Looks like we are now fortunate enough to have a committed and independent CJ. The judiciary is showing sign of improvement, namely granting of habeus corpus to RPK, failure of AG to transfer Anwar's case to HC, and also election petition cases....

Bravo to CJ

CJ: I won't hear Umno cases
Nov 8, 08 7:53pm
Newly minted Chief Justice Zaki Azmi has vowed not to hear cases involving Umno for the time being in view of his past relationship with the party.


Speaking at his first interview with Bernama as the nation's top judge, Zaki however added that he may hear cases involving Umno when he feels that his impartiality is accepted.

"As of now, I am saying that I do not want (to hear them) … until such time that I feel my impartiality is accepted," said Zaki.

The interviewer had initially stated that there would be suspicion to his impartiality, given that he had previously won many cases for Umno as a lawyer and was promoted from Federal Court judge to Chief Justice in record time.

Zaki was then asked how he would handle cases involving Umno should they come to his court.

Zaki was formerly a magistrate and Federal Counsel in the Attorney General's Chamber and Home Ministry before practicing as a lawyer.

His days in private practice saw him holding directorship in a slew of companies and also serving as the Umno legal advisor and deputy chairperson of the party's disciplinary board.

'Judiciary impartial'

On the independence of the judiciary, Zaki opined that his predecessor Abdul Hamid Mohamad had "set right" the judiciary in this regard.

"If you look at the judgments of the courts when Tun Abdul Hamid was the chief justice, for example, the judgments on the election petitions in the Federal Court did not favour the (ruling) Barisan Nasional.

"Another was the judgment of the Special Court in the case of the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan. All these show that the judiciary is impartial. In my view, only time can determine or show the impartiality of the judiciary," he said.

On judicial corruption, Zaki said there had been "one or two" corrupt judges who had retired.

"Now there are none. If there are any, they would not be bold enough to indulge (in corruption)," he said.

On the biggest challenge posed in his new role, Zaki said that it was the problem of backlogged cases.

"There are too many cases which have to be heard and settled. We have a severe shortage of judges. Besides, I also seek the cooperation of the lawyers. This is because the lawyers can expedite the hearings. I will meet with the Bar to seek their cooperation," he said.