PUTRAJAYA, July 19 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the appointment of Court of Appeal Judge Wan Ahmad Farid as Malaysia’s 17th Chief Justice disproves allegations that he had pushed for former attorney general Tan Sri Ahmad Terrirudin Salleh to assume the post.
Addressing the media after Friday prayers, Anwar denounced weeks of speculation from unnamed legal figures as baseless “politicking,” clarifying that Terrirudin’s name was never proposed or discussed. Anwar reaffirmed his stance on judicial independence, stating he has never influenced judicial transfers, removals, or court decisions.
“I did not issue instructions to the Chief Justice or Court of Appeal judges, as had happened in the past,” he said. The Prime Minister expressed hope the issue would be put to rest, with the judiciary’s integrity remaining protected.
Alongside Wan Ahmad Farid’s appointment, Datuk Abu Bakar Jais has been named Court of Appeal President, while Datuk Azizah Nawawi takes over as Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak.
