KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s fifth Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will always be remembered as a figure who elevated the judiciary to a more respected position.
Former first chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Tun Zaki Azmi said the commission, established in 2009 when Abdullah was prime minister, was aimed at ensuring a more structured and transparent process for judicial appointments.
“With the formation of the JAC, all judicial candidates are thoroughly vetted beforehand. This clearly reflects Pak Lah’s commitment to ensuring that judicial appointments are not influenced by politics, but are instead based on merit.
“Before that, there were perceptions that the appointment (of judges) was made by the PM (Prime Minister) and he chose people who were aligned to him. But with the JAC, the PM’s decision to appoint judges was based on the advice of the JAC,“ he said when contacted by Bernama.
Zaki, who served as Chief Justice (CJ) for three years from 2008, expressed sadness over the passing of Abdullah, describing him as a soft-spoken and sincere leader.
Affectionately known as “Pak Lah,” Abdullah died at the National Heart Institute (IJN) at 7.10 pm yesterday.
He was a respected statesman who made significant contributions to the nation’s development, particularly in the realm of human capital, earning him the title of the Father of Human Capital Development.
“Tun Abdullah is someone I respect and love very much. The way he spoke was like a father to his son.
“Pak Lah is special to me because he was the one who appointed me as a judge and later as the Chief Justice of Malaysia. For that, I am truly grateful,” said Zaki, who made history as the first lawyer to be directly appointed as a Federal Court judge in 2007.
In February 2009, Abdullah announced Zaki’s appointment as the first chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) with Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff, Chief Justice of Malaya Datuk Arifin Zakaria, and Chief Justice of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum as members of the commission.
Among the functions of the JAC is to select suitably qualified persons who should be appointed as superior court judges for the Prime Minister’s consideration.
Also expressing sadness over Abdullah’s death was former Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria, who described the establishment of the JAC as a major milestone in strengthening judicial independence in Malaysia.
He acknowledged Abdullah’s efforts in elevating the judiciary to a more respected and independent position.
“It was under his leadership that JAC was formed to make recommendations on judicial appointments. I was fortunate to have served as the Chief Justice of Malaya during his tenure,” said Arifin, who later became Chief Justice of Malaysia from 2011 to 2017.
He remembered Tun Abdullah as a man of integrity and great prudence.
“He was a Prime Minister who deeply respected the independence of the judiciary. I am truly saddened by his passing, and I pray that his soul will be placed among the righteous,” Arifin said.
