Reports reveal they only affirmed their judicial pledge as chief justice and Court of Appeal president, says Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, adding it will be constitutionally problematic if they have yet to take the oath as additional judges.
PETALING JAYA: A lawyer wants Chief Justice Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal (COA) President Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin to clarify whether they have taken their judicial oath as additional judges of the Federal Court.
Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla said there appeared no confirmed reports that Raus and Zulkelfi had taken a separate oath before taking a pledge as chief justice and COA president.
“There may be another constitutional crisis because all their functions in those seats thus far may be unconstitutional and invalid,” he said in a blog posting.
The lawyer said judges were required to take the oath of office as prescribed under the Sixth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.
Haniff said Article 124 (1) states that the chief justice shall, before exercising the functions of his office, take the oath and allegiance set out in the schedule and shall do so in the presence of the king.
He said Article 124 (2) stated that a judge of the Federal Court, the Court of Appeal or a High Court, other than the chief justice shall take the oath of office and allegiance in relation to his judicial duties in whatever office.
Haniff said Article 124 (2A) stated that a person taking the oath on becoming the COA President shall do so in the presence of the senior judge available in that court.
The lawyer said it would be compulsory for both to take the oath as additional judges before taking another pledge as chief justice and COA president.
Haniff said a Bernama report revealed that Raus had taken his oath of office as chief justice before the king on Aug 5.
He said another report from the national news agency yesterday revealed that Zulkefli had taken his oath of office before Court of Appeal senior judge Mohtarudin Baki.
“It is clear that both the chief justice and COA president did take the mandatory oath of office. But the important constitutional question is: did they take the oath of office as additional judges?” he asked.
He said it was a fundamental question which needed to be answered by the necessary authorities, since it went to the constitutional root for both of them to carry out their duties, functions and responsibilities as chief justice and COA president.
On April 1, Raus and Zulkefli were appointed to their current positions.
On July 7, the government announced that the king had consented to the advice of former chief justice Ariffin Zakaria to make Raus and Zulkefli as additional judges of the Federal Court under Article 122 (1A).
Such appointment is exclusively reserved for those who have held high judicial office in Malaysia.
It also announced that Raus would be reappointed chief justice for three years from Aug 4 while Zulkelfi would be made COA president for two years effective Sept 28.
Both were supposed to retire on Aug 3 and Sept 27 respectively, after a six-month extension upon turning 66.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad, represented by Haniff, and Sabah based lawyer Marcel Jude M S Joseph have filed judicial reviews to revoke the appointments of Raus and Zulkefi. -FMT
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