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New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Rafizi warns of fallout for PH over judicial appointment issue [WATCH]
KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Harapan risks losing the support of its core supporters over issues affecting the judiciary, former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has warned. Rafizi, who is among nine PKR members of parliament who called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the appointment of top judicial positions, said this during a forum on the issue last night. The Pandan MP also said the push from the MPs was not an act of sabotage against PKR, whose president, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is also prime minister. "If we do not speak up and this issue is not handled well, the impact on PH will be more severe. The impact on the country will be worse because voters and ordinary people who believe this country has a chance for change will feel that all hope is lost, that all politicians are the same. "If that is how the people feel, if PH loses (the 16th General Election) after this, if (DAP chairman) Gobind Singh Deo wants to talk about the judiciary, who will care? I don't think anyone will care anymore," he said at the Public Forum: Judicial Integrity last night. Rafizi said the push for an RCI served as an early warning to the government that its actions must be supported by all government MPs. "It's better to listen to us, the seniors, rather than (others who are supposedly) trying to protect the prime minister, politically. This is because Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim does not need protection. He only needs to do what is best," he said. He said the best thing for Anwar to do is to ensure that if a judge's credibility has been questioned, their name should be dropped from the nomination process. Last week, Rafizi and eight other PKR MPs publicly urged the government to establish an RCI to probe alleged interference in judicial appointments. At least 20 PKR divisions in Johor and Kedah have called for the MPs to be suspended for breaching party discipline over the push for an RCI. Yesterday, PKR secretary-general Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh said the party is looking into the calls for the MPs to face disciplinary action.
Sinar Daily
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sinar Daily
Tensions between judiciary and executive brewing since last year
SHAH ALAM - Former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli hinted that there have been signs of friction between the judiciary and the executive when matters concerning the judiciary were discussed in the Cabinet over the past year. Rafizi said the situation suggested a tendency towards conflict, raising concerns over possible interference by the executive branch in the country's judicial institution. The Pandan MP said the tone of Cabinet discussions a year ago reminded him of the 1988 judicial crisis, when the judiciary faced intense pressure from the executive. "I still remember the feeling and thought, maybe this is how it all began in 1988, when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was behind the suspension and eventual dismissal of the then Lord President Tun Mohamed Salleh Abas and several senior judges. "Secondly, as a Member of Parliament and former minister, many of us have friends who are lawyers and judges. And there are two or three major cases expected to emerge in the next two to three years. "And when I mention major cases, the opposition will say those cases involve the Prime Minister. In truth, what many don't know is that the real cases I refer to involve the elite, the ultra-wealthy individuals whom Anwar (the Prime Minister) often criticises. These are the same groups involved in the VK Lingam case. "My concern is that the same group of individuals have vested interests in reshaping the judiciary in a way that, when their big cases are heard, they will win," he said. He was speaking at the Public Forum: Judicial Integrity hosted by Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh at the University of Malaya Alumni Association Clubhouse (PAUM) on Sunday. Public Forum: Judicial Integrity hosted by Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh held at the University of Malaya Alumni Association Clubhouse (PAUM) on Sunday. Other panelists included Subang MP Wong Chen, lawyer Lim Wei Jiet, Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) chairman Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz, Co-Chair of the Constitutional Law Committee of the Bar Council Gregory Dass and Commonwealth Lawyers Association President Steven Thiru. In the same development, Rafizi suggested that the government should not proceed with appointing a senior judge allegedly linked to judicial interference, as a step to ease tensions and restore public trust in the judiciary. He said the easiest way for the government to resolve the current crisis is to halt the controversial appointment. This action, he said. would allow space for all parties to address constitutional and legal issues more comprehensively without eroding public confidence. Rafizi also warned that failure to act swiftly could negatively impact Pakatan Harapan (PH) and the government as a whole. He said the outspoken voices among PH MPs raising this issue are not trying to sabotage the government but are merely issuing early warnings for appropriate action to be taken. "(Anwar) only needs to do the right thing and the right thing is to ensure that if a judge has already been questioned, remove him from the nomination process. "Go through the proper process, whether it involves investigation or following the required procedures, just do the right thing. I think people won't be too angry," he added. Rafizi stressed that if the right action is taken now, there is still time to regain public support for PH ahead of the next general election. However, he also cautioned that if the issue is allowed to drag on, PH risks losing the core support of the urban middle class, which was instrumental in the coalition's previous election victories.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Rafizi warns of fallout for PH over judicial appointment issue
KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Harapan risks losing the support of its core supporters over issues affecting the judiciary, former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has warned. Rafizi, who is among nine PKR members of parliament who called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the appointment of top judicial positions, said this during a forum on the issue last night. The Pandan MP also said the push from the MPs was not an act of sabotage against PKR, whose president, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is also prime minister. "If we do not speak up and this issue is not handled well, the impact on PH will be more severe. The impact on the country will be worse because voters and ordinary people who believe this country has a chance for change will feel that all hope is lost, that all politicians are the same. "If that is how the people feel, if PH loses (the 16th General Election) after this, if (DAP chairman) Gobind Singh Deo wants to talk about the judiciary, who will care? I don't think anyone will care anymore," he said at the Public Forum: Judicial Integrity last night. Rafizi said the push for an RCI served as an early warning to the government that its actions must be supported by all government MPs. "It's better to listen to us, the seniors, rather than (others who are supposedly) trying to protect the prime minister, politically. This is because Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim does not need protection. He only needs to do what is best," he said. He said the best thing for Anwar to do is to ensure that if a judge's credibility has been questioned, their name should be dropped from the nomination process. Last week, Rafizi and eight other PKR MPs publicly urged the government to establish an RCI to probe alleged interference in judicial appointments. At least 20 PKR divisions in Johor and Kedah have called for the MPs to be suspended for breaching party discipline over the push for an RCI. Yesterday, PKR secretary-general Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh said the party is looking into the calls for the MPs to face disciplinary action.
