________________
Media Statement
by Karpal Singh  
___________________

(Kuala Lumpur, Thursday) : I welcome the statement by Chief Justice, Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim that judges who behave in a manner unbecoming of members of the bench and give a bad name to the judiciary, should just step down.

The Chief Justice lashed out against judges who were seen socialising with lawyers, prosecutors and corporate figures while hearing their cases in court. The Chief Justice's comments, clearly, show that the judiciary has among its ranks judges against whom action should be taken. It is obvious that if there is evidence of judges socialising with lawyers, prosecutors and corporate figures while their cases are going on in court and even taking bribes, what is brought into sharp focus is a public declaration of the Malaysian judiciary being infected by these judges who have been appointed and have abused their powers. There is, no doubt, also that judges who give the judiciary a bad name are a few and far between.

The Chief Justice should name those who are taking bribes and socialising with lawyers, prosecutors and corporate figures while hearing their cases in court so that a tribunal can be set up to try them, and if found guilty, to be relieved of their posts as judges.

There are ample provisions in the Federal Constitution for such an eventuality. The Chief Justice also said judges who displayed "inappropriate behaviour" were those "constantly angry and foul tempered" who portrayed themselves as being the most brilliant or perfect judges.

The Chief Justice should go public and reveal the names of the errant judges so that judges who have judicial temperament and integrity will not be painted in the same brush as those who are unfit to be judges.

Clearly, the revelations by the Chief Justice shows misjudgment in the appointment of the judges concerned in the first place. The national interest cannot tolerate such misjudgment because one's life and property are placed before judges who are not fit to be appointed.

It would be interesting to know who were the Chief Justice who recommended the appointment of these black sheep.

The public revelations by the Chief Justice, clearly, points to the necessity of setting up an independent judicial commission on the appointment and promotion of judges. There are countries in the Commonwealth which have set up such commissions and there is no reason why the Government should not aspire towards transparency and set up the commission in the public interest before the judiciary begins to crumble.

(2/3/2007)