The allegation by Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim that he had received information that Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had played an integral role in the extensions of the tenures of Chief Justice Md Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal President Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin in preparing the legal viewpoint and basis to decide their said extensions (“Was Shafee involved in CJ’s extension, asks Anwar”, FMT, 10.7.2017) is a most serious one and must be responded to by Shafee.
Anwar’s said allegation, if true, amounts to an interference in the process of the extension of the said two judges which is most undesirable considering that the relevant provisions of the Federal Constitution do not provide for the extensions of the said two posts to be advised by personalities other than the Prime Minister and perhaps, the Chief Justice.
Shafee must respond to Anwar’s said allegation as a failure to do so will cast very serious doubts as to the integrity of the said extension process of the said two judges particularly when there seems to be so much controversy surrounding the same.
Furthermore, there will certainly be serious implications if Shafee fails to respond to Anwar’s said allegation in the event a legal challenge is mounted against the said extensions as his silence on the matter may attract an inference that the said allegation is indeed true which will, surely, taint and compromise the said extensions further.
In the circumstances, I urge Shafee to come clean on the said allegation forthwith as any delay in doing so on his part may affect the image of the judiciary adversely.