‘Boot camp’ judge resigns
KUALA LUMPUR: A High Court judge who revealed the existence of a boot camp for judges back in 1997 has tendered his resignation and will leave office on Dec 1.
Datuk Ian Chin wrote a letter to the King on July 16 to resign and went on leave on Aug 21.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T. Murugiah said this in reply to Tian Chua (PKR - Batu) who asked whether the Government had taken steps to investigate the accusations made by Chin against former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
With Chin’s resignation, there was no need to investigate the matter, said Murugiah.
Earlier, Murugiah told Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir (BN - Jerlun) that the Government did not intend to make representation to the King to put Chin before a tribunal.
On July 15, several MPs, while debating on the Judges Remuneration (Amendment) Bill, criticised Chin in the Dewan Rakyat over his war of words with Dr Mahathir.
Some questioned his revelation, made only after Dr Mahathir had stepped down, and some called for him to be sacked for being “judicially immature”.
It prompted Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia to intervene. He asked Karpal Singh to read out Article 127 of the Federal Constitution and Parliament’s Standing Order 36(8) to remind MPs not to debate on judges’ behaviour unless a substantive motion was moved with the consent of 55 MPs.
In June, Chin caused a stir when he claimed that Dr Mahathir had made a thinly veiled threat against judges at the Judges Conference on April 24, 1997.
He claimed Dr Mahathir had threatened to sack judges who failed to deliver judgments to his or the Government’s liking.
Chin had also said that Dr Mahathir was dissatisfied over his unwillingness to award astronomical sums in damages in two libel suits in 1997, and that “errant” judges had been sent to a boot camp in an “attempt to indoctrinate them to hold the view that the Government’s interest was more important than all else”.
Dr Mahathir, in his blog, said the judges were never sent to a boot camp.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/31/nation/2419345&sec=nation
Ambiga: Ian Chin's resignation leaves unanswered questions
Thursday, 30 October 2008 06:36pm
©The Malaysian Insider (Used by permission)
by Debra Chong
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 - Bar Council president Datuk S. Ambiga said today it was unfortunate the resignation of High Court judge Ian Chin will leave many unanswered questions.
Expressing surprise at news of Chin's resignation which was announced in Parliament today, she said it was not in the interest of justice that there are question marks surrounding the judge's decision.
Chin dropped a bombshell earlier this year with his explosive claims that former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had threatened judges and send them to a "boot camp" for indoctrination, in an allegation the latter denied ever doing.
Parliament was told today that Chin handed in his resignation to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in a letter dated July 16.
"He will step down from Dec 1. At this time, he has started his leave from Aug 1 until Nov 30,"
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department T. Murugiah told the House.
Murugiah was replying to a question from Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir (BN-Jerlun) who wanted to know whether action would be taken against the judge.
Murugiah said that since Chin had tendered his resignation, there was no need to take any action.
"It is unfortunate that every time a judge is brave enough to speak up, he has to leave or feels he has to leave and nothing is done about those allegations," said Ambiga.
"Again, this leaves a lot of unanswered questions. This is not in the interest of the administration of justice," she emphasised.
http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/bar_news/berita_badan_peguam/ambiga_ian_chin_s_resignation_leaves_unanswered_questions.html
Datuk Ian Chin wrote a letter to the King on July 16 to resign and went on leave on Aug 21.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T. Murugiah said this in reply to Tian Chua (PKR - Batu) who asked whether the Government had taken steps to investigate the accusations made by Chin against former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
With Chin’s resignation, there was no need to investigate the matter, said Murugiah.
Earlier, Murugiah told Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir (BN - Jerlun) that the Government did not intend to make representation to the King to put Chin before a tribunal.
On July 15, several MPs, while debating on the Judges Remuneration (Amendment) Bill, criticised Chin in the Dewan Rakyat over his war of words with Dr Mahathir.
Some questioned his revelation, made only after Dr Mahathir had stepped down, and some called for him to be sacked for being “judicially immature”.
It prompted Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia to intervene. He asked Karpal Singh to read out Article 127 of the Federal Constitution and Parliament’s Standing Order 36(8) to remind MPs not to debate on judges’ behaviour unless a substantive motion was moved with the consent of 55 MPs.
In June, Chin caused a stir when he claimed that Dr Mahathir had made a thinly veiled threat against judges at the Judges Conference on April 24, 1997.
He claimed Dr Mahathir had threatened to sack judges who failed to deliver judgments to his or the Government’s liking.
Chin had also said that Dr Mahathir was dissatisfied over his unwillingness to award astronomical sums in damages in two libel suits in 1997, and that “errant” judges had been sent to a boot camp in an “attempt to indoctrinate them to hold the view that the Government’s interest was more important than all else”.
Dr Mahathir, in his blog, said the judges were never sent to a boot camp.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/31/nation/2419345&sec=nation
Ambiga: Ian Chin's resignation leaves unanswered questions
Thursday, 30 October 2008 06:36pm
©The Malaysian Insider (Used by permission)
by Debra Chong
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 - Bar Council president Datuk S. Ambiga said today it was unfortunate the resignation of High Court judge Ian Chin will leave many unanswered questions.
Expressing surprise at news of Chin's resignation which was announced in Parliament today, she said it was not in the interest of justice that there are question marks surrounding the judge's decision.
Chin dropped a bombshell earlier this year with his explosive claims that former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had threatened judges and send them to a "boot camp" for indoctrination, in an allegation the latter denied ever doing.
Parliament was told today that Chin handed in his resignation to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in a letter dated July 16.
"He will step down from Dec 1. At this time, he has started his leave from Aug 1 until Nov 30,"
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department T. Murugiah told the House.
Murugiah was replying to a question from Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir (BN-Jerlun) who wanted to know whether action would be taken against the judge.
Murugiah said that since Chin had tendered his resignation, there was no need to take any action.
"It is unfortunate that every time a judge is brave enough to speak up, he has to leave or feels he has to leave and nothing is done about those allegations," said Ambiga.
"Again, this leaves a lot of unanswered questions. This is not in the interest of the administration of justice," she emphasised.
http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/bar_news/berita_badan_peguam/ambiga_ian_chin_s_resignation_leaves_unanswered_questions.html
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