Wednesday June 11, 2008 MYT 8:52:30 PM

Judges boot camp shocker: No Royal Commission, says PM

BY MAZWIN NIK ANIS & SIM LEOI LEOI

PUTRAJAYA: There is no need to set up another Royal Commission of Inquiry on the latest allegation levelled by a high court judge against former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said this was because the Government had already decided to reform the judiciary.

“We are going to implement the reforms. Tak habis-habis dengan cerita ini (The matter seems to be dragging on). I don’t see a reason for another commission,” he told reporters at his office here on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister was asked to comment on a statement by High Court Judge Justice Ian Chin who claimed that Dr Mahathir had threatened to remove judges by referring them to a tribunal during a Judges Conference in on April 24, 1997.

He alleged that fellow judge Muhammad Kamil Awang had told him of receiving a call from the then Chief Justice asking him to dismiss an election petition that he was to preside over in Kota Kinabalu.

Justice Chin, who is currently the Sibu High Court Judge, had twice unsuccessfully stood for a parliamentary and later for a state seat in Sabah in the 1980s under the Barisan Nasional banner.

At another press conference, de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said initiating an investigation or a Commission would be a waste of taxpayers’ money.

“I feel it is not necessary. What is important is for us to move forward and take steps to restore the public’s confidence in our judiciary and (for such alleged practices) not to recur,” he said.

He said the latest revelation was not only regrettable but also a bad reflection on the country and its judiciary system.

"I can’t say that I was surprised by the latest allegation as I have heard so many stories in the past. This is just one of them,” he told reporters.

Zaid also said a proposed amendment that would revert Article 121 (1) of the Federal Constitution to its original form would be tabled in the next meeting of Parliament.

The original provision accorded judicial power to the High Courts of Malaya and Borneo, which according to him was a principle affirming the separation of powers between the Executive and Judiciary.

Asked on the progress of investigations on Dr Mahathir as recommended by the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the V.K. Lingam videotape, Zaid said it would take some time.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir in his blog said he would refrain from commenting on the issue for now and would do so in due time.

“However, I am quite curious about what Ian Chin considers as veiled threats. Perhaps he could be more specific, as his allegations are very serious,” Dr Mahathir said.