CHIEF Justice Richard Malanjum, who is due to retire on April 12, is keeping mum on whether his term will be extended.

“That is a million-dollar question,” he said after a book launch at Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur today.

“No, no. Thank you,” he said after being prompted by reporters.

Malanjum, who is former chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak, was appointed by the Agong on July 11 last year to lead the judiciary.

On April 12, he will turn 66 years and six months, the mandatory retirement age for judges as per Article 125(1) of the constitution.

Previously, term extensions were granted to former chief justice Md Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal president Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin.

Both were the target of a judicial review suit by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who called the extensions unconstitutional. The duo resigned after Pakatan Harapan swept to power last May.

Another three senior judges are expected to retire soon – Court of Appeal president Ahmad Maarop and Chief Judge of Malaya Zaharah Ibrahim are due to step down this year, and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak David Wong next February.

On whether there are qualified successors, Malanjum said: “Overall, there are 130 judges from the high court to the federal court. We have more than enough.”

He declined to comment on the affidavit by sitting Court of Appeal judge Hamid Sultan Abu Backer, which contained allegations of corruption in the judiciary, and on the progress of a proposal by Dr Mahathir for a royal commission of inquiry to look into Hamid’s claims.

“No, thank you very much. I’m not at liberty to say what is being done.”

Whether he is prepared for an RCI, he said: “That’s speculative, isn’t it? Just in case. I think it’s not fair if I were to speculate.”

Malanjum previously said he would leave the matter to police to investigate.

He was criticised after the Attorney-General’s Chambers, representing the chief justice, moved to expunge major portions of the affidavit, which was filed last month.

The affidavit is part of supporting documents by lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo, who sued the chief justice and is seeking a declaration that he failed to protect and defend the integrity of the judiciary with regard to her late father Karpal Singh’s sedition case. – March 20, 2019.