MoU with govt needed to ensure independent judiciary, PH leaders say

Top Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders today stressed the importance of a independent judiciary as one of the elements of the coalition’s memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government, amid accusations levelled at the judge who convicted Najib Razak of corruption over millions found in the former prime minister’s personal accounts.

The PH Presidential Council said Article 4.1 of the MoU clearly states that the federal government must “ensure the independence of the judiciary at all times”.

“PH fully supports and defends the independence of the judiciary,” it said in a statement issued by PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah’s Mohamad Sabu, DAP’s Anthony Loke and Upko’s Madius Tangau.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) recently opened an investigation into Court of Appeal judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali over allegations of unexplained money in his bank account.

Nazlan, who convicted Najib of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and corruption over the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds, meanwhile lodged a police report of his own, saying the claims were malicious, baseless and aimed at tarnishing his credibility as a judge.

The PH leaders said MoU with the government should be continued to ensure that enforcement agencies do not violate the Federal Constitution but instead respect the principle of a free and independent judiciary.

“It is abundantly clear that an independent judiciary is the backbone of the rule of law and a democratic system that is accepted and trusted by the people,” they said.