Today's headline
Malaysia to Set Up Independent Panel to Appoint Judges
By VIJAY JOSHI /ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER / KUALA LUMPUR
Friday, April 18, 2008
E-MAIL
PRINT
Malaysia will set up an independent panel to help appoint new judges as part of legal reforms in the wake of high-level judicial scandals.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the plan on Thursday as part of his pledge to clean up the judiciary, which has been plagued by allegations of favoritism, corruption and influence-peddling.
Abdullah said the Judicial Appointments Commission will be set up to identify and recommend candidates for the bench. He said the commission would "involve all primary stakeholders," but he did not elaborate or say when the panel would be formed.
"The government proposes a change to make the process of nominating, appointing and promoting judges more transparent and representative," Abdullah said in a speech to the Bar Council that received thunderous applause from some 300 top lawyers.
Currently, senior judges are chosen and recommended for appointment by the prime minister. The prime minister is not obliged to take seniority or track record into account, even when appointing the chief justice.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the plan on Thursday as part of his pledge to clean up the judiciary, which has been plagued by allegations of favoritism, corruption and influence-peddling.
Abdullah said the Judicial Appointments Commission will be set up to identify and recommend candidates for the bench. He said the commission would "involve all primary stakeholders," but he did not elaborate or say when the panel would be formed.
"The government proposes a change to make the process of nominating, appointing and promoting judges more transparent and representative," Abdullah said in a speech to the Bar Council that received thunderous applause from some 300 top lawyers.
Currently, senior judges are chosen and recommended for appointment by the prime minister. The prime minister is not obliged to take seniority or track record into account, even when appointing the chief justice.
more articles in this section
- China's High-profile Stance in WTO Conflict Worries US
- Thailand Has Enough Rice, Won't Cut Exports
- Activists Urge Pope to to Investigate Alleged Human Rights Violations
- Two Bomb Explosions in Rangoon, Say Witnesses
- Olympic Torch Arrives in Thailand amid Tight Security
- Oil Prices Hit $115 a Barrel
- Driver Who Escaped after Truck Tragedy Surrenders in Thailand
- Malaysian Government Closes Newspaper for Ethnic Indians
- Malaysian Move to Ease Interfaith Tensions
- Oil Prices Fall Below US $110 on Stronger US Dollar