Anwar urges PKR members to ‘move on’ from dispute over judicial appointments

Anwar urges PKR members to ‘move on’ from dispute over judicial appointments

SHAH ALAM: PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has urged party members to “move on” and stop focusing on differences of opinion among its elected representatives regarding judicial appointments.

PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil said Anwar conveyed this message during a closed-door meeting with Selangor PKR leaders here today.

Fahmi said Anwar, who is also the prime minister, said he had no intention of taking disciplinary action against PKR MPs who held differing views on the matter.

“They have the right to express their views, and Anwar has asked division leaders and PKR members to understand this and ‘move on’,” he told reporters after the meeting.

Last week, 19 PKR divisions in Johor called for Rafizi Ramli and eight other PKR MPs to be suspended after the group called for the establishment of a royal commission of inquiry, and a hearing by a parliamentary select committee, following delays in the appointment of top judicial positions.

DISYORKAN UNTUK ANDA :

Pengajaran Penting Kepada Malaysia Dari Perang Di Timur Tengah

The nine MPs claimed the matter amounted to a constitutional crisis, an allegation which the Attorney-General’s Chambers denied. The AGC also dismissed the call for an RCI, stating that the appointment process was proceeding at the time in accordance with the Federal Constitution.

The division chiefs said the MPs’ actions not only breached party discipline and ethics, but also cast a negative light on the prime minister’s leadership and opened the door to political manipulation by rivals.

In a statement yesterday, the office of the chief registrar said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had consented to Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh’s appointment as the chief justice, Abu Bakar Jais’s appointment as president of the Court of Appeal, and Azizah Nawawi’s appointment as chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak.

They will be sworn in and presented with their letters of appointment at Istana Negara on July 28.

Fahmi, who is the communications minister, also said that appointments for positions in PKR’s state leadership councils will be finalised by the end of this month.