PETALING JAYA: The Federal Government has been reminded of its obligation to ensure the independence of the judiciary as stipulated in the confidence-and-supply agreement.

       The Pakatan Harapan presidential council said, in a statement Thursday (April 28) that it fully supported Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tun Mat, who said that recent criticisms of the judiciary had "gone overboard".

       "The Pakatan Harapan presidential council fully supports Tengku Maimun's statement that 'what has happened in the last few days involving allegations against judges and the Judiciary is quite outrageous'," it said.

       The council added that Article 4.1 of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the government and Pakatan clearly states that the government must "ensure that the independence of the judiciary is implemented at all times".

       "Pakatan fully supports and defends the independence of the judiciary.

       "We urge the government to ensure that the MoU continues to be implemented by ensuring that the principle of independence of the judiciary is always respected.

       "It is very clear that an independent judiciary is the backbone of the rule of law and a democratic system that is accepted and trusted by the people," the statement read.

       The statement was signed by the coalition's chairman and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook and Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau.

       On Wednesday (April 27), Tengku Maimun hit back at attacks against the judiciary by certain quarters, saying that attacks against judges and the institution had gone overboard.

       She said while citizens, including politicians, were, to a certain extent, free to criticise, it did not mean they could level unfounded and scurrilous attacks against the judiciary.

       Noting that there were many high profile cases that involved public interest which were being tried in the courts, Tengku Maimun said it was expected that judges and the judiciary would be subjected to criticisms and baseless accusations by those affected by court decisions, especially if these were not in their favour.

       Her statement comes in the wake of recent attacks against Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, who had convicted and sentenced former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over the misappropriation of RM42mil in SRC International funds when he was a High Court judge.

       Justice Mohd Nazlan was alleged to have “unexplained RM1mil in his bank account” as claimed by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin.

       The judiciary has since described the article as “false, baseless and malicious allegations” aimed at tarnishing Justice Mohd Nazlan’s credibility and to interfere with the justice system and the judicial institution.

       The Malaysian Bar, in its support for the judiciary, has called for a balanced investigation by the authorities.