PUTRAJAYA, July 15 — Around 400 lawyers marched from the Palace of Justice to the Prime Minister’s Office today in a powerful demonstration to safeguard judicial independence. Organised by the Malaysian Bar, the “Walk to Safeguard Judicial Independence” highlighted growing concerns over prolonged leadership vacancies in the judiciary and called for urgent institutional reforms.
Including the immediate appointment of qualified judges and the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into alleged interference. Led by Malaysian Bar president Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab, the peaceful march culminated at Putra Square, where a memorandum was submitted to legal affairs department director-general Zamri Misman on behalf of the Prime Minister.
Ezri said the walk—attended by an estimated 1,600 legal professionals—served as a reminder to the government of the critical state of the judiciary, with some court hearings delayed until 2030. He warned that such delays risk crippling court operations and damaging public trust. While the Bar is not accusing the judiciary of losing independence, Ezri stressed that negative public discourse and social media speculation must be addressed to protect judicial integrity.
The march drew support from prominent legal and political figures including former attorney general Tommy Thomas, PKR’s Nurul Izzah Anwar, PAS’ Takiyuddin Hassan, and former Bar presidents Ambiga Sreenevasan and Karen Cheah. The Malaysian Bar has no immediate plans for another walk, but will determine next steps during its extraordinary general meeting on July 26.
