Judges should not invite one party alone into chambers, says CJ

Lower court judges and magistrates should refrain from inviting one party of a trial to enter their chambers unaccompanied by the other party.

This was the message given by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat during the swearing-in ceremony for judges today.

"It is not appropriate to invite one party to enter the chambers without the presence of the other party, even if they are close friends.

"I have received reports that this happened in the Magistrate's Court and Sessions Court. I advised that such action be stopped immediately," she said.

She reminded judges to ensure they avoid behaving in a manner that invited reasonable suspicion about their impartiality.

"When suspicions arise, there is basis for others to suspect potential bias in judgments because they are friends," she said.

When met later, she told the media that this is not a widespread phenomenon within the judiciary.

The chief justice noted that judges, magistrates, deputy public prosecutors and federal counsel sometimes had close bonds among themselves.

"Sometimes when they enter the judges' chambers, they just share empty talk. That doesn't mean that (they) commit wrongdoing in the chambers," she said.

[More to follow]  - Mkini