PUTRAJAYA: The appointment of new top figures proves that there is no interference in the nation’s judiciary, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said any delays in announcing the new appointees stemmed from the lengthy appointment process.

“What crisis is there?” he said when met after Friday prayers at a mosque here on Friday (July 18).

“I did not expel any judges, and I did not refer any judges to the tribunal.

“I did not interfere in any decisions, nor did I give any judges orders, unlike previous administrations.

“This is because the independence of the judiciary must be upheld,” he added.

It was announced earlier that His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, had approved the appointments of three top judicial figures, including Court of Appeal judge Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as the new Chief Justice of the Federal Court.

Also appointed are Federal Court judges Datuk Abu Bakar Jais as Court of Appeal president and Datuk Azizah Nawawi as the Chief Judge of the High Court in Sabah and Sarawak, replacing the outgoing Chief Judge who is set to retire.

More to come