Transparent judgment reflects credible justice system, says Perak sultan

A transparent judgment reflects a credible justice system that is not influenced by the fear of anyone, Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah said today.

He said in the justice system, the judge is an important character and plays a big role in ensuring the credibility and integrity of the judiciary.

"There should not be any doubt and a judge must be free from any influence or pressure.

"In the effort to create a shariah judicial institution that is credible and with integrity, judicial officers need to be sent for training, equipped with skills and given the necessary exposure for them to gain experience from time to time to improve their knowledge and competence in interpreting the shariah law," he said when launching the Perak Al-Qanun Shariah Journal Vol.1 2022 in Ipoh today.

He also said judges should write quality judgments for cases as a guide and reference for legal practitioners.
 
"The grounds of judgment is also used as a consideration for any party aggrieved by the decision to make a review, whether they want to proceed with their intention to appeal or not.

"If the basis and grounds of the judgment are weak, the appellant has the right to argue that the judge erred in his judgment and apply for the case to be reviewed by a higher court.

"The opportunity to appeal is a right guaranteed by law, becoming a venue for a higher court judge to review the grounds of judgment by the lower court judge, whether there was a mistake or not," he said.

Sultan Nazrin said in his role as the head of Islam responsible for Islamic affairs in the state, he fully supported the principle of the independence of the shariah judiciary for the sake of justice.

He also expressed the need for efforts to improve the shariah judicial system and empower the shariah court.