PM: No need for inquiry

The Sun Thursday June 12, 2008 reported:
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday said
there is no need for inquiry to investigate the stunning revelation by High Court judge Datuk Ian Chin of Sabah that judges were pressured into making pro-government decisions at a conference in April, 1997.
The Prime Minister and the de facto Law Minister, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim have both thought that there is no need to call for an inquiry into the latest allegation levelled by High Court judge, Justice Datuk Ian Chin against former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
“No need…there will be no end to this. Instead, we will carry out reforms to restore confidence in the judiciary” said Abdullah.
“Another inquiry will not reveal anything more than what we already know. It will be a waste of time and money. Instead, we need to look at ensuring such incidents do not happen again…” said Zaid.
A Royal Commission of Inquiry into the two decades of judicial darkness, including the boot camp for delinquent judges, is important to fully restore public confidence in the system of justice in Malaysia. Can one assume whatever one knows before even an investigation? To be fair to both sides the accusor and the accused should be given the chance to clear their names. Why not? Unless some people are afraid they are implicated or they have something to hide. An accusation of this magnitude by a High Court judge should be given priority. One should not be so assuming as tough it is a complaint made by a small boy to his teacher.
There has been much rot and decay of the judicial system in the past two decades.
Datuk Ian Chin has made very serious allegations of Mahathir’s interference with judicial independence when he was Prime Minister , viz:
• Mahathir had gone to a judges conference “to issue a thinly veiled threat to remove judges by referring to the tribunal that was set up before”.
• Mahathir expressed unhappiness over Chin’s decision on a libel suit and an election petition, and expressed the view that people should pay heavily for libel.
• Mahathir had promoted a judge to the Federal Court because he approved of his suggestion of RM1 million as damages for libel.
• Chin also said he was sent to a “boot camp” with selected judges and judicial officers in “an attempt to indoctrinate those attending to hold the view that the government’s interest” was “more important than all else when we are considering our judgments”. He accused the then president of the Court of Appeal as the one who made the “devilish notion”.
Zaid had admitted that he was hearing about the “boot camp” for delinquent judges for the first time, adding that it was something that should not have happened.But why is he hanging back from supporting a full inquiry into the “boot camp” allegation, which until it is fully cleared up?
The Prime Minister and de facto Law Minister should realize that the best way to ensure that there is no recurrence of judicial outrages and scandals like those exposed by Chin is to unearth all the skeletons hidden in the cupboards, during the two decades of judicial darkness and subject them to the glare of public scrutiny.
Abdullah said he has finally heard the voice of the people after the March 8 “political tsunami”, and if so, he should set up a full Royal Commission of Inquiry into the two decades of judicial darkness.
Do you think this is what the overwhelming majority of Malaysians want? A proper inquiry and cleaning up?