Consider Royal Commission for the Judiciary

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the new minister in the Prime Minister Department Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim who is in charge of legal affairs to consider seriously the formation of a Royal Commission to enquire into all aspects of the judiciary.

Dr Tan notices that the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has streamlined the Cabinet, reducing from 90 to 68 members and doing away with all parliamentary secretaries.

The March 8, 2008 general elections has seen the Barisan Nasional no longer having a two-third majority in Parliament; 140 BN and 82 Opposition. It has taken the Opposition over 40 years to achieve the objective. This is a healthy sign. Streamlining the Cabinet is a step in the right direction.

Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim heads the largest legal firm in the country, especially on corporate matters. We hope he can reorganize the judiciary, making it reputable within and outside the country. Things such as a lawyer writing a judgement for a judge as in the Lingam case should never be repeated.

The Royal Commission of Enquiry on the Lingam tape is limited in scope; we are waiting for the report. Meanwhile, we have a glimpse of the weaknesses in the judiciary during the enquiry.

Zaid Ibrahim expressed his opinions on the judicairy when he was an MP last term. We believe that he would need to know the extent of the weaknesses. He would have to consider seriously the formation of a Royal Commission of Enquiry on the judiciary.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw