Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak with attendees of the Judges Conference at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya September 7, 2011
Datuk Seri Najib Razak insisted today that his administration is committed to upholding an independent judiciary, explaining that he only agreed to visit the Palace of Justice today after being assured that the issue of interference by the executive would not arise.
The prime minister said in his speech at the headquarters of the judiciary today that “I had to think hard whether” to proceed with his working visit today as he was “worried about any negative perceptions” that might arise.
“I only agreed to visit after the chief justice invited me and assured me that there was no problem,” Najib said.
He added that his administration was “committed to an independent judiciary which is an essential ingredient in any successful nation-building effort.”
“The relationship must not only be proper, it must be seen to be proper,” he told the country’s top judges this evening.
Outgoing Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi had justified this morning the judiciary’s meeting with the prime minister saying it was to prove that the allocation of RM130 million in public funding to modernise the courts had been well spent.
The top judge was responding to claims highlighted by The Malaysian Insider earlier today that the judiciary’s independence would be jeopardised by the scheduled tea party and photography session.
Najib confirmed in his speech this evening that the aim of his visit was to scrutinise the changes to the judiciary under Zaki.
He praised the courts for reducing their backlog of cases by 90 per cent over the past two years, resulting in three-quarters of courtrooms now only dealing with cases filed in 2010 and 2011.
The PM cited a World Bank report that was released on Monday that praised the judiciary for its backlog and delay reduction programme that achieved results “rarely reached even in programmes lasting two or three times as long.”
“The Malaysian Judiciary’s recent programme offers an interesting model for other countries,” Najib quoted from the Malaysia Court Backlog and Delay Reduction Program: A Progress Report.
