AG urges judges to return judiciary to 'glory days' under new CJ

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas said the only way for the Malaysian judiciary to return to its “glory days” of the 1970s and 1980s was for judges to consistently endeavour to make the right decisions.

“If the Malaysian judiciary intends to recover its glory and regain judicial credibility, there is only one way of doing so.

“Judges must endeavour to make the right decisions, without fear or favour regardless of the personality or the party or the accused before them.

“If Malaysian judges can reach the correct decisions regularly and consistently over a substantial period of time, one can state with certainty that the confidence [...] of informed legal opinion [...] and that of the public in general, will return.

“Under (Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat’s) leadership, this journey will begin and will be strongly influenced by your personal example. Thus, the glory days of the 1970s and 1980s will return,” said Thomas.

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat

He said this in his speech at the ceremonial sitting to celebrate the appointment of Chief Justice Tengku Maimun at the Palace of Justice today.

Thomas said the Malaysian judiciary enjoyed a high reputation for the first 30 years after the country’s independence.

Judges of those days such as Lord President Mohamed Suffian Mohamad Hashim and Eusoffe Abdoolcader were seen as luminaries, he said, not just in Malaysia but by their counterparts abroad as well.

“I suggest that the principal reason why Malaysian judges were held in such high esteem during this period was because they were invariably making right, correct or proper decisions according to the evidence and the law,” he said.

He said Tengku Maimun, who was appointed as chief justice on May 2, had five qualities which would help “steer the judicial ship in safe and calm waters”.

These were unimpeachable integrity, excellent judicial temperament, being independent, decisive and courageous, Thomas said.

“I am confident of the positive contributions Your Ladyship will make to the apex court and to the development of our jurisprudence and our public life.

“I wish you well in your service as our new chief justice,” he said.  - Mkini