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PETALING JAYA: The nation’s highest judge has reminded her subordinates that they are servants of the law and no one else in the performance of their judicial duties.
“All members of the judiciary must possess qualities of integrity, competence and efficiency, always bearing in mind that we are not indebted to anyone or anything other than the law,” said Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat in his New Years message.
Tengku Maimun, who became the first female judge to lead the judiciary last year, said that without these key qualities, justice would not really be done and that “we would have failed in our duty.”
This is known to be the first time that the head of the judiciary has made a statement of this nature, as the tradition of hosting the Opening of the Legal Year in January could not take place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He assured the public that justice will be done according to the law, without fear or favoritism.
“Court decisions are based on what the law says and what the evidence proves. In the courts there is no room for suspicion, prejudice or favoritism.
“Judges and all judicial officials are free to apply the law regardless of the wishes of any particular group or the weight of public opinion,” he said.
Tengku Maimun said the court will endeavor to guarantee freedom; resolve legal disputes efficiently and impartially; provide the same protection to all regardless of their origin; and ensure due process of law.
“We will maintain a strong and independent judiciary, a key source of the rule of law, and we will promote public trust in the judiciary, both through our trials and fair hearings,” he added.
Tengku Maimun said that the judiciary, not being a political institution, did not yearn for public praise or recognition, but the institution nonetheless prospered and drew its strength from the public’s trust in it.
He said that it had always been the case that the judiciary of the accusatory systems did not respond to criticism, except in a limited sense through their trials.
“The pandemic has prompted us to consider that, however, the judiciary must play a proactive role in communication, especially with the advent of social media,” he added.
Tengku Maimun said that due to the initial motion control order and the parties’ reluctance to have their cases heard online, the judiciary now faces a backlog of cases.
She hopes to address the issue by increasing the frequency of sessions and increasing the number of cases settled per session.
