Improve judges’ remuneration to attract Bar’s best brains, says lawyer

 

A Federal Court judge earns a basic salary of RM28,500 per month, while judicial commissioners who are appointed on a two-year contract draw RM25,500.

PETALING JAYA: A senior lawyer has called for the government to conduct an urgent review of the remuneration packages for judges to attract outstanding lawyers from the Bar to serve in the judiciary.

He said Singapore has successfully attracted top legal practitioners to serve as judges by offering attractive salary packages.

“The proper administration of justice is in the hands of judges and the best from the public and private service should be selected,” said the lawyer who spoke anonymously.

He said the government should revise the compensation packages urgently as it would only involve some 150 judges.

The lawyer, who has been in practice for about 50 years, said the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) had recently appointed “unremarkable” members of the Bar as judicial commissioners (JCs) with a view to confirming them as High Court judges later.

Further, the response from lawyers to the offer of becoming a JC on a two-year contract, as advertised on the JAC website, has been lukewarm, he said.

Under the Judges’ Remuneration Act 1971, a Federal Court judge earns a basic salary of RM28,500, a Court of Appeal judge receives RM27,500, a High Court judge gets RM26,500, and judicial commissioners earn RM25,500.

The lawyer also said it would be difficult to select a competent judge based on a handful of interviews.

“That many JCs are not confirmed proves this point. The lack of candidates, particularly senior lawyers, willing to be judges has resulted in the present practice of conducting interviews,” he added.

Lawyer Salim Bashir said some senior lawyers enjoy their work and its financial returns as they are specialists in their respective fields.

“Some do not wish to assume the heavy burden of responsibility which are concomitant of the judicial office,” the former Malaysian Bar president said.

He added that, in the past, the Chief Justice would invite competent lawyers as High Court judges based on their track record, ability, character and willingness to do national service.

“This might encourage some prominent lawyers to accept such invitations instead of starting as a JC,” he added.

Lawyer Syed Iskandar Syed Jaafar said it was impractical to expect a sole proprietor to serve as JC under a two-year contract.

“These lawyers would likely have lost their clients by the time they return to practice,” he added. - FMT