Judicial boot camp: 'Both PM, Zaid wrong'
Malaysiakini.com
Jun 12, 2008

The government’s refusal to probe into the explosive allegations of judicial interferences made by High Court judge Ian Chin has irked an opposition leader.
MCPX

Both Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and de facto Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim have poured cold water on calls for an inquiry into the stunning claims.

When asked about whether a royal commission would be established to probe the matter, Abdullah said: "No need… there will be no end to this. Instead, we will carry out reforms to restore confidence in the judiciary."

Meanwhile, Zaid also said yesterday that he is against another investigation, months after a royal commission on the Lingam tape, where key personalities are alleged to have brokered the appointments of top judges.

“Another inquiry will not reveal anything more than what we already know. It will be a waste of time and money. Instead, we need to look at ensuring such incidents do not happen again…,” said Zaid.

lim kit siang 01Veteran opposition leader Lim Kit Siang decried that “both cannot be more wrong”.

“The prime minister and de facto law minister should realise that the best way to ensure that there is no recurrence of judicial outrages and scandals like those exposed by Chin is to unearth all the skeletons hidden in the cupboards, nay silos, during the two decades of judicial darkness and subject them to the glare of public scrutiny and opprobrium,” he said in a statement today.

ian chin ian hn chin judgeAccording to Chin, judges were sent to an indoctrination 'boot camp' and threatened with dismissal to pressure them into making pro-government decisions.

"Now, though he is no longer the prime minister and so no longer able to carry out his threat to remove judges, the coalition party that he led is still around," he said.

Chin made the allegations in open court before hearing a dispute on Monday over results of March general elections in Sarawak's parliamentary seat of Sarikei.

Targeted by Mahathir

Chin also said he was targeted by Mahathir after refusing to award "astronomical" payouts in two libel cases in 1997, while a judge who agreed with the then-premier's views was promoted to the Federal Court.

Afterwards, Chin reportedly said he was packed off to a five-day boot camp with selected judges and judicial officers.

It was without any doubt "an attempt to indoctrinate those attending the boot camp to hold the view that the government interest as being more important than all else when we are considering our judgment," he said.

Chin also said he was aware of other judges who were told how they should rule on particular cases.

DAP leader Lim said a royal commission into the two decades of judicial darkness is imperative, “not so much to demand any pound of flesh from anyone, but to allow the nation to undergo a national  catharsis which will be the best insurance against any recurrence of such prolonged judicial aberrations”.

“But why is he (Abdullah) hanging back from supporting a full inquiry into the ‘boot camp’ allegation, which until it is fully cleared up, will be an eternal blot and ignominy on both the judiciary and the executive in annals of Malaysian nation-buiding?”

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