Malaysia First today asked why former chief justice Richard Malanjum has been snubbed and denied the “Tun” title.
Malaysia First, a group of Malaysians from all over the country, said all 15 heads of the judiciary were made “Tun” during their tenure but Malanjum, who is also the sole CJ from Sabah and Sarawak, was denied the honour.
“Malaysia First is dumbfounded with the peculiar record that the immediate former chief justice Richard Malanjum is now both the only head of judiciary who hailed from East Malaysia and the only head of judiciary not awarded the title ‘Tun’.
“The glaring exception of Malanjum as the only ex-head of judiciary without the title Tun raises the question again – are non-politician East Malaysians simply not qualified for the highest honour of the land even if they have performed excellently?”
The award recipients are recommended by the Prime Minister’s Department, it said in a statement, questioning Muhyiddin Yassin’s pledge that “he would be the prime minister for all Malaysians from Perlis to Sabah?”
Meanwhile, the group highlighted that Malanjum was the only CJ from Borneo.
“After the Scotland-born first lord president of Malaysia Tun James Beveridge Thomson, the subsequent 13 lord presidents/chief justices before Richard Malanjum hailed from the peninsula. His successor Tengku Maimun also hailed from the peninsula,” the group said.
“All 15 heads of the Malaysian judiciary were made Tun during their tenure.
“After the Agong’s birthday this year, Malanjum stands out further as the only chief justice who has not conferred the title Tun even after his retirement.”
When Malanjum was made chief justice in 2018, the appointment was ground-breaking as he was the first chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak (formerly chief justice of Borneo) promoted to lead the entire judiciary.
Malanjum was sworn in as the ninth chief justice in 2018, replacing Md Raus Sharif, who resigned in the same month.
His appointment came under the Pakatan Harapan government.
However, Malay nationalists, some of whom are in the Perikatan Nasional government today, questioned the elevation as usurpation of top posts by non-Muslims. – TMI