2 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Strong judiciary crucial for Malaysia's economic prospects
KUALA LUMPUR: Senior lawyer Steven Thiru paid tribute to former chief justice Tengku Tun Maimun Tuan Mat, saying under her stewardship, Malaysia made steady improvements in the Rule of Law Index.
"We had a renaissance. We are doing better on the index on almost every score. Not the best, because we know we are not the best and we are still struggling, but far better than the past," he said.
Malaysia ranked 55 out of 142 in the Rule of Law Index in 2023 and last year. Regionally, Malaysia also ranked seventh out of 15 countries in East Asia and Pacific over the same period.
Speaking at the Public Forum on Judicial Integrity held at the Universiti Malaya Alumni Association Clubhouse on Sunday, Thiru said judicial independence was not just a concern for legal professionals but a crucial factor influencing foreign investment decisions.
The Commonwealth Law Association president said the international community pays close attention to how the rule of law is upheld in each country.
"The Rule of Law Index, compiled by the Washington-based World Justice Project, studies the rule of law in every country on factors such as freedom, freedom of speech, association, and so on. They also do a study on how independent the judiciary is in any particular country.
"Why is the Rule of Law Index important? This is a document that is looked at by any foreign government if they want to invest in any particular country.
"It wants to know, in any particular country, what is your rule of law health.
"If it is not very healthy, they are not going to invest. No matter how many overseas trips you make and how much potential foreign direct investment you have, none of it is going to happen, as they will go back and ask the advisors, 'Show me the (Rule of Law) Index.'
"If the index shows that you are performing badly, the advice to the government and to their businesspeople is to look somewhere else," said the former Malaysian Bar president.
