Foreign minister reminds judiciary to be independent

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman has reminded the judiciary to act independently, and to uphold justice without fear or favour.

Anifah said this in his keynote address at the Asean Intergovernmental Commission of Human Rights (AICHR) judicial colloquium on the sharing of good practices regarding international human rights law, which was read out by Foreign Ministry secretary-general Ramlan Ibrahim.

Ramlan expressed apologies on behalf of Anifah, who could not be present at the event held in Kuala Lumpur.

Anifah, while acknowledging the rarity of him having an audience of judges, took the opportunity to say a few words about the judiciary. 

The judiciary, he said, as an arm independent from the executive and legislature, has an inherent duty to promote the universal, inalienable and indivisible rights of the people according to the law of the land.

“The judiciary also serves to check and balance the other two branches of government.

“In doing so, one of the aims of the judiciary is to ensure that human rights are not compromised or encroached,” he said.

The government, he stressed, both valued and respected the country’s judiciary.

“Its independence is vital. Governments are made up of human beings. We are not incapable of making mistakes.

“We are not infallible. The courts are under a sacred duty to act independently in accordance with their overriding obligation to uphold justice without fear or favour,” he added.


[More to follow]

-Mkini