ARIFIN Zakaria today defended his record in the judiciary against those who opposed his appointment as head of the royal commission of inquiry to investigate human trafficking and the discovery of mass graves in Wang Kelian, Perlis.

“My past judgments speak for themselves. I interpret the law according to my understanding,” he told reporters when asked about criticism by social groups of his appointment to the royal commission of inquiry.

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty had expressed concern over Zakaria’s appointment.

Its adviser N. Surendran said Arifin had made several decisions during his tenure as chief justice that received strong criticism from constitutional and human rights lawyers, as well as opposition leaders at the time.

He asked Arifin to clarify his stand over his past decisions and actions that were a cause of public concern.

Arifin served as chief justice for five years before stepping down on March 31, 2017.

Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who announced Arifin’s appointment to lead the royal commission of inquiry, said he would be assisted by former inspector-general of police Norian Mai and six other members.

Surendran said Arifin’s track record included his decision in favour of Barisan Nasional’s Zambry Abdul Kadir in the Perak menteri besar crisis, and his role in leading the Federal Court bench which upheld the validity of the Sedition Act 1948 in the case of law professor Azmi Sharom.

He also cited Arifin’s role in upholding the sodomy conviction of PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim, and his advice to the king that Raus Sharif and Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin be appointed as additional judges in the Federal Court.

Arifin said that he has a clear conscience over his decisions in the past.

“You can’t change people’s perceptions, but as far as I’m concerned, we acted according to the law with clear consciences,” he said.

Arifin was speaking to reporters after the appointment ceremony of the royal commission of inquiry’s members today. With him was Muhyiddin, who defended Arifin’s appointment.

“I must remind you that this is an appointment by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” Arifin told reporters.

The other members in the commission are former chief prosecutor Noorbahri Baharuddin; current Suhakam chief commissioner Razali Ismail; former head of research at the Attorney-General’s Chambers Junaidah Abdul Rahman; former ambassador to Thailand Nazirah Hussin; and former Kepong DAP member of parliament and former PAC deputy chairman Tan Seng Giaw.

Muhyiddin said that although the royal commission of inquiry was formed years after the events at Wang Kelian, it was better late than never.

“It’s late but not too late. If it involves sovereignty and our image, we need to do something. I think it won’t be said that Malaysia doesn’t care or does nothing about this,” he said.

The royal commission of inquiry is expected to take six months to complete investigations.

In May 2015, 139 graves and 28 abandoned human trafficking camps were found on top of Bukit Wang Burma in Wang Kelian, which is located on the Malaysia-Thailand border. – March 5, 2019.