Azmi Prefers Judicial Appointments Be Recommended By Chief Justice

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- Tan Sri Azmi Kamaruddin, a former Supreme Court judge who was suspended for three months during the judiciary crisis of 1988, said he preferred judicial appointments to be based on recommendations by the Chief Justice.
He said if the Chief Justice had any recommendation, it should be considered seriously because he had been facing lawyers for a long time, besides having sought the opinions of other judges on the matter.
"I am of the opinion that if the Chief Justice is a good person, he should be the one to make the recommendation (on judicial appointments) to the Prime Minister," he said when posed a question on the matter by Bernama general manager Datuk Azman Ujang in the "Bersemuka Bersama Media" talk-show aired live by the RTM1 television channel Tuesday night.
The other panellist on the show moderated by Sabaruddin Mohd Sabri was Shamsul Bahari Mohd Yunus.
Azmi also said he welcomed the setting up of a judicial appointments commission for the purpose.
"It will be good as more people will be involved instead of just one or two persons. As such more inputs can be heard before a decision is made.
"But things will still depend on the members. It is therefore important to put the right people in the commission," he said.
He said Article 121 of the Federal Constitution should also be taken into account in the efforts to institute judicial reform as the article could prove that the government was democratic.
Asked on what he thought were the criteria in the selection of judges, Azmi said, a judge should be knowledgeable about the law as well as one who upheld the truth and had never lied, including to members of his or her own family.
He was also asked whether he thought the credibility of the judiciary had been restored during the 20-year period since the 1998 judicial crisis.
He said: "I think, God Willing, we can... if we follow certain principles."
"Sometimes they think they can become judges but on attaining that goal, they become disheartened when unable to play golf.
"Everyone has his own strength and weaknesses, including me, but what is important is reinforcing our good qualities and striving to overcome the weaknesses," he said.
He said the cause of the public not respecting the judiciary was because people had doubts about the calibre of judges selected.
Azmi also said before the 1988 crisis, there never happened a situation where judges were suspended but were later asked to continue with their jobs as what happened to him, the late Tan Sri Eusoffe Abdoolcader and Tan Sri Wan Hamzah Mohamed Salleh.
"The three of us were shocked. It had never happened before and should have not as it involved our reputations," he said.
When asked how he felt about being asked to resume work after his suspension, Azmi said he felt constricted and alone.
He also felt that he was only wasting his time in the judiciary.
Azmi was also asked about what he thought of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in relation to the selection of judges without providing the reasons for their appointment.
"As a Malay, we don't want to be rude to the country's leader, but the prime minister should not take advantage of the situation," he said.

tunku : what about if the chief judge only recommends his own "buddies" ? this is not as easy as ABC.the pm too does not pick the chief judge just by a click.it's easy to say than to take the responsibility.looks like after receiving ex gratia, azmi is actively doing "road shows".why those who are accusing the former prime minister do not lodge an official report to the police or ACA ?