Chief Justice Richard Malanjum sees no problem with the judiciary receiving training from the United States' Department of Justice (DOJ) in light of several high profile trials coming up.
Speaking to reporters after officiating the Judges Conference this afternoon, which followed the opening of the Legal Year event, Justice Malanjum said the judiciary always receives training.
"The training by the DOJ was done two years ago and we do receive it from time to time.
"Our judges are trained how to handle such cases, how to conduct the hearing, what to expect, what is cryptocurrency, money laundering and others.
"The US is offering training as there has been a lot of cases there and they have experience in it," he said.
When asked whether the possible conflict in receiving training from the US, (when the DOJ itself has pending actions in relation to 1MDB there), Justice Malanjum simply said, "Well, we send our children to Harvard and Pennsylvania" and smiled.
Earlier in his speech this morning, Malanjum thanked the DOJ for helping in exposing and training Malaysian judges and judicial officers on how to handle ‘modern’ crimes such as money laundering, cryptocurrencies fraud, terrorism and human trafficking.
It was previously reported that the DOJ had commenced a civil forfeiture action in relation to 1MDB.
In Malaysia, former premier Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor, have been charged with, among others, money laundering. Najib's trial begins next week.
Succession relies on JAC
To questions on his successor, as he is due to retire this year, Malanjum said it would be discussed by the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC).
"We will discuss, but all this are (under) OSA (Official Secrets Act 1972," he quipped.
Judges face mandatory retirement at the age of 66 years, and six months.
Apart from Malanjum, who is expected to retire in April, the others due for retirement are Court of Appeal President Ahmad Ma'arop in August, Chief Judge of Malaya, Zaharah Ibrahim in May, and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, David Wong Dak Wah, in Feb 2020.
On another question on when the nine-member bench chaired by him two days ago, would deliver its decision on a double presumption challenge in drug trafficking involving two foreigners, Malanjum said the decision will be delivered next month.
"That I can tell you, it will be delivered next month, before one of the judges sitting retires in March," he said. - Mkini
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