DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang has called on Chief Justice Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal president Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin to “gracefully resign” to bring the constitutional crisis over the two top judicial posts to an end.
“When Raus was controversially re-appointed as Chief Justice, he said it was ‘unprecedented’ but constitutional, that there was always a first time for everything, and that when something happens for the first time, there is bound to be many differences in opinion.
“What is incontrovertible, however, is that the re-appointment (were) met with criticism and opposition – with the weight of juristic, legal and informed public opinion arrayed against them,” Lim said.
Raus and Zulkifeli had their terms controversially extended last year under Najib’s government despite their being over the mandatory retirement age of 66 years and six months. The extensions were challenged in court by The Malaysian Bar, Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Amanah.
In a statement today, Lim said the graceful resignation of Raus and Zulkefli will allow a good start to much-needed judicial and legal reforms in the country.
He said critics of the term extensions included former chief justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad, former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram, former attorney-general Abu Talib Othman and former de facto Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim