PUTRAJAYA: The government will reassess the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Act 2009 following public uncertainty surrounding the recent Chief Justice appointment.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said confirmed a special committee will be formed to examine the law.
The committee will include members of the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, alongside constitutional experts, legal practitioners, and academics.
Azalina highlighted the need for improvements, noting that while the JAC has overseen the appointment of five Chief Justices since 2009 without issue, recent confusion has prompted a review.
“We have to improve because what is happening now is that there is a lot of confusion. (There’s) no clarity from the public perspective. But then this particular JAC, which was passed and established in 2009, is responsible for the appointment of five Chief Justices. It has never been an issue,“ she told reporters after attending the International Conference on Integrity and Governance.
Azalina clarified that the JAC’s role is advisory, not binding.
The commission screens, assesses, and recommends candidates to the Prime Minister, but final appointments must align with Article 122B of the Federal Constitution. – Bernama
