaders whom, they think, can do no wrong. Will Muda turn up in full force with its founder Syed Sadiq Syed Abdul Rahman and acting president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz? Will Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his family make an appearance? What about the family of the late Daim Zainuddin, Mahathir's closest confidant? Will they also show up? Who will attend? I am on pins and needles. Of course, I expect the immature Sabah students — the self-declared future leaders of our country known for their portrait-burning antics — to turn up. No matter who attends, there are five questions I would like to ask the rally goers. First, should Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim be the real target of the rally? In a democracy, as I assume the rally goers know fully well, Anwar will only be forced to step down if Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) — Sarawak's ruling coalition — and Umno were to pull out of the unity government. That would signal the collapse of the current government and trigger an election. Alternatively, if GPS and Umno decide to throw their support behind PN, then we will have a new 'functioning' government. But, as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. Which reminds me of a funny story. A man in a desert once asked a genie he released from a bottle for one wish — to be wealthy. The genie obliged and heaped treasures on him, only for him to die of thirst a few days later because it never occurred to the man that he should have wished for water. Those unaffiliated to PN who are intending to attend the 'Turun Anwar' rally should perhaps think through what they are asking for. Second question: if Anwar were to step down, who do you see stepping up to replace him? The rally organisers are not calling for the unity government to be removed. But is there an obvious successor within the unity government? Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli? But didn't he just resign? That means he is unlikely to be a candidate for the top job. Nurul Izzah Anwar? She is not even an MP. A politician friend of mine suggested Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Wan Azizah, we remember, opted for Mahathir to be the prime minister in 2018. So, who else is left? We do have deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof. But will MPs from West Malaysia support one from GPS, which has only a few seats in Parliament, for the top post? I do not think so. So we are left with the other deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Which puts us back at square one. Congratulations, 'Turun Anwar' rally goers. My third question. Will those who take over from Anwar be able to resolve issues surrounding the death of former political aide Teoh Beng Hock, Pastor Raymond Koh's disappearance, the potential house arrest of former prime minister Najib Razak or the current stand-off on judicial appointments. Will the likes of PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, Bersatu secretary-general Azmin Ali, Urimai chairman P Ramasamy, or Muda acting president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz be able to resolve these issues? How would they go about it? I am really interested to know. The fourth question here is, shouldn't the rally goers also get the people to reject GPS, Umno, DAP, Amanah and PKR? After all, they are all part of the 'failed' government. Perhaps, they can invite Rafizi and former minister Khairy Jamaluddin to tear apart PKR and Umno respectively, someone from Sarawak to do the same to GPS and Ramasamy to disavow DAP. Then, and only then, can we get rid of Anwar and bury his political career once and for all. My final question: shouldn't the rally organiser deploy their forces to the homes of the MPs and urge them to table a no-confidence motion on Anwar? After all, Anwar has said he will allow such a vote to take place in Parliament. So what are they waiting for? Lobby the 152 MPs at their homes, their offices and on their social media platforms. It isn't that difficult to do. To the organisers of the rally, don't bother shouting useless slogans that are bereft of political strategy. Do it right or just stay home and drop your next podcast. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Concerns over appointment of AG: Are they about principles of good governance and independence or politics? — Hafiz Hassan
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The Star
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