KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 18 2025 -The appointment of Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as the new Chief Justice of Malaysia, alongside Datuk Abu Bakar Jais as President of the Court of Appeal and Datuk Azizah Nawawi as Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, is hoped to strengthen judicial independence, according to a group of Members of Parliament (MPs).
While the appointments have somewhat alleviated public concerns about judicial independence, the response to Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid’s appointment has been mixed. His background as a former Umno leader and his perceived junior status compared to other judges have raised questions.
“We hope Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid will prove his commitment to judicial independence, surpassing the exemplary record of his predecessor, Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat,” said a joint statement by nine MPs from KEADILAN.
The MPs outlined five key issues that the new judicial leadership must address:
1. Filling 31 vacant judicial positions promptly to ensure the smooth administration of justice.
2. Ensuring judicial appointments are based on merit and seniority to maintain fairness for experienced judges.
3. Adhering to the appointment process as stipulated in the Federal Constitution and the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Act.
4. Guaranteeing no external interference in judicial appointments that could undermine the principle of judicial independence.
5. Resolving allegations of attempts to influence judicial decisions, including investigations into a Federal Court judge.
The MPs also stressed the need for reforms to the judicial appointment process to prevent similar crises in the future. Their proposals include:
– Limiting the Prime Minister’s power to reject JAC nominations, with a requirement for the Prime Minister to provide formal reasons for any rejection.
– Automatically appointing representatives from the legal profession in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak to the JAC, reducing the Prime Minister’s authority to appoint the majority of JAC members.
– Involving Parliament in confirming JAC nominations through confirmation hearings or a parliamentary vote.
“We urge the administration of Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim to ensure these reforms are implemented, as the issue of judicial appointments remains unresolved without improvements to the process,” the statement emphasized.
The MPs who signed the statement are Rafizi Ramli (Pandan), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa), Wong Chen (Subang), Rodzali Ismail (Ampang), Zahir Hassan (Wangsa Maju), Bakhtiar Wan Chik (Balik Pulau), Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (Ledang), S Kesavan (Sungai Siput), and Onn Abu Bakar (Batu Pahat).
They vowed to continue monitoring the issue to ensure judicial reforms are carried out consistently.