DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang has called on Chief Justice Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal president Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin to “gracefully resign”. 

Raus and Zulkifeli had their terms extended last year under the Najib Razak government despite being over the mandatory retirement age of 66 years and six months. The extensions were challenged in court by The Malaysian Bar, Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Amanah. 

In a statement today, Lim said the “graceful resignation” of Raus and Zulkefli will “allow a good start to much-needed” judicial and legal reforms.

“When Raus was controversialy re-appointed as Chief Justice, he said it was ‘unprecedented’ but constitutional, that there was always a first time for everything, and that when something happens for the first time, there is bound to be many differences in opinion.

“What is incontrovertible, however, is that the re-appointment (were) met with criticism and opposition – with the weight of juristic, legal and informed public opinion arrayed against them,” he said. 

Lim said critics of the term extensions included former chief justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad, former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram, former attorney-general Abu Talib Othman and former de facto Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim.  – June 8, 2018.