Stop accusing executive of interfering in judiciary: Zaki

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 – All parties should stop accusing the executive of interfering in the affairs of the country’s judiciary, said former chief justice Tun Zaki Azmi.

He noted that when he was chief justice, beginning 2008, the prime minister or other Cabinet ministers never interfered or enquired about cases in progress in court.

“Contact between me and the prime minister was during the process of appointing judges, budget for the judiciary or other matters as found in the constitution.

“Never accuse the judiciary of bowing to the executive. This is proven by the fact of several cases in our history, not favourable to the executive body,” Zaki (picture) said.

He was speaking at the close of the Special Workshop on Formulating Laws in the Country at Parliament here today. Also present was Senate president Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang.

Zaki, who retired from the judiciary on Sept 12, last year gave the example of the case of Opposition Chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who was acquitted and discharge of sodomising his former assistant, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

“If there were interference, the executive would want Anwar to be convicted in the case to stop him from creating problems to the executive,” he said.

Meanwhile, when met by reporters, Zaki, who is also chairman of the Special Review Commission on Civil Service Transformation, said more than 90 per cent of the 1,000 cases involving feedback received by the commission involved civil servant salary increment and allowances.

“We cannot deny the need for salary increment but what is more important is how we could improve the civil service to give the best for the people.

“Should the civil service be better, faster and more precise, the cost of management undertaken by the government would be reduced. With lower cost, there will be room in the budget to raise salary... this is what the civil servants need to think hard about,” he said. – Bernama