KOTA KINABALU: Majlis Jaksa Jaksa Pendamai, Sabah (MAJAPS) will give its full support for Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, the present Chief Justice of Sabah and Sarawak, to be given the opportunity to hold the post as the Chief Justice of Malaysia.
Its president Datuk Seri Panglima Clarence B. Malakun, said that Malanjum is well qualified and if in accordance with seniority, should be next in line to be elevated to the top job in the judiciary in Malaysia.
It would be rather unfair and strange and not good for national integration if Tan Sri Richard was bypassed this time around and for the job to be given to another person from Peninsular Malaysia again, Malakun said in a statement yesterday.
According to him, it is the right and opportune time that the top leadership of the country should give recognition to East Malaysian, Malanjum.
“He had also studied his law degree as an external student of the University of London at the Mara Institute of Technology (now known as Universiti Teknologi Mara) as well as obtained his barrister at law from the United Kingdom, just like any of the other top judges of the country. His knowledge of the law and his work experiences are equal, if not better, than some of the people who had held the Chief Justice of Malaysia post in the past. There is therefore no reason why Tan Sri Richard cannot be elevated to the top post,” Malakun opined.
Besides, this is an opportunity to make Sabahans and East Malaysians feel honoured and not being discriminated over those from Peninsular Malaysia in holding the top judicial position in the country, he stressed.
“There are some good examples where East Malaysians are equally capable, if given the opportunity, such as Tan Sri Pandikar Amin as the present Speaker of the Malaysian Parliament. Before that, we had the late Tan Sri Ben Stephens as the President of the Senate. Also, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as the former Attorney General of Malaysia,” he pointed out.
Malakun said that the appointment of Malanjum would be warmly welcome by and said that the latter was very hard working and innovative such as having computerised the taking of notes of proceedings in Courts and having started the Mobile Court where the judiciary would go out to the rural areas in Sabah and Sarawak rather than having the poor rakyat travel great distances to attend court and other legal matters in the towns and cities.
Malanjum, he said, is certainly very active and innovative and has very good leadership qualities.
“He can mix well with both the top people as well as the ordinary rakyat on the street.
“The lawyers and the JPs in Sabah respect and hold Tan Sri Richard in high esteem. He will certainly bring some breath of fresh air and innovation to the Malaysian Judiciary, if given the chance to become the next Chief Justice of Malaysia,” Malakun said.