Life: The Journey Continues…

Hi all.If you wish to read THE PETITION and sign it straight away, go right ahead. And please spread the word once you’re done. If you need some convincing first, then please read on.

We all know about the VK Lingam judicial scandal. We know that a Royal Commission of Inquiry was set up to investigate this scandal. And we know that the Commission verified that our judiciary lacks proper independence. Worst of all, despite promises by the Prime Minister to reform the judiciary, and in particular, to set up a Judicial Appointments Commission, we all know nothing’s being done about it.

After the retirement of Tun Ahmad Fairuz, the former Chief Justice of Malaysia implicated in the VK Lingam scandal, Abdul Hamid Mohamad was appointed Chief Justice. He’s due to retire this October, and the word on the street is that Tan Sri Dato’ Zaki Tun Azmi will replace him.

This worries me for 3 main reasons:

1. He has in the past been picked for promotion over several senior candidates with far more experience than he has. The same will be true if he is appointed to the most powerful position in our nation’s judiciary.
2. He’s had intimate involvement with UMNO. He’s been their lawyer before, and no one knows whether or not he’s still a card-carrying member.
3. He’s had significant involvement in the corporate world.

(My source of info for these concerns is the Malaysiakini report I’ve linked here to the words “appointed” and “word on the street”.)

(Graphic taken from Malaysiakini.)

If you are deeply concerned, as I am, please read and sign THE PETITION to His Majesty the Yang DiPertuan Agong, asking for the Judicial Appointments Commission to be set up, just as the PM promised. Haris Ibrahim started this petition, just as he did the previous petition to His Majesty, asking for a Royal Commission of Inquiry. Whether or not it was because of the petition, we got our Royal Commission!

Let’s have our voices heard once more. We’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain. I don’t want to see less-than-qualified people occupying our judiciary’s top positions, and the Commission is our best chance of ensuring this in the long term.

Once you’re done signing, please spread the word to family and friends. Email your friends, post it up on your blog, or on Facebook and Friendster … please get the word out, ASAP!

Thank you.