Ridiculous to continue delaying judiciary RCI - Haniff Khatri

It is ridiculous for the government to continue delaying the proposed royal commission of inquiry (RCI)into alleged judicial misconduct after the Sabah High Court yesterday dismissed a challenge against the setting up of the RCI brought by SAPP chief Yong Teck Lee, said lawyer Haniff Khatri (photo).

This is after de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong said the government will wait for Yong to file an appeal to the Court of Appeal, which he can do within 30 days from the High Court decision, before deciding on the RCI.

"I would say it is ridiculous for the law minister to say such a thing because the High Court has decided.

"Once the court has decided, there is no basis for Yong to file a suit. The government, under the guidance of the law minister and attorney-general, can proceed in setting up the RCI.

"You can't say you have to wait until the whole avenues are exhausted by the other party. This is not right," Haniff told Malaysiakini.

Haniff questioned if Liew intended to wait if Yong were to take the case all the way to the apex court.

"What else? If they lose at the Court of Appeal are we going to wait for the application for leave at the Federal Court?

"That is not how the system works and that is complete non-appreciation of the position of law by the minister," he said.

Haniff also panned Yong's insistence on challenging the setting up of an RCI, calling it "utter rubbish".

Yong had argued that the alleged misconduct in the judiciary should be investigated by the relevant authorities instead of an RCI, which he claimed is unconstitutional.

Liew previously said the government will wait for the outcome of Yong's challenge at the Sabah High Court.

Judge Ismail Berahim, in dismissing the challenge in Kota Kinabalu yesterday, said Yong's arguments were untenable as they were based on pure conjecture and speculations.

The federal government had in February agreed to set up an RCI after Court of Appeal judge Hamid Sultan Abu Backer alleged widespread corruption and abuses in the judiciary. - Mkini