Do the right thing and quit lawyers group tells AG, CJ and Court of Appeal president

PETALING JAYA: Lawyers for Liberty has urged Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali, Chief Justice Tun Md Raus Sharif, and Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin to “do the right thing” by immediately resigning from their positions.

Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen said that it is clear that the three men are “not fit to stay in office”.

“The longer they choose to remain, the worse the situation will become,” said Paulsen in a statement on Thursday (May 24).

“If they must be forced out by legal means, it will be a messy and drawn-out affair, and one that will engulf their once-respected offices and drag them and the country through a crisis,” he added..

Paulsen said that Apandi was a political appointee serving at the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the recommendation of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Apandi's appointment also came in the wake of his predecessor Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail's removal, just as Gani was allegedly about to file 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) charges against Najib.

“The re-appointments of Raus and Zulkefli were flagrantly unconstitutional, and their continued insistence in staying in their positions can only impede the important reforms planned by the Pakatan Harapan government,” said Paulsen.

Paulsen said that after his appointment, Apandi chose to clear Najib of all wrongdoings concerning 1MDB.

“Apandi clearly does not command the confidence of (current) Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has directed him to go on leave,” he said.

The re-appointments of Raus and Zulkefli to their respective posts were also shrouded in controversy – they were brought back as “additional judges” despite having reached their mandatory retirement age.

“Their continued insistence in remaining in their roles threatens to trigger a constitutional crisis and pit the new government against the judiciary,” said Paulsen, adding that the re-appointments were the subject of criticism by many groups.

These re-appointments were the subject of constitutional challenges by the Malaysian Bar and the Advocates Association of Sarawak.

Civil society groups and legal bodies also criticised the re-appointments.

Pakatan Harapan, then the Opposition coalition, also submitted a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in August 2017, seeking his intervention to stop what it described as unconstitutional re-appointments.- Star