Chief Justice Wan Ahmad Farid says judges should be evaluated on judgments and courtroom conduct, not external factors or personal history
PUTRAJAYA: A judge must be evaluated exclusively on their performance in the courtroom, according to Chief Justice Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh.
He said judicial competence is demonstrated through the quality of judgments, courtroom demeanour, and the fair handling of legal counsel.
“I believe a judge is to be judged based on his performance in the court, based on his grounds of judgment, not on any other external factors,” he said.
He made the remark in response to a question regarding Federal Court judge Tan Sri Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh’s appointment to the Judicial Appointment Commission.
“If you want to judge Tan Sri Terrirudin, let us judge him based on his grounds of judgment, his demeanour in court, the way he handles the lawyers,” he added.
Wan Ahmad Farid said the public should accept things as they are and judge a judge based on his performance inside the court.
He was speaking on his strategy for reinforcing public confidence in the judiciary amidst recent controversies.
He emphasised that judicial decisions must be founded strictly on fact and law without external influence.
Judges duly consider all mitigating factors in criminal cases during sentencing, he noted.
On delayed written judgments, Wan Ahmad Farid said the judiciary is encouraging judges with backlogs to attend specialised courses.
He described his judicial philosophy as being guided by a clear conscience.
“So long as your conscience is clear, you will have no doubt and no regret later,” he said.
The Chief Justice revealed that his appointment to the nation’s highest judicial office came as a complete surprise.
“It never crossed my mind that I was going to be Chief Justice,” he said, describing the appointment as a great honour.
He said he now balances judicial work with administrative responsibilities for the first time.
These include matters involving commissioners of oath, disciplinary actions, and transfers of judges.
He shared that he unwinds after work by watching Netflix, Tom and Jerry, or Yes, Prime Minister.
“You can’t be serious all the time. It helps me maintain my judicial wellness,” he said.
When asked to grade his own performance, he demurred, saying a judge does not preside over his own case.
He said such an assessment should be left to the judgment of the public.
His primary objectives are to foster unity within the judiciary and develop a ten-year policy blueprint.
This blueprint aims to address case backlogs and ensure the timely completion of judgments.
He affirmed that judges are subject to criticism, as no member of the judiciary is above scrutiny.
However, he stressed that such criticism must be conducted in an academic and constructive manner.
“One should not say a judge is bad or wrong, nor criticise merely for the sake of it,” he added.
He reflected that the transition from politician to judge required a significant period of adjustment.
He observed that his phone, once constantly ringing, fell silent upon his judicial appointment.
“So I’m practically a lonely man. I go to the office and come back home. That’s what I do,” he said.
When asked whether he preferred the role of Chief Justice or politician, he gave a succinct distinction.
“A politician thinks after making a decision. A judge thinks before making a decision,” he said. – Bernama
