PETALING JAYA: The judiciary should not be intimidated by any organisation as it is an independent body that is the guardian of justice for everyone.
Social activist Tan Sri Robert Phang said any type of probe involving a judge must be above board.
“The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had said its investigation was not based on a blogger’s claims on social media platforms but three formal complaints and reports lodged with the commission.
“The question MACC has failed to answer is what was the basis of the three reports, who made them and why. If it was based on the blogger’s claim, then MACC should also investigate the blogger and those who made the reports,” he told theSun.
Phang said every time someone is unhappy with a judge’s decision, they may resort to making allegations about the judge.
“If this becomes a trend, it will hurt the judiciary,” he said.
He asked whether MACC will investigate every single allegation made against judges or just pick and choose what it wants.
“It must be remembered that for MACC to carry out its duty successfully it must have the trust and support of the public.
“Any action that can erode this trust should be avoided as it would make the MACC an ineffective body,” said Phang, a former MACC advisory board member.
Phang said it is easy to make allegations that can tarnish a person’s reputation and MACC must be aware that its investigations can hurt a person’s reputation if the claims are ultimately baseless.
Phang was commenting on Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali being investigated by MACC over allegations of unexplained money in his account.
Mohd Nazlan was the judge who convicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over the misappropriation of RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.
On April 20, fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin posted an article titled “Judge Mohd Nazlan being investigated for unexplained RM1 million in his bank account” on his Malaysia Today website.
Mohd Nazlan filed a police report on the allegation made against him in the blog post.
Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat in a speech recently said judges are not beyond criticism, but “the public, including politicians, must not level unfounded and scurrilous attacks against the judiciary to further their ends”.
MACC said recently it had completed its investigations into the allegations against Mohd Nazlan and had handed over the investigation papers to the attorney-general.
Phang said whatever it may say, MACC cannot be seen to be conducting “selective investigations”.
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