Malaysia: Putrajaya to set up RCI on judiciary, says Dr Mahathir

• PUTRAJAYA will set up a royal commission of inquiry to investigate allegations of judicial impropriety although it has not decided how far back to go, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.
• “We have not decided on how far back we are going to look into the allegations. We will determine the terms of reference of the RCI later,” he said.
• The call to set up an RCI comes following revelations from Court of Appeal judge Hamid Sultan Abu Backer alleged in an affidavit that there was widespread corruption and cronyism in the judiciary.
• Quoting high-level government sources, the Malaysiakini said the cabinet has agreed to establish the RCI.
• All cases before the courts will “proceed as usual” while a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) conducts its hearing on allegations of mass corruption at the highest levels of the judiciary, said Attorney-General Tommy Thomas.
• Thomas said in a statement that all cases at all superior and subordinate courts will continue to be heard and determined by them, and any request for the postponement of any case must be made by a party to the relevant court as per the usual way.
• Thomas said the country has had RCIs into the judiciary before: “It bears reminding that the current scrutiny into the judicial arm of the government is not the first in our history.”
• Thomas said as the RCI will be established shortly and begin deliberations, “it is hoped that public speculation on this matter will cease now”.

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