KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — The appointment of Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as the new Chief Justice has stirred mixed reactions, with PKR Members of Parliament urging continued efforts to strengthen judicial independence in Malaysia.
They acknowledged that his appointment, along with Datuk Abu Bakar Jais as President of the Court of Appeal and Datuk Azizah Nawawi as Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, helps stabilise the judiciary’s top leadership but stressed that past concerns must not be ignored.
In a joint statement, the MPs called for urgent reforms including swift filling of 31 judicial vacancies, ensuring appointments based on merit and seniority, and protecting the process from political interference.
They also proposed structural reforms such as limiting the Prime Minister’s discretion in rejecting JAC nominations, automatic inclusion of legal representatives from all regions in the JAC, and the introduction of parliamentary confirmation hearings.
The lawmakers warned that judicial reform remains incomplete and should not be seen as resolved with these appointments. “We will continue to push for improvements to safeguard public trust and uphold the rule of law,” said the statement signed by Rafizi Ramli, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Wong Chen, and other PKR parliamentarians.
