COMMENT | Appoint chief judge of Malaya from within judiciary

COMMENT | A highly competent, robust, and independent judiciary is an indicator of whether a nation is truly built on democracy and the rule of law.

An independent judiciary is essential for the good of the country, its people, its investment, and its standing internationally.

Malaysia is indeed fortunate that it has recovered from the 1988 judicial crisis and currently enjoys the distinction of having a courageous and independent judiciary. It has taken the country more than 30 years to arrive at this position.

It was also not too long ago that we had a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the controversy concerning appointments of and interference with judges. The enactment of the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2009 resulted.

We had to learn the bitter lesson that whilst the independence of the judiciary can be destroyed in an instant, rebuilding and reestablishing its independence can take decades.

It is with these experiences in mind that...