03-07-2025
‘The public's eyes and mine are watching': Tengku Maimun urges govt, next CJ to protect judicial independence
KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 – Former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat officially launched her book Behind the Gavel today, providing would-be readers with deeper insight into the experiences of the country's first female top judge.
Now retired, Tengku Maimun said she still finds it hard to believe she spent six years of her life as Chief Justice and that someone thought her tenure worthy of a book.
'Like this book, I hope my tenure shows that I did my part for this nation and for the rule of law,' she said during her speech at the Asian International Arbitration Centre here.
In her closing remarks, Tengku Maimun said the bigger challenge now lies not with her, but with the next Chief Justice and the Malaysian government to uphold the independence and integrity of the judiciary.
She said she no longer has to carry that burden.
'The larger issue that I must highlight, as I have repeatedly done as Chief Justice, is the matter of judicial independence and integrity.
'The public's eyes, including mine, are on the government and the next Chief Justice on how they lift up the standards of judicial independence and integrity,' she said.
Today's launch event was also graced by Chief Justice of Singapore Sundaresh Menon, and included distinguished individuals from both the judiciary and the Malaysian legal profession.
At almost 800 pages long, the book is divided into three distinct parts.
The first part contains personal excerpts of those who had worked with and known Tengku Maimun closely; the second part contains a selection of reproduced notable judgments personally written and selected by Tengku Maimun; the third part contains curated speeches she made during her tenure as Chief Justice.
